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Jim Thomas
<a class="postlink" href="http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-03-04/st-louis-rams-2013-nfl-draft-free-agency-steven-jackson-danny-amendola" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2 ... y-amendola</a>
Editor's note: Every NFL team is preparing to attack its offseason to-do list, with free agency set to open March 12 and the draft April 25-27. This is the 26th of 32 reports in 32 days by Sporting News NFL correspondents, who will analyze the offseason game plan for each team. Up next: San Francisco 49ers.
TALENT OVERVIEW
A year ago, a strong offseason in free agency and the draft filled many holes on what was one of the NFL's most talent-deficient rosters. As a result, the Rams flirted with a wild-card berth until mid December. But if the Rams are to become a true playoff contender, they need another strong offseason.
With a tighter salary cap picture, the Rams won't be as active in free agency as they were a year ago, when they signed a half-dozen players who ended up being starters and committed nearly $100 million in contracts in the first few days of free agency for cornerback Cortland Finnegan, center Scott Wells and defensive tackle Kendall Langford.
The Rams will sign maybe two or three starters via free agency this time around, but otherwise depend on the draft and further development of what was the NFL's youngest roster in 2012.
KEY DEPARTURES
Among their 13 unrestricted free agents, the Rams are most interested in re-signing, wide receiver Danny Amendola, defensive end Williams Hayes and center/guard Robert Turner.
In addition, running Steven Jackson will void the final year of his contract and become a free agent as well. It appears they will all test the market.
Amendola and Jackson, obviously would be big losses because they're the best offensive players on the roster. The Rams are working to re-sign both, but it must be at the right price. Safety Quintin Mikell played well last season, but won't be back at his 2013 base salary of $6 million.
NEEDS/TARGETS
1. Offensive tackle. The help wanted sign is open at right tackle, with Barry Richardson scheduled for free agency and Wayne Hunter expected to be a cap casualty. There are some offensive tackles available in free agency, but this is a deep draft at the position, and there are three possibilities at No. 16 or No. 22 overall ... the Rams' two first-round picks: Lane Johnson of Oklahoma, D.J. Fluker of Alabama and Menelik Watson of Florida State.
After strong showings at the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine, Johnson may be out of reach at 16. If that's the case, it may come down to whether the Rams want a mauler (Fluker) or more of an athletic pass-blocker in the raw Watson.
2. Wide receiver. Besides Amendola, Brandon Gibson also is slated for free agency, so the Rams could be left with only Chris Givens, Austin Pettis and Brian Quick on their roster. Gibson won't be back.
But even if Amendola returns, it's still a position of need, and it looks like the draft is the most logical place to go looking. Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson, West Virginia's Tavon Austin and California's Keenan Allen are the most logical choices in the first round, with Patterson and Austin bringing the most play-making potential.
Patterson has only one year of major-college experience. The fact he attended three schools after high school (prep school, junior college and Tennessee) raises questions. Austin's biggest drawback is his lack of size at 5-8 1/2, 174.
3. Safety. Free safety Craig Dahl is an unrestricted free agent and probably gone. Strong safety Quintin Mikell could be a cap cut, so the Rams could be searching for two new starting safeties. If that's the case, they could be looking for one in free agency, and one in the draft.
Even with Jairus Byrd franchised by Buffalo, there are plenty of options in free agency, headed by Missouri-native William Moore of Atlanta. But with former Detroit secondary coach Tim Walton now working as Rams defensive coordinator, Louis Delmas is another option, as is San Francisco's Dashon Goldson, or New England's Patrick Chung who figures to be less expensive.
In the draft, even if the Rams pass on Kenny Vaccaro in the first round, there are several possibilities in Rounds 2 and 3.
4. Outside linebacker. An upgrade at the strongside position is needed, ideally with a speedier more athletic presence. Outside linebackers in a 4-3 scheme aren't easy to find, but Oakland's Phillip Wheeler and Baltimore's Dannelle Ellerbe could fill the bill via free agency.
Ellerbe played inside in Baltimore's 3-4, but certainly has the range to move outside. Wheeler is coming off a productive 2012 in which he recorded 109 tackles and three sacks. In the draft, this probably is an area the Rams wouldn't address until the middle rounds.
5. Offensive guard. After showing up overweight and out of shape, and then suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the opener, Rokevious Watkins had what amounted to a red-shirt year in 2012. As much as the Rams like his potential, it would be a gamble to pencil him in as the starting left guard.
That's where North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper could come into play in the first round. He should be there and No. 16 and possible at No. 22 as well.
THOMAS' TAKE
In an offseason where improving the offense should take high priority, the Rams quite possibly could lose a 1,000-yard rusher in Jackson and two of their most productive wide receivers in recent years in Amendola and Gibson.
If the Rams lose all three in free agency, that will change their draft strategy and complicate the teams rebuilding process. This isn't a team that's a player or two away from the Super Bowl, so the Rams won't spend a ton for someone like wide receiver Mike Wallace in free agency, or spend heavily on thirty-somethings to fill a starting spot.
Draft picks are still held in high value in St. Louis, so most likely the only trading the team will do is downward ... to pick up more bodies. But if they showed anything last offseason, general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher aren't afraid to make moves or take gambles in an effort to improve the team.
<a class="postlink" href="http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-03-04/st-louis-rams-2013-nfl-draft-free-agency-steven-jackson-danny-amendola" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2 ... y-amendola</a>
Editor's note: Every NFL team is preparing to attack its offseason to-do list, with free agency set to open March 12 and the draft April 25-27. This is the 26th of 32 reports in 32 days by Sporting News NFL correspondents, who will analyze the offseason game plan for each team. Up next: San Francisco 49ers.
TALENT OVERVIEW
A year ago, a strong offseason in free agency and the draft filled many holes on what was one of the NFL's most talent-deficient rosters. As a result, the Rams flirted with a wild-card berth until mid December. But if the Rams are to become a true playoff contender, they need another strong offseason.
With a tighter salary cap picture, the Rams won't be as active in free agency as they were a year ago, when they signed a half-dozen players who ended up being starters and committed nearly $100 million in contracts in the first few days of free agency for cornerback Cortland Finnegan, center Scott Wells and defensive tackle Kendall Langford.
The Rams will sign maybe two or three starters via free agency this time around, but otherwise depend on the draft and further development of what was the NFL's youngest roster in 2012.
KEY DEPARTURES
Among their 13 unrestricted free agents, the Rams are most interested in re-signing, wide receiver Danny Amendola, defensive end Williams Hayes and center/guard Robert Turner.
In addition, running Steven Jackson will void the final year of his contract and become a free agent as well. It appears they will all test the market.
Amendola and Jackson, obviously would be big losses because they're the best offensive players on the roster. The Rams are working to re-sign both, but it must be at the right price. Safety Quintin Mikell played well last season, but won't be back at his 2013 base salary of $6 million.
NEEDS/TARGETS
1. Offensive tackle. The help wanted sign is open at right tackle, with Barry Richardson scheduled for free agency and Wayne Hunter expected to be a cap casualty. There are some offensive tackles available in free agency, but this is a deep draft at the position, and there are three possibilities at No. 16 or No. 22 overall ... the Rams' two first-round picks: Lane Johnson of Oklahoma, D.J. Fluker of Alabama and Menelik Watson of Florida State.
After strong showings at the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine, Johnson may be out of reach at 16. If that's the case, it may come down to whether the Rams want a mauler (Fluker) or more of an athletic pass-blocker in the raw Watson.
2. Wide receiver. Besides Amendola, Brandon Gibson also is slated for free agency, so the Rams could be left with only Chris Givens, Austin Pettis and Brian Quick on their roster. Gibson won't be back.
But even if Amendola returns, it's still a position of need, and it looks like the draft is the most logical place to go looking. Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson, West Virginia's Tavon Austin and California's Keenan Allen are the most logical choices in the first round, with Patterson and Austin bringing the most play-making potential.
Patterson has only one year of major-college experience. The fact he attended three schools after high school (prep school, junior college and Tennessee) raises questions. Austin's biggest drawback is his lack of size at 5-8 1/2, 174.
3. Safety. Free safety Craig Dahl is an unrestricted free agent and probably gone. Strong safety Quintin Mikell could be a cap cut, so the Rams could be searching for two new starting safeties. If that's the case, they could be looking for one in free agency, and one in the draft.
Even with Jairus Byrd franchised by Buffalo, there are plenty of options in free agency, headed by Missouri-native William Moore of Atlanta. But with former Detroit secondary coach Tim Walton now working as Rams defensive coordinator, Louis Delmas is another option, as is San Francisco's Dashon Goldson, or New England's Patrick Chung who figures to be less expensive.
In the draft, even if the Rams pass on Kenny Vaccaro in the first round, there are several possibilities in Rounds 2 and 3.
4. Outside linebacker. An upgrade at the strongside position is needed, ideally with a speedier more athletic presence. Outside linebackers in a 4-3 scheme aren't easy to find, but Oakland's Phillip Wheeler and Baltimore's Dannelle Ellerbe could fill the bill via free agency.
Ellerbe played inside in Baltimore's 3-4, but certainly has the range to move outside. Wheeler is coming off a productive 2012 in which he recorded 109 tackles and three sacks. In the draft, this probably is an area the Rams wouldn't address until the middle rounds.
5. Offensive guard. After showing up overweight and out of shape, and then suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the opener, Rokevious Watkins had what amounted to a red-shirt year in 2012. As much as the Rams like his potential, it would be a gamble to pencil him in as the starting left guard.
That's where North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper could come into play in the first round. He should be there and No. 16 and possible at No. 22 as well.
THOMAS' TAKE
In an offseason where improving the offense should take high priority, the Rams quite possibly could lose a 1,000-yard rusher in Jackson and two of their most productive wide receivers in recent years in Amendola and Gibson.
If the Rams lose all three in free agency, that will change their draft strategy and complicate the teams rebuilding process. This isn't a team that's a player or two away from the Super Bowl, so the Rams won't spend a ton for someone like wide receiver Mike Wallace in free agency, or spend heavily on thirty-somethings to fill a starting spot.
Draft picks are still held in high value in St. Louis, so most likely the only trading the team will do is downward ... to pick up more bodies. But if they showed anything last offseason, general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher aren't afraid to make moves or take gambles in an effort to improve the team.
