- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Rams cut Dahl; he may be back when healthy
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_767cd426-06b7-5020-8221-676b6b4488e7.html
Often when a team releases a veteran player, there is lip service from the coach about bringing the player back. But when Jeff Fisher talked about offensive guard Harvey Dahl, who was released Monday by the Rams, his sentiments went beyond coach-talk.
Fisher made it clear he would like to re-sign Dahl, when healthy.
“We have expressed to Harvey that we have interest in bringing him back,” Fisher said. “Harvey’s done great things for this organization and this team, and was a mainstay of our offensive line the last two years.
Dahl was released Monday with a “failed physical” designation. He has undergone multiple operations this offseason, including ankle surgery. He missed seven of the Rams’ final eight games in 2013 after suffering a knee injury in the Monday night contest against Seattle on Oct. 28.
“Harvey’s gonna work very hard to get through his rehab,” Fisher said. “And we agreed that when he was healthy, we would talk.”
Dahl, who turns 33 in June, started 39 games in three seasons with the Rams. He was an enforcer on the line, taking great pride in protecting the quarterback. One of the prime examples came last season in Carolina, when Dahl came within a hair of physically attacking Panthers safety Mike Mitchell, who was exulting after a play that resulted in season-ending knee surgery for Sam Bradford.
“Harvey loves ‘Boo,’ “ Fisher said, referring to offensive line coach Paul Boudreau. “He loves what we’re doing.”
But for now, cutting Dahl saves the Rams $4 million in salary cap space. He was due a $500,000 roster bonus later this week and was scheduled to make $3.5 million in base salary in 2014. This would’ve been the last year of a four-year, $16 million deal Dahl signed with the Rams in 2011 as a free agent from the Atlanta Falcons.
Before all is said and done, the Rams will be about $15 million under the salary cap in the free agency period, which starts today at 3 p.m.
Dahl’s departure means the Rams are now minus two guards, what with Rodger Saffold informing the team Sunday that he’s heading elsewhere. Saffold’s new destination is expected to be Oakland, and all indications are it will be for big money — in excess of $8 million a year.
Fisher said he didn’t want to comment on Saffold’s departure until it became official.
Two other guards from the Rams’ 2013 squad are about to hit the market as unrestricted free agents: Chris Williams, who started all 16 games at left guard last season, and Shelley Smith, who has started eight games over the past two seasons.
“We’re not panicked at all,” Fisher said. “This draft is outstanding.”
And Fisher said the Rams are looking at options in free agency, both on the offensive line and elsewhere.
In terms of guards, there are several options in free agency, Jon Asomoah of Kansas City, Zane Beadles of Denver, Davin Joseph of Tampa Bay and Geoff Schwartz of Kansas City among them.
The Rams have shown interest in Schwartz, 27, a very large man at 6-6, 340 pounds. Known as a strong run-blocker, Schwartz was a seventh-round pick by Carolina in 2008 and has appeared in 61 regular-season games with 26 starts.
He began 2013 backing up Asomoah with the Chiefs. But when Asomoah suffered a shoulder injury in November, Schwartz took over at right guard and started the final six games. Schwartz played so well that Asomoah didn’t get his job back when healthy. Schwartz offers versatility because he made eight starts at right tackle earlier in his career.
Asomoah, 25, is a University of Illinois product known for his pass-blocking. There have been reports that Atlanta and the New York Jets are interested in signing him. He has appeared in 60 games with 41 starts since being drafted in the third round by Kansas City in 2010.
Beadles, 27, has been a four-year starter for the Broncos, and unlike Schwartz and Asamoah, plays left guard. He made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and might command more money than either Kansas City free agent.
Joseph, 30, is a two-time Pro Bowler who was officially released Monday by Tampa Bay. Rams executive vice president Kevin Demoff was with Tampa when the Buccaneers drafted Joseph in 2006, so there is some familiarity at Rams Park.
But there are questions about Joseph’s health and declining play — he missed all of 2012 with a knee injury — as well as his potential price tag. A two-time Pro Bowler, Joseph was scheduled to make $6 million this year in Tampa.
In other Rams news, the team is not making a qualifying offer to tight end Mike McNeill. As a result, the former Kirkwood High standout will enter free agency today as the equivalent of an unrestricted free agent.
The low tender for McNeill would’ve been in excess of $1.4 million. There’s a chance he could re-sign with the Rams later at a reduced rate. But the Rams might choose to move on because they like tight end Justice Cunningham, who was added to the practice squad last Nov. 28 and has since been signed to a two-year contract.
Also, the team has yet to decide whether to tender cornerback Quinton Pointer as an exclusive rights free agent. Today is the deadline for doing so.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_767cd426-06b7-5020-8221-676b6b4488e7.html
Often when a team releases a veteran player, there is lip service from the coach about bringing the player back. But when Jeff Fisher talked about offensive guard Harvey Dahl, who was released Monday by the Rams, his sentiments went beyond coach-talk.
Fisher made it clear he would like to re-sign Dahl, when healthy.
“We have expressed to Harvey that we have interest in bringing him back,” Fisher said. “Harvey’s done great things for this organization and this team, and was a mainstay of our offensive line the last two years.
Dahl was released Monday with a “failed physical” designation. He has undergone multiple operations this offseason, including ankle surgery. He missed seven of the Rams’ final eight games in 2013 after suffering a knee injury in the Monday night contest against Seattle on Oct. 28.
“Harvey’s gonna work very hard to get through his rehab,” Fisher said. “And we agreed that when he was healthy, we would talk.”
Dahl, who turns 33 in June, started 39 games in three seasons with the Rams. He was an enforcer on the line, taking great pride in protecting the quarterback. One of the prime examples came last season in Carolina, when Dahl came within a hair of physically attacking Panthers safety Mike Mitchell, who was exulting after a play that resulted in season-ending knee surgery for Sam Bradford.
“Harvey loves ‘Boo,’ “ Fisher said, referring to offensive line coach Paul Boudreau. “He loves what we’re doing.”
But for now, cutting Dahl saves the Rams $4 million in salary cap space. He was due a $500,000 roster bonus later this week and was scheduled to make $3.5 million in base salary in 2014. This would’ve been the last year of a four-year, $16 million deal Dahl signed with the Rams in 2011 as a free agent from the Atlanta Falcons.
Before all is said and done, the Rams will be about $15 million under the salary cap in the free agency period, which starts today at 3 p.m.
Dahl’s departure means the Rams are now minus two guards, what with Rodger Saffold informing the team Sunday that he’s heading elsewhere. Saffold’s new destination is expected to be Oakland, and all indications are it will be for big money — in excess of $8 million a year.
Fisher said he didn’t want to comment on Saffold’s departure until it became official.
Two other guards from the Rams’ 2013 squad are about to hit the market as unrestricted free agents: Chris Williams, who started all 16 games at left guard last season, and Shelley Smith, who has started eight games over the past two seasons.
“We’re not panicked at all,” Fisher said. “This draft is outstanding.”
And Fisher said the Rams are looking at options in free agency, both on the offensive line and elsewhere.
In terms of guards, there are several options in free agency, Jon Asomoah of Kansas City, Zane Beadles of Denver, Davin Joseph of Tampa Bay and Geoff Schwartz of Kansas City among them.
The Rams have shown interest in Schwartz, 27, a very large man at 6-6, 340 pounds. Known as a strong run-blocker, Schwartz was a seventh-round pick by Carolina in 2008 and has appeared in 61 regular-season games with 26 starts.
He began 2013 backing up Asomoah with the Chiefs. But when Asomoah suffered a shoulder injury in November, Schwartz took over at right guard and started the final six games. Schwartz played so well that Asomoah didn’t get his job back when healthy. Schwartz offers versatility because he made eight starts at right tackle earlier in his career.
Asomoah, 25, is a University of Illinois product known for his pass-blocking. There have been reports that Atlanta and the New York Jets are interested in signing him. He has appeared in 60 games with 41 starts since being drafted in the third round by Kansas City in 2010.
Beadles, 27, has been a four-year starter for the Broncos, and unlike Schwartz and Asamoah, plays left guard. He made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and might command more money than either Kansas City free agent.
Joseph, 30, is a two-time Pro Bowler who was officially released Monday by Tampa Bay. Rams executive vice president Kevin Demoff was with Tampa when the Buccaneers drafted Joseph in 2006, so there is some familiarity at Rams Park.
But there are questions about Joseph’s health and declining play — he missed all of 2012 with a knee injury — as well as his potential price tag. A two-time Pro Bowler, Joseph was scheduled to make $6 million this year in Tampa.
In other Rams news, the team is not making a qualifying offer to tight end Mike McNeill. As a result, the former Kirkwood High standout will enter free agency today as the equivalent of an unrestricted free agent.
The low tender for McNeill would’ve been in excess of $1.4 million. There’s a chance he could re-sign with the Rams later at a reduced rate. But the Rams might choose to move on because they like tight end Justice Cunningham, who was added to the practice squad last Nov. 28 and has since been signed to a two-year contract.
Also, the team has yet to decide whether to tender cornerback Quinton Pointer as an exclusive rights free agent. Today is the deadline for doing so.
