- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Rams focus on re-signing their own
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_4acb18bb-03d0-5986-9703-3e08576eefac.html
Ready, set ... It’s almost that time of year again — the NFL free agency and trading period. On Saturday, the three-day negotiating window opens — otherwise known as the legal tampering period.
Starting Saturday, teams can contact agents of players from other teams who are scheduled for free agency, and negotiate with them. But they can’t finalize a contract until the official opening of the free agency period at 3 p.m. Central time on Tuesday.
As has been the case in recent years, the Rams have indicated they will concentrate more on re-signing their own players, than going on a spending spree for players from other teams.
There are four key current Rams free agents who the team would like to re-sign in varying degrees: wide receiver Kenny Britt, right tackle Joe Barksdale, tight end Lance Kendricks and quarterback Shaun Hill.
The Rams are putting a lot of effort into re-signing Britt, who revived his career by reuniting with coach Jeff Fisher in St. Louis. And in one of the biggest surprises of the season, Britt became the leader of the team’s wide-receiver corps.
Britt had a career-high 48 catches in 2014, averaged a healthy 15.6 yards a catch, and gained 748 yards — the second-highest total of his career, exceeded only by his 775-yard season with Tennessee in 2010.
Barksdale had some glitches pass-blocking last season, mainly over the second-half of the season. But he has been durable and reliable during his two seasons as a Rams starter. After spending so much time working to help develop his skill since he arrived in late September 2012, the Rams would like to keep him.
But the price has to be right. And in what is a very thin crop of tackles in free agency, Barksdale may attract a fair amount of attention and a lot of dollars on the open market.
Kendricks is an interesting case. He was over-drafted in 2011 out of Wisconsin (2nd round, 47th overall) with then offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels one of those pounding the table for Kendricks.
To his credit, Kendricks has developed into a solid all-around tight end, a good blocker, with the speed to be a threat on downfield seam routes. He doesn’t have the biggest catch radius, but catches a high percentage of balls thrown his way.
Kendricks caught a career-low 27 passes last season, with Jared Cook ensconced as the team’s No. 1 tight end. With McDaniels now offensive coordinator at New England, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the Patriots make a run at Kendricks in free agency.
Even playing second fiddle to Rob Gronkowski in New England, Kendricks would figure to catch a lot more than 27 passes in that offense. So his return to St. Louis is anything but a sure thing.
As for Hill, the Rams have been in contact with his agent, and would like to re-sign him. But in what is a very lackluster free-agent crop of quarterbacks, Hill could attract interest elsewhere. One thing seems certain, after starting eight games last season and doing a decent job, Hill will make more than the $1.75 million he earned in 2014.
If any of those four players sign elsewhere — Britt, Barksdale, Hill, or Kendricks — it obviously changes the Rams’ strategy both in free agency and the draft. Limiting the discussion to free agency for now, if Britt departs it is shaping up as a good year for wide receivers.
Wide receiver headliners Randall Cobb, Michael Crabtree, St. Louisan Jeremy Maclin, and Torrey Smith are all age 27 or under, and all four have had 1,000-yard receiving seasons as NFL players. However, none of them will come cheap.
If Barksdale lands elsewhere, the Rams might have to look toward the draft given the thin free-agent crop. But Denver free agent Orlando Franklin, who played guard last season, can also play right tackle.
There’s not much in free agency at tight end either, although Denver’s Julius Thomas undoubtedly will attract a lot of interest. Cleveland’s Jordan Cameron had 80 catches in 2013, but had concussion problems last season and was limited to 10 games and 24 receptions.
Minus Hill at quarterback, some of the best options in that thin class currently include Brian Hoyer, Josh Freeman, Ryan Mallett, Colt McCoy, Mark Sanchez, and even aging Michael Vick. Maybe Christian Ponder should be added to the list given that new Rams quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke worked with him at IMG Academy.
In addition, the status of the Rams’ Austin Davis — who’s scheduled for restricted free agency — is unclear at this point.
In an ideal world, with Barksdale, Britt, Hill, and Kendricks all returning, the Rams might concentrate on the interior of the offensive line in free agency, particularly at guard. The aforementioned Franklin could be in the picture. So could San Francisco’s Mike Iupati, a powerful, aggressive three-time Pro Bowler whom the Rams are known to hold in high regard facing him twice a year in the NFC West.
If the Rams choose to cut ties with Scott Wells at center, Kansas City’s Rodney Hudson and Oakland’s Stefen Wisniewski could be in play.
According to NFL Players Association, the Rams currently have $7.33 million in salary cap space, but the team has a lot of flexibility to increase that number either by reducing the salaries of several players, or cutting them outright.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_4acb18bb-03d0-5986-9703-3e08576eefac.html
Ready, set ... It’s almost that time of year again — the NFL free agency and trading period. On Saturday, the three-day negotiating window opens — otherwise known as the legal tampering period.
Starting Saturday, teams can contact agents of players from other teams who are scheduled for free agency, and negotiate with them. But they can’t finalize a contract until the official opening of the free agency period at 3 p.m. Central time on Tuesday.
As has been the case in recent years, the Rams have indicated they will concentrate more on re-signing their own players, than going on a spending spree for players from other teams.
There are four key current Rams free agents who the team would like to re-sign in varying degrees: wide receiver Kenny Britt, right tackle Joe Barksdale, tight end Lance Kendricks and quarterback Shaun Hill.
The Rams are putting a lot of effort into re-signing Britt, who revived his career by reuniting with coach Jeff Fisher in St. Louis. And in one of the biggest surprises of the season, Britt became the leader of the team’s wide-receiver corps.
Britt had a career-high 48 catches in 2014, averaged a healthy 15.6 yards a catch, and gained 748 yards — the second-highest total of his career, exceeded only by his 775-yard season with Tennessee in 2010.
Barksdale had some glitches pass-blocking last season, mainly over the second-half of the season. But he has been durable and reliable during his two seasons as a Rams starter. After spending so much time working to help develop his skill since he arrived in late September 2012, the Rams would like to keep him.
But the price has to be right. And in what is a very thin crop of tackles in free agency, Barksdale may attract a fair amount of attention and a lot of dollars on the open market.
Kendricks is an interesting case. He was over-drafted in 2011 out of Wisconsin (2nd round, 47th overall) with then offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels one of those pounding the table for Kendricks.
To his credit, Kendricks has developed into a solid all-around tight end, a good blocker, with the speed to be a threat on downfield seam routes. He doesn’t have the biggest catch radius, but catches a high percentage of balls thrown his way.
Kendricks caught a career-low 27 passes last season, with Jared Cook ensconced as the team’s No. 1 tight end. With McDaniels now offensive coordinator at New England, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the Patriots make a run at Kendricks in free agency.
Even playing second fiddle to Rob Gronkowski in New England, Kendricks would figure to catch a lot more than 27 passes in that offense. So his return to St. Louis is anything but a sure thing.
As for Hill, the Rams have been in contact with his agent, and would like to re-sign him. But in what is a very lackluster free-agent crop of quarterbacks, Hill could attract interest elsewhere. One thing seems certain, after starting eight games last season and doing a decent job, Hill will make more than the $1.75 million he earned in 2014.
If any of those four players sign elsewhere — Britt, Barksdale, Hill, or Kendricks — it obviously changes the Rams’ strategy both in free agency and the draft. Limiting the discussion to free agency for now, if Britt departs it is shaping up as a good year for wide receivers.
Wide receiver headliners Randall Cobb, Michael Crabtree, St. Louisan Jeremy Maclin, and Torrey Smith are all age 27 or under, and all four have had 1,000-yard receiving seasons as NFL players. However, none of them will come cheap.
If Barksdale lands elsewhere, the Rams might have to look toward the draft given the thin free-agent crop. But Denver free agent Orlando Franklin, who played guard last season, can also play right tackle.
There’s not much in free agency at tight end either, although Denver’s Julius Thomas undoubtedly will attract a lot of interest. Cleveland’s Jordan Cameron had 80 catches in 2013, but had concussion problems last season and was limited to 10 games and 24 receptions.
Minus Hill at quarterback, some of the best options in that thin class currently include Brian Hoyer, Josh Freeman, Ryan Mallett, Colt McCoy, Mark Sanchez, and even aging Michael Vick. Maybe Christian Ponder should be added to the list given that new Rams quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke worked with him at IMG Academy.
In addition, the status of the Rams’ Austin Davis — who’s scheduled for restricted free agency — is unclear at this point.
In an ideal world, with Barksdale, Britt, Hill, and Kendricks all returning, the Rams might concentrate on the interior of the offensive line in free agency, particularly at guard. The aforementioned Franklin could be in the picture. So could San Francisco’s Mike Iupati, a powerful, aggressive three-time Pro Bowler whom the Rams are known to hold in high regard facing him twice a year in the NFC West.
If the Rams choose to cut ties with Scott Wells at center, Kansas City’s Rodney Hudson and Oakland’s Stefen Wisniewski could be in play.
According to NFL Players Association, the Rams currently have $7.33 million in salary cap space, but the team has a lot of flexibility to increase that number either by reducing the salaries of several players, or cutting them outright.