Rams Lock In Laurinaitis
Nick Wagoner Senior Writer
DETROIT – Anyone who knows Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis knows that there are only a small handful of things – things like faith, family and friends – that mean more to him than football.
That’s why, over the course of the past month and a half or so as rumors have swirled about an imminent contract extension; Laurinaitis has been as mum as possible, shying away from interviews because he was tired of the questions about it.
On Saturday afternoon at about 12:15, the questions were finally put to rest as Laurinaitis finished the team’s walk through and strolled up to chief operating officer Kevin Demoff’s office to put pen to paper on a five-year contract extension that will keep him in St. Louis through 2017.
The contract is worth in excess of $41 million with more than half of that guaranteed but for a guy who just became quite wealthy, Laurinaitis was predictably pleased that the focus could turn back to football.
“Just being able to put that to rest and stop answering questions from you guys about it is something that’s nice,” Laurinaitis said. “I can just answer strictly football questions now and focus on just that, which is the only thing I can control really anyway, how I play football. I’ve said that all along. That’s what I’ll continue to focus on.”
After months of negotiations between Demoff and Laurinaitis’ agents – Tom Condon and Ben Dogra of C.A.A. – an agreement was reached on Friday evening between the two sides.
Condon and Dogra called Laurinaitis to break the news and read over the entire contract with him before letting him know that he’d need to sign the contract on Saturday morning before the Rams departed for Detroit.
Following the team’s morning walk through, the Rams defensive captain showered and headed upstairs to Demoff’s office where he signed the contract.
With the season opener about 24 hours away, Laurinaitis was pleased to get the deal done before it started because he didn’t want it to linger into the season or become a distraction.
“I had a feeling it was either going to be done before the season or we’d have to wait until after the season,” Laurinaitis said. “I’m glad it’s done now.”
On the heels of a contract extension for defensive end Chris Long that carries him through the 2016 season back on July 29, most eyes turned to Laurinaitis and when his deal would be done.
Laurinaitis said at the time that he wanted to remain in St. Louis and coach Jeff Fisher made it clear that the Rams wanted to keep him.
On the field Laurinaitis has been one of the pillars of the Rams defense since the team used a second-round pick on him in the 2009 NFL Draft. In that time, he’s led the team in tackles each year.
In 2011, Laurinaitis again led the team in tackles with 142, his third season in as many tries posting triple digits in that category. But Laurinaitis isn’t just a tackling machine; he’s proved to be one of the league’s best three-down linebackers because of his ability to drop in coverage. He added two interceptions and finished second on the team with eight pass breakups last year.
Laurinaitis’ total package skill set allows him to stay on the field as he played a team-high 1,052 snaps last season.
Add all of that up and you have a franchise middle linebacker whom the Rams view as an integral piece moving forward.
“I’m happy, very happy,” Laurinaitis said. “I’m just relieved it’s done with now, relieved that it’s just about football and I’m able to know I’m in St. Louis for the next five years. That’s very exciting to me.”
With Laurinaitis joining cornerback Cortland Finnegan and close friend Long under contract, the Rams defense now has a solid nucleus at every level of the defense complemented by talented youngsters such as Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Robert Quinn and Jo-Lonn Dunbar.
Having that talent in place alongside and a coach like Fisher and owner devoted to winning like Stan Kroenke were the key ingredients in Laurinaitis eschewing a bite at the free agent apple and setting up shop in St. Louis long term.
“With Coach Fisher here and the direction this organization is going, the energy of the coaching staff, the way Stan is backing us, you can tell there’s a different mindset about the St. Louis Rams going forward and I wanted to be a part of it,” Laurinaitis said.
New contract in hand and a new season in front of him, Laurinaitis didn’t have much in the way of big plans to celebrate Saturday night. After an interview, he and fellow linebacker Josh Hull went looking for some Italian food with some other teammates.
There might be some time for celebration or a toast at that dinner and perhaps Laurinaitis will pick up the check but make no mistake, that celebration will be fleeting.
For the guy who doesn’t worry about much outside of football, a lucrative new contract barely even rates on his list of recent honors that he truly cherishes.
“To me it’s a way bigger honor to be considered a captain amongst those guys than it is for anything contract wise,” Laurinaitis said. “Being able to be a part of that nucleus going forward and being a guy that this franchise relies on hopefully to win football games and win playoff football games and get to where we want to go; that’s the important thing to me.”
