Rams News Recap For April 15

[RamBill]

***Rams News Items From April 15***


Jim Thomas Rams Chat Highlights: April 15


Jason LaCanfora Talks Sam Bradford and Rams –Radio Interview


Kevin Demoff Talks Schedule Contest and Rams Draft –Radio Interview


ESPN’s NFL Draft Minute: Sammy Watkins –Video


Gordon’s Tipsheet: QB Stocks Sink as Draft Nears
Rams management hoped teams would fall in love with quarterbacks during the NFL Draft evaluation period and bid up the value of the second overall pick.


Morning Ram-blings: New Trade Partners? –Wagoner
Considering that we have way too much time on our hands between now and the actual start of the NFL draft, we’ve long-since examined the six teams directly behind the St. Louis Rams in the draft order as potential trade partners.


Breaking Down Kenny Britt’s Contract –Wagoner
The details of new St. Louis Rams receiver Kenny Britt’s contract are in and, like the other free-agent deals the Rams struck this offseason, Britt’s deal is the definition of a one-year prove it contract.


Rams’ Salary-Cap Update –Wagoner
As pre-draft visits and private workouts have ramped up in anticipation of the 2014 NFL draft, the St. Louis Rams appear to be done spending money on free agents — at least for now.


The Rams and the Salary Survey –Wagoner
Coming to this week’s edition of ESPN The Magazine is the annual money issue, which takes a look at how dollars are being divvied up amongst teams and athletes.


Florio Questions the Rams “Guess the Schedule” Contest –Video


Is Aaron Murray the next Drew Brees? –Video


Who Should the Rams Take with the 2nd Pick? –Video

 

[RamBill]

Morning Ram-blings: QBs worth No. 1
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/7521/morning-ram-blings-qbs-worth-no-1

Although finding legitimate NFL starting quarterbacks in the later rounds of the draft is the equivalent of finding the needle in the haystack, there are also no guarantees about taking one early, even with the first overall pick.

With that in mind, ESPN NFL Insider columnist Mike Sando put together a piece Insider that sort of melds the idea of what a No. 1 pick on a quarterback is worth moving forward by looking back at the production of current quarterbacks around the league.

In the piece, Sando polls talent evaluators Bill Polian, Matt Williamson and a NFL general manager, asking them which current quarterbacks in the league would be worthy of the first pick right now. To be clear, the idea isn't based on building for the future, simply on the production and ability of the quarterback at his current stage of development.

All told, 18 quarterbacks received some sort of mention though they were placed in different categories from "clearly worth a No. 1 pick" (Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, etc.) to "on their way but not there yet" (Colin Kaepernick, for example).

Conspicuous by his absence from any mentions on the list is St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. As Sando points out, a dozen quarterbacks have been taken with the first overall pick in the past 16 drafts. Many of those players would be categorized as complete misses. Bradford doesn't fall into that category. Given the draft capital and dollars invested him, the fact that isn't mentioned on this list entering his fifth season is certainly a disappointment for the Rams and their fans.

It's going to be a familiar refrain (and probably already is one) this year, but the time is now for Bradford to take the next step. If he isn't mentioned for a list such as this a year from now, the Rams will have to seriously consider making a change.

I.C.Y.M.I.

A roundup of Tuesday's Rams stories appearing on ESPN.com. ... The Ram-blings began with a look at some potential draft trade partners further down the draft order than the usual suspects. ... The Rams are offering $100,000 to the person who can accurately predict their 2014 schedule. Bonus: I talked with our Toni Collins about the story as well. ... Next, we took a look at the one-year deal the Rams gave wide receiver Kenny Britt. ... From there, we dived into the new ESPN The Magazine story on how professional teams around the globe are spending their money. ... Finally, we updated the Rams' current salary-cap situation.

Elsewhere:

Niners reporter Bill Williamson has the news that former Rams receiver Brandon Lloyd is returning to the league and San Francisco.

At stltoday.com, Jeff Gordon waxes on the sinking stock of quarterbacks as the draft approaches.

Jim Thomas participated in his weekly chat.

On 101sports, former NFL coach Rick Venturi talked draft with Chris Duncan and I on 101 ESPN radio in St. Louis.

In that same space, Kevin Wheeler reveals his first attempt at a mock draft.