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Eugene Sims hoping to return to Rams, even in same role
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...ms-hoping-to-return-to-rams-even-in-same-role
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In a season in which the Rams starting defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn missed chunks of time because of injury, there was no shortage of opportunities for backup Eugene Sims.
By the time it was over, Sims started nine games, posting 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception he nearly returned for a touchdown in the season finale. The production was modest, to be sure, but Sims has proved a solid rotation piece on the defensive line in his six seasons with the Rams.
Believe it or not, the former sixth-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft is one of the three longest-tenured Rams on the roster. How much longer he holds that distinction, though, remains to be seen. Sims is one of a dozen Rams set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, which means the 29-year old could be on the move.
But if Sims gets his way, he won't be going anywhere except to Southern California with his Rams teammates.
"Oh man, this is my heart," Sims said. "This locker room is where I want to be. I've had this locker for six years and I don't think I can see myself in another uniform. I love the coaching staff and the locker room is about brotherhood to me. I'd rather be here and I'm not looking to go nowhere else so we'll see how it goes."
So Sims clearly sounds like a man committed to staying a Ram but what if another team came forward with a chance to give Sims an expanded role, would that change his mind?
"No, not at all," Sims said. "And that's not me being content with what I'm doing. Being behind someone like Rob Quinn is big and I'm still getting the role I'm getting and backing up him, I have no problem with it. I enjoy being with the whole room that we have in the defensive line room so we'll see how it goes."
With so many players scheduled to be free agents, the Rams have a lot to figure out when it comes to how they intend to distribute their available cap space. They will have plenty of money to spend but it's unlikely they'll be able to retain all of their players hitting the market. The situation at defensive end is particularly intriguing.
Long is under contract for another year but at a price of $14.25 million that means he likely won't return, at least not at that price. End William Hayes is also an unrestricted free agent and, like Long, is a key part of the team's leadership. Hayes is the more productive of the two primary backups -- to the point that he held on to the starting job after Long returned -- but will likely cost more than Sims to retain.
The Rams might also be wise to begin planning for the future at defensive end and put an emphasis on acquiring one relatively early in the draft. Sims won't force the Rams to break the bank but they also have promising young linemen like Ethan Westbrooks and Matt Longacre under team control at cheaper prices, which might also make his return a more difficult proposition.
That's why, even though Sims wants to return, he knows that many possibilities exist.
"The offseason, we'll see how it goes," Sims said. "This is the last year on my contract. We'll see where it takes me and see where it goes from upstairs to my agent and wherever it ends up, it does."
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...ms-hoping-to-return-to-rams-even-in-same-role
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In a season in which the Rams starting defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn missed chunks of time because of injury, there was no shortage of opportunities for backup Eugene Sims.
By the time it was over, Sims started nine games, posting 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception he nearly returned for a touchdown in the season finale. The production was modest, to be sure, but Sims has proved a solid rotation piece on the defensive line in his six seasons with the Rams.
Believe it or not, the former sixth-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft is one of the three longest-tenured Rams on the roster. How much longer he holds that distinction, though, remains to be seen. Sims is one of a dozen Rams set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, which means the 29-year old could be on the move.
But if Sims gets his way, he won't be going anywhere except to Southern California with his Rams teammates.
"Oh man, this is my heart," Sims said. "This locker room is where I want to be. I've had this locker for six years and I don't think I can see myself in another uniform. I love the coaching staff and the locker room is about brotherhood to me. I'd rather be here and I'm not looking to go nowhere else so we'll see how it goes."
So Sims clearly sounds like a man committed to staying a Ram but what if another team came forward with a chance to give Sims an expanded role, would that change his mind?
"No, not at all," Sims said. "And that's not me being content with what I'm doing. Being behind someone like Rob Quinn is big and I'm still getting the role I'm getting and backing up him, I have no problem with it. I enjoy being with the whole room that we have in the defensive line room so we'll see how it goes."
With so many players scheduled to be free agents, the Rams have a lot to figure out when it comes to how they intend to distribute their available cap space. They will have plenty of money to spend but it's unlikely they'll be able to retain all of their players hitting the market. The situation at defensive end is particularly intriguing.
Long is under contract for another year but at a price of $14.25 million that means he likely won't return, at least not at that price. End William Hayes is also an unrestricted free agent and, like Long, is a key part of the team's leadership. Hayes is the more productive of the two primary backups -- to the point that he held on to the starting job after Long returned -- but will likely cost more than Sims to retain.
The Rams might also be wise to begin planning for the future at defensive end and put an emphasis on acquiring one relatively early in the draft. Sims won't force the Rams to break the bank but they also have promising young linemen like Ethan Westbrooks and Matt Longacre under team control at cheaper prices, which might also make his return a more difficult proposition.
That's why, even though Sims wants to return, he knows that many possibilities exist.
"The offseason, we'll see how it goes," Sims said. "This is the last year on my contract. We'll see where it takes me and see where it goes from upstairs to my agent and wherever it ends up, it does."
