Rams News Recap: Feb. 12

[RamBill]

Cignetti Officially Rams Offensive Coordinator –PD
The Rams have finally made it official: Frank Cignetti has been promoted to offensive coordinator and Rob Boras has been promoted to assistant head coach/offense.

Bernie: Gov. Nixon Fully Engaged in Stadium, Rams
Just a quick word on Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon …

Rams Promote Two Offensive Assistants –Simmons
The Rams’ search for an offensive coordinator has come to an end, as the franchise has promoted two of its offensive assistants.

2014 Offseason in Review: DT Alex Carrington –Wagoner
The 2015 edition of NFL free agency is set to begin on March 10 with a new batch of players set to hit the market and teams in pursuit of those players.

Rams Make if Official on Promotions of Cignetti, Boras –PD
The Rams have finally made it official: Frank Cignetti has been promoted to offensive coordinator and Rob Boras has been promoted to assistant head coach/offense.

Morning Ram-blings: Scanning the Mocks –Wagoner
ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. offered his second mock draft Wednesday and again had the St. Louis Rams taking an offensive lineman in the form of Stanford tackle Andrus Peat.

Under the Lights: Rams OC Frank Cignetti –Video

Rams Report: Rams New Offensive Coordinator –Video

Rob Rang’s NFL Draft Boom or Bust prospects –Video

Are Things Trending Positively for STL on the Stadium Front? –Audio

 

[RamBill]

Morning Ram-blings: Top 20 free agents
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/16187/morning-ram-blings-top-20-free-agents

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- With free agency a little less than a month away, ESPN NFL Nation columnist Kevin Seifert and ESPN NFL scout Matt Williamson served up a list of the top 20 free agents who could hit the market when the new league year begins March 10.

It's important to remember that many of the names on the list will never see the light of day on an open market as they either re-sign with their current teams or have the franchise tag placed on them.

As for the St. Louis Rams, the list isn't necessarily full of names at positions of need. Make no mistake, every player on the list could help the Rams but thinking more realistically there are only a couple who jump out. But those names could be among those that actually do come available when you take a closer look at the salary cap situation of the teams they play for.

Seifert and Williamson rank San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati No. 12 on the list and Kansas City Chiefs center Rodney Hudson checks in at No. 19. To me, those are the two names that make the most sense for the Rams in terms of positional need.

Iupati is the mauler type of guard the Rams like, and his exit would also weaken a division opponent. San Francisco is not in good shape with the cap, either, currently projecting more than $6.6 million over. So Iupati figures to hit the market. But there are questions about him and he doesn't figure to come cheap. He's had injury issues in recent years and he'll be 28 in May.

In my opinion, the Rams would be better served pursuing a player like Hudson should he come available. He'll be a little more expensive and perhaps the Rams don't want to spend that kind of money but Hudson would be a clear upgrade at center and is only going to be 26 at the start of next season. Kansas City currently projects to be $4 million over the cap and will have to turn much of its money and attention to pass rusher Justin Houston.

Also of note from the piece, the Rams are currently listed as projecting to have about $71,000 in cap space but those numbers are a bit misleading since they have some obvious cut or restructure possibilities in Jake Long, Kendall Langford, Sam Bradford, Isaiah Pead and Scott Wells. They also have a $3 million cap credit coming from Cortland Finnegan's departure last year.

I.C.Y.M.I.

A roundup of Thursday's Rams stories appearing on ESPN.com. ... In the Ram-blings, we started the day with a look at the various mock drafts out there and what they project for the Rams. ... The Rams were set to interview Jeff Garcia for their quarterbacks coach job Thursday. ... Looking back at last offseason's addition of defensive tackle Alex Carrington. ... Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest mock sends Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat to the Rams. ... The Rams finally made it official by promoting Frank Cignetti and Rob Boras to new positions leading the offense.

Elsewhere:

ESPN Stats & Information takes a closer look at this year's potential free agent class.

Our NFL front office group offers some thoughts on some tough offseason decisions.

At 101sports.com, Bernie Miklasz says there's reason for optimism on the stadium front in St. Louis.

At stltoday.com, Miklasz writes that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is all in on trying to make the stadium happen.

Jim Thomas answers 10 Rams-related questions.