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Incumbent left tackle Rodger Saffold is expected to be shifted to right tackle, but since the addition of Long, team officials haven't been able to reach Saffold.
Coach Jeff Fisher said Thursday, "Things are going to work out. We're confident they'll get resolved. We have been trying to reach Rodger and he's not returning calls right now but we'll get things settled. Rodger is a big part of our future and a big part of our plans on offense."
When asked if Saffold has asked to be traded, Fisher said, "No. It's just been quiet. And we're trying to reach Rodger just like we're trying to reach all of our other players. We stay in touch with our players. Maybe he's traveling and is on his way back."
Despite Fisher's confidence about Saffold and the addition of Long, the Rams might still look at tackles early in the draft, especially since Saffold's contract expires after the 2013 season.
Said general manager Les Snead, "You have two starting tackles anyway. But sometimes there are times if you liked tackles before we signed Jake and that's one of the better players on the board, your first thought is, 'OK, can he play guard?' and then eventually move to tackle like a lot of guys have done. It (signing Long) may lessen the urgency or the desperation but it wouldn't preclude you from taking a tackle."
The Rams released safety Quintin Mikell at the start of the league year to save $3 million against the salary cap, but the Rams haven't ruled out a return later in the offseason if the price is right. Mikell is yet to garner much interest around the league.
Coach Jeff Fisher (to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) said of Mikell, "We have interest. He played very well for us last year. It's just one of those things that you have to do once you get in the process (of free agency) and you start making moves. But we have interest. The defensive staff was really happy with him last year."
Despite his release, Mikell has $6 million in dead money going against the cap. There were effort to restructure his contract, but it's likely that included a cut in his base salary of $6 million.
"Things didn't work out,'' Fisher said. "We got in a hurry. We needed the space."
Currently, the Rams have just three safeties under contract: Restricted free agent Darian Stewart, who was tendered at $1.323 million, and two 2012 rookies, Rodney McLeod and Matt Daniels. Daniels was on injured reserve for most of the 2012 season because of a knee injury.
Fisher likes his young safeties. Stewart was in the mix to start last season, but missed virtually all of training camp because of a hamstring injury.
"It's Darian's opportunity now to step up and take charge of that position," Fisher said.
As for McLeod and Daniels, Fisher said, "I wouldn't have any problem with playing Rodney. Matt didn't get the experience. First and foremost for Matt, he's gonna have to rehab and get back, and then compete.
"I really trust Rodney. We were comfortable with Rodney at the nickel spot, so had 'Cort' (Cortland Finnegan) not been able to finish, Rodney would've been our third corner. So he's got the versatility to play safety and the third corner spot."
Fisher was disappointed when versatile offensive lineman Rob Turner signed a one-year contract with Tennessee. Turner started all 16 games last season, nine at center and seven at left guard.
"We had a lot of interest in having Rob back," Fisher told the Post-Dispatch. "He did a great job for us. But we ran the risk of losing Rob, knowing that we were going to get Jake (Long) done. We got a sense that the Titans were really interested in him."
Rokevious Watkins and Shelley Smith could compete for the left-guard job, but other additions are possible.
"We'll create some fascinating competition there," Fisher said. "We'll be in good shape. My understanding is Rokevious is coming along. Shelley Smith's played there. Obviously, it'll be a position where we potentially could acquire an additional unrestricted free agent. And that's also a place that we'll probably address in the draft."
Quote To Note:
"We made an attempt to (talk with) Danny in September and they decided to wait. They had made their mind up that they were gonna wait - just wait till free agency. Our issue with Danny was - we didn't want to lose Danny; we were willing to pay Danny - but Danny had missed a lot of games. So our preference was as we were going through this, is he needed to be on the field to get paid, which makes sense. They understood that, and we understood that. You know, it just didn't work out. But he'll do well and we'll have options."
- Coach Jeff Fisher on the departure of WR Danny Amendola to New England.
Incumbent left tackle Rodger Saffold is expected to be shifted to right tackle, but since the addition of Long, team officials haven't been able to reach Saffold.
Coach Jeff Fisher said Thursday, "Things are going to work out. We're confident they'll get resolved. We have been trying to reach Rodger and he's not returning calls right now but we'll get things settled. Rodger is a big part of our future and a big part of our plans on offense."
When asked if Saffold has asked to be traded, Fisher said, "No. It's just been quiet. And we're trying to reach Rodger just like we're trying to reach all of our other players. We stay in touch with our players. Maybe he's traveling and is on his way back."
Despite Fisher's confidence about Saffold and the addition of Long, the Rams might still look at tackles early in the draft, especially since Saffold's contract expires after the 2013 season.
Said general manager Les Snead, "You have two starting tackles anyway. But sometimes there are times if you liked tackles before we signed Jake and that's one of the better players on the board, your first thought is, 'OK, can he play guard?' and then eventually move to tackle like a lot of guys have done. It (signing Long) may lessen the urgency or the desperation but it wouldn't preclude you from taking a tackle."
The Rams released safety Quintin Mikell at the start of the league year to save $3 million against the salary cap, but the Rams haven't ruled out a return later in the offseason if the price is right. Mikell is yet to garner much interest around the league.
Coach Jeff Fisher (to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) said of Mikell, "We have interest. He played very well for us last year. It's just one of those things that you have to do once you get in the process (of free agency) and you start making moves. But we have interest. The defensive staff was really happy with him last year."
Despite his release, Mikell has $6 million in dead money going against the cap. There were effort to restructure his contract, but it's likely that included a cut in his base salary of $6 million.
"Things didn't work out,'' Fisher said. "We got in a hurry. We needed the space."
Currently, the Rams have just three safeties under contract: Restricted free agent Darian Stewart, who was tendered at $1.323 million, and two 2012 rookies, Rodney McLeod and Matt Daniels. Daniels was on injured reserve for most of the 2012 season because of a knee injury.
Fisher likes his young safeties. Stewart was in the mix to start last season, but missed virtually all of training camp because of a hamstring injury.
"It's Darian's opportunity now to step up and take charge of that position," Fisher said.
As for McLeod and Daniels, Fisher said, "I wouldn't have any problem with playing Rodney. Matt didn't get the experience. First and foremost for Matt, he's gonna have to rehab and get back, and then compete.
"I really trust Rodney. We were comfortable with Rodney at the nickel spot, so had 'Cort' (Cortland Finnegan) not been able to finish, Rodney would've been our third corner. So he's got the versatility to play safety and the third corner spot."
Fisher was disappointed when versatile offensive lineman Rob Turner signed a one-year contract with Tennessee. Turner started all 16 games last season, nine at center and seven at left guard.
"We had a lot of interest in having Rob back," Fisher told the Post-Dispatch. "He did a great job for us. But we ran the risk of losing Rob, knowing that we were going to get Jake (Long) done. We got a sense that the Titans were really interested in him."
Rokevious Watkins and Shelley Smith could compete for the left-guard job, but other additions are possible.
"We'll create some fascinating competition there," Fisher said. "We'll be in good shape. My understanding is Rokevious is coming along. Shelley Smith's played there. Obviously, it'll be a position where we potentially could acquire an additional unrestricted free agent. And that's also a place that we'll probably address in the draft."
Quote To Note:
"We made an attempt to (talk with) Danny in September and they decided to wait. They had made their mind up that they were gonna wait - just wait till free agency. Our issue with Danny was - we didn't want to lose Danny; we were willing to pay Danny - but Danny had missed a lot of games. So our preference was as we were going through this, is he needed to be on the field to get paid, which makes sense. They understood that, and we understood that. You know, it just didn't work out. But he'll do well and we'll have options."
- Coach Jeff Fisher on the departure of WR Danny Amendola to New England.
