Welcome to our new message board system. We hope you enjoy the new features, and please post any issues or problems in the Help and Support forum. There are also several tutorial videos posted there to help you get familiar with some of the changes. Registration is required to post.http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/index.phpSat, 19 May 2012 10:32:34 +0000 Phorum 5.2.13 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248246,248246#msg-248246 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248246,248246#msg-248246Marc Sessler
Published: May 18, 2012 at 8:04 PM
The St. Louis Rams notched 39 sacks in 2011, tied for 15th in the NFL. Coach Jeff Fisher is raising the bar for 2012.

In his first season guiding the team, Fisher is asking the St. Louis defense to chase down the opposing quarterback 73 times, according to CBSSports.com . That figure would break the NFL record of 72 sacks set by the 1984 Chicago Bears .

(Dear AFL historians: Yes, the 1967 Oakland Raiders recorded 73, but sacks weren't an official statistic in that rough-and-tumble league of old. )

That's a tall order for a roster that might not be up to the task, but the Rams' 4-3 scheme flashes some potential along the defensive line. Chris Long recorded a team-best 13 sacks last season, and Robert Quinn is an emerging pass-rusher who totaled five sacks as a rookie in 2011. End James Hall had six, but he's currently a free agent.

Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports chronicled the organization's desire to land defensive tackle Michael Brockers in the draft after Justin Blackmon vanished off the board. Brockers is a big, run-stuffing inside man who will help St. Louis shore up a run defense that allowed too many big plays on the ground last season (Football Outsiders had the Rams D-line ranked 23rd against the run in football last season).

We don't see where 34 more sacks would come from (14 teams totaled 33 or less in 2011), but why not aim high, Mr. Fisher?

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Every year people get fired up for the NFL draft, only to be disappointed when they don't see immediate dividends. I do it too. But the reality is that many consider the jump from college to the NFL as bad or worse than the jump from high school to college. It's like the old cliché about sitting down in your first college class at Yale, and the teacher asks "How many of you were valedictorians?" Half the hands go up.

Same deal with the NFL. Nearly every one of these guys was an impact player in college. So I like to look at some guys who saw the field as rookies, or maybe didn't see much but could make a big jump in their second year. I call them my "Leap Year" players.

There could be a few dozen from the 2011 draft, but here are some who jumped out at me based on where they play and the situation they could be in. And remember, if they had a really great rookie year, they won't be on this list. These are in no particular order.

Leonard Hankerson, WR, Redskins
I thought Hankerson was just about to really get it going last year when a hip injury derailed his season. While the Redskins went out and made several moves at wide receiver, I think Hankerson could put up big numbers as a down-the-field threat in Mike Shanahan's offense. He's a bigger target, something this offense lacks otherwise, outside of tight end Fred Davis.

Tyron Smith, OT, Cowboys
How could I have Smith here after he started 16 games for the Cowboys in 2011? It's not that he started, it's where he starts. Smith won't be 22 until December, and the Cowboys worked the youngster in on the right side last year. But if he takes over at left tackle, in a division with the kind of pass-rushers the NFC East has, it'll be a true test of his value. I think he'll do well.

Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Jets
I had Wilkerson pegged as a very promising lineman out of Temple in 2011, but I said that if he waited another year, he had the chance to be a top-10 pick in the 2012 draft. Well, the Jets were sold on the promise, and I think after a year of development, Wilkerson will arrive in 2012. The addition of Quinton Coples will help in the matchups game as well.

Jake Locker, QB, Titans
Now, Locker needs to win the job outright. But look at the situation he could come into. Chris Johnson could be reinvigorated, the offensive line should be improved, and the return of Kenny Britt plus the addition of Kendall Wright (and Nate Washington can still play) make this offense a lot more formidable. Among the three first-round QB picks from last year who really need to make the jump, including Christian Ponder and Blaine Gabbert, I like Locker's chances in 2012.

[+] Enlarge
Richard Mackson/US Presswire
Flanked by Marion Williams, Marcell Dareus could be more productive in 2012.
Marcell Dareus, DT, Bills
When he lines up at the 4-3 DT position in 2012, Dareus will be able to look to his right and see Mario Williams. To his left will be Kyle Williams. Something's gotta give. I like Dareus in this scheme better, and I think he can really take off as a penetrator from the DT position in 2012. The guy will wreck some pockets.

Robert Quinn, DE, Rams
I fully expected Quinn to have a so-so rookie season after sitting out his entire final season at North Carolina. But now comfortable, he could easily double the 5.0 sacks he notched last year. Too much talent to keep down.

Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings
He caught 26 passes as a rookie, and Rudolph could double that in 2012 as he and Ponder get on the same page. He has great hands and made his share of circus catches last year. If Ponder can get comfortable, Rudolph benefits.

Marvin Austin, DT, Giants
This is more of a long shot because Austin isn't even slated to start, but while he got hurt last year and never really got his season on track, I think he can be a big part of the rotation in 2012 if his health is there. This is an immensely talented kid who just needs to keep his motor running; Tom Coughlin will get him going.

Randall Cobb, WR, Packers
We saw Cobb's explosiveness in the return game last year, but I think he can become a bigger part of the passing game. Remember, this is a former college QB, so there's a learning curve. Give him a full training camp, and with the year under his belt, it's hard to imagine that Green Bay won't want him to get more touches. He's a big-play threat every time he touches the ball.

Justin Houston, OLB, Chiefs
Houston got the tweener tag in a bad way during the draft and fell down the board. Converted to a 3-4 OLB under Romeo Crennel, he began to show off some of his natural pass-rushing skills toward the end of last year. Look for him to emerge as he comes into 2012 comfortable in his role.

Clyde Gates, WR, Dolphins
This is another longer shot because Gates didn't show us much last year. But Miami lacks weapons in the passing game, and this kid can fly if he can become a dependable pass-catcher. Interested to see if he develops into a player. The potential is there for a leap, though.

Jimmy Smith, CB, Ravens
He wasn't healthy to start the year, and Lardarius Webb rightly drew a lot of the attention. But with QBs looking to stay away from Webb, I wouldn't be surprised to see a healthy Smith play at a Pro Bowl level in 2012. The guy has a ton of talent; he just needs to stay healthy and get comfortable in the system.]]> RustyRay Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 07:26:07 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248239,248239#msg-248239 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248239,248239#msg-248239[www.stltoday.com]

BY JIM THOMAS • jthomas@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8197 | Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2012 12:05 am

There is absolutely no doubt in coach Jeff Fisher's mind that the Rams' starting left guard for 2012 is currently on the roster.

"Yeah, he's here," Fisher said. "And he'll play well for us."

He just can't tell you who that person is just yet.

"We've got a lot of options, and we'll continue to rotate guys in there," Fisher said. "But he's here."

It could be Bryan Mattison, who started the last four games at right guard last season after joining the team in late November.

It could be 2012 fifth-round draft pick Rokevious "Rok" Watkins, the wide-body from South Carolina.

Maybe Quinn Ojinnaka, a free-agent pickup who was in Rams training camp last summer. Or Robert Turner, signed as a free agent from the New York Jets earlier this offseason. Or even Mizzou product Tim Barnes, who spent all but one week of the 2011 regular season on the Rams' practice squad.

"We're going to put a lot of guys in the mix and really let 'em compete for that left guard spot," general manager Les Snead said. "And sort the backups from there."

It could be like some wrestling-royale event to see who's the last man standing.

"Put us in the cage, you know," Mattison said. "Come off the top rope."

The unassuming, low-key Mattison is the leader of the pack right now. Although the Rams have rotated other players in, Mattison took the bulk of repetitions with the starting unit at left guard this week during the Rams' practice sessions.

"I know our guys are high on him; think he's got a chance," Snead said.

Mattison, 6-3, 310, entered the league as an undrafted rookie with the New York Jets in 2008, but he entered the league as a defensive end. The University of Iowa product switched over to offense in 2009 but didn't play in his first NFL game until 2010 with Baltimore.

So he's no overnight sensation, and he's still relatively new to the position. But Mattison has been around long enough to realize it's a long way from mid-May at Rams Park to Sept. 9 in Detroit (the Rams' opener). He has anything but a stranglehold on the job.

"That stuff will work itself out down the line," Mattison said. "You always want to be out there with the first unit but when I'm not — when I'm with the second unit — I'm just as excited to do the play right. Competition's good for anybody, no matter what happens."

Fisher, in fact, made it a point to stress that there are several options at the position.

"There's ability there," he said. "We've got flexibility. And I wouldn't rule out Rok either because Rok's showed in just a couple days that he's heavy-handed, he's smart, and he can move people. And that's what we're looking for."

Watkins said he had no idea the Rams were interested in him before getting drafted April 28. He wasn't just a little surprised.

"I was a lot surprised," Watkins said. "I don't even think I talked to the (Rams') guys at the combine."

According to Snead, Watkins piqued the Rams' interest at South Carolina's pro day by getting a "plus" grade for his work there. That led to more film study of his games at South Carolina by the Rams' scouting department and coaching staff. Apparently, the more they saw the more they liked.

Listed on the Rams' roster at 6-3, 338, Watkins said he has played as heavy as 368 pounds back in his junior-college days at Georgia Military College. That would make him more Boulder than Rok.

During spring ball at South Carolina in 2010, Watkins found himself, uh, wasting away to 319. "I felt a little weak so I went back up and I played the season between 330 and 335, but I still was in shape," he said.

Watkins played all over the place at South Carolina, starting games at right tackle, left tackle and right guard in 2011, and starting at right guard and left guard in '10. But his body type and skill set make him a natural fit at guard in the NFL. He also seems to have the mentality that line coaches love.

"I take pride in the physicality," Watkins said. "It's nothing better than grabbing a defensive lineman and slamming him on his neck."

Then he added with a hearty chuckle, "I enjoy it, and it's legal."

At the moment, starting is about the last thing on his mind. Like just about every Rams rookie this early in his NFL experience, Watkins is trying to grasp the playbook.

"Being a competitor, you're going to always want to start," Watkins said. "But you don't want to come in there too fast if you don't know what you're doing, so I'm just going to try to learn anything I can. The more you know the faster you can play."

==========

Joe Long doesn't mind being a long shot
[www.stltoday.com]

BY JIM THOMAS • jthomas@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8197 | Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2012 12:00 am

The Long brothers have covered the spectrum of how to enter the National Football League. In 2008, Jake Long was the No. 1 overall pick by the Miami Dolphins out of the University of Michigan.

Four years later, along comes little brother Joe, an undrafted rookie offensive lineman signed by the Rams.

"I'm not him," Joe Long said. "I'm a completely different person. I had to do it the hard way, and that's fine. I'm a hard worker just like he is. It definitely was a different path, and I gotta get out here and grind and earn my spot on the team. I'm going to do whatever I can to do that."

The Long brothers both attended LaPeer (Mich.) East High about an hour north of Detroit. But while Jake went to the heralded and tradition-laden Michigan program, Joe cast his lot with Division II Wayne State in Detroit.

The only Division I looks Joe got was as a preferred walk-on. He knew at the Division II level he not only would get some scholarship money, but he'd have a chance to play earlier in his college career. Things couldn't have worked out better.

Long was a four-year starter at left tackle, making a school record 49 consecutive starts. This past season, he won the Gene Upshaw Award as the top lineman (offensive or defensive) in Division II. And the Wayne State Warriors reached the Division II national championship game, losing 35-21 to Pittsburg State.

Even though Long had a private workout with the Detroit Lions and a pre-draft visit with the New York Jets, his name wasn't called in the draft.

"I knew that coming from a Division II school it's kind of hard to get drafted," Long said. "That's fine. I just wanted to have a shot somewhere. When the Rams called me up, I was really excited. So just to be out here with a team and working out, practicing, that's all I wanted."

He knew there was some interest from the Rams because the team contacted both him and his agent the week of the draft. At 6-5, 304, Long has gotten most of his work at left tackle so far with the Rams but knows that eventually he could be moved around.

Joe and Jake are close, they talk nearly every day, and big brother has helped in terms of knowing what to expect from these first few days in the NFL.

"He is the best resource because he's gone through it all," Long said. "So I came in like ready, kind of knowing what's going to happen."

Relaxed football

There was almost a festive atmosphere to Friday's practice session at Rams Park. During practice, team sponsors and potential sponsors were invited on the practice fields to watch the team up close.

On the balcony overlooking the fields were parents of Rams 2012 draft picks. Later that evening, the parents were invited to a dinner in what used to be the private suite of late owner Georgia Frontiere on the second floor of the facility.

A street was blocked off adjacent to the Rams Park parking lot for a barbecue fundraiser held by the St. Louis County Police Department's central precinct, with the Rams' blessing. And Sage, the golden retriever (of assistant coach Brandon Fisher) who's quickly becoming an unofficial team mascot, was seen walking the grounds and showing interest in the barbecue aroma.

Taking in Friday's practice was former wide receiver great Isaac Bruce, who is in town for his foundation fundraiser.]]> RamBill The Original HERDSat, 19 May 2012 05:35:08 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248238,248238#msg-248238 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248238,248238#msg-248238[www.stltoday.com]

BY JIM THOMAS • jthomas@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8197 | Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2012 12:05 am

There is absolutely no doubt in coach Jeff Fisher's mind that the Rams' starting left guard for 2012 is currently on the roster.

"Yeah, he's here," Fisher said. "And he'll play well for us."

He just can't tell you who that person is just yet.

"We've got a lot of options, and we'll continue to rotate guys in there," Fisher said. "But he's here."

It could be Bryan Mattison, who started the last four games at right guard last season after joining the team in late November.

It could be 2012 fifth-round draft pick Rokevious "Rok" Watkins, the wide-body from South Carolina.

Maybe Quinn Ojinnaka, a free-agent pickup who was in Rams training camp last summer. Or Robert Turner, signed as a free agent from the New York Jets earlier this offseason. Or even Mizzou product Tim Barnes, who spent all but one week of the 2011 regular season on the Rams' practice squad.

"We're going to put a lot of guys in the mix and really let 'em compete for that left guard spot," general manager Les Snead said. "And sort the backups from there."

It could be like some wrestling-royale event to see who's the last man standing.

"Put us in the cage, you know," Mattison said. "Come off the top rope."

The unassuming, low-key Mattison is the leader of the pack right now. Although the Rams have rotated other players in, Mattison took the bulk of repetitions with the starting unit at left guard this week during the Rams' practice sessions.

"I know our guys are high on him; think he's got a chance," Snead said.

Mattison, 6-3, 310, entered the league as an undrafted rookie with the New York Jets in 2008, but he entered the league as a defensive end. The University of Iowa product switched over to offense in 2009 but didn't play in his first NFL game until 2010 with Baltimore.

So he's no overnight sensation, and he's still relatively new to the position. But Mattison has been around long enough to realize it's a long way from mid-May at Rams Park to Sept. 9 in Detroit (the Rams' opener). He has anything but a stranglehold on the job.

"That stuff will work itself out down the line," Mattison said. "You always want to be out there with the first unit but when I'm not — when I'm with the second unit — I'm just as excited to do the play right. Competition's good for anybody, no matter what happens."

Fisher, in fact, made it a point to stress that there are several options at the position.

"There's ability there," he said. "We've got flexibility. And I wouldn't rule out Rok either because Rok's showed in just a couple days that he's heavy-handed, he's smart, and he can move people. And that's what we're looking for."

Watkins said he had no idea the Rams were interested in him before getting drafted April 28. He wasn't just a little surprised.

"I was a lot surprised," Watkins said. "I don't even think I talked to the (Rams') guys at the combine."

According to Snead, Watkins piqued the Rams' interest at South Carolina's pro day by getting a "plus" grade for his work there. That led to more film study of his games at South Carolina by the Rams' scouting department and coaching staff. Apparently, the more they saw the more they liked.

Listed on the Rams' roster at 6-3, 338, Watkins said he has played as heavy as 368 pounds back in his junior-college days at Georgia Military College. That would make him more Boulder than Rok.

During spring ball at South Carolina in 2010, Watkins found himself, uh, wasting away to 319. "I felt a little weak so I went back up and I played the season between 330 and 335, but I still was in shape," he said.

Watkins played all over the place at South Carolina, starting games at right tackle, left tackle and right guard in 2011, and starting at right guard and left guard in '10. But his body type and skill set make him a natural fit at guard in the NFL. He also seems to have the mentality that line coaches love.

"I take pride in the physicality," Watkins said. "It's nothing better than grabbing a defensive lineman and slamming him on his neck."

Then he added with a hearty chuckle, "I enjoy it, and it's legal."

At the moment, starting is about the last thing on his mind. Like just about every Rams rookie this early in his NFL experience, Watkins is trying to grasp the playbook.

"Being a competitor, you're going to always want to start," Watkins said. "But you don't want to come in there too fast if you don't know what you're doing, so I'm just going to try to learn anything I can. The more you know the faster you can play."

==========

Joe Long doesn't mind being a long shot
[www.stltoday.com]

BY JIM THOMAS • jthomas@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8197 | Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2012 12:00 am

The Long brothers have covered the spectrum of how to enter the National Football League. In 2008, Jake Long was the No. 1 overall pick by the Miami Dolphins out of the University of Michigan.

Four years later, along comes little brother Joe, an undrafted rookie offensive lineman signed by the Rams.

"I'm not him," Joe Long said. "I'm a completely different person. I had to do it the hard way, and that's fine. I'm a hard worker just like he is. It definitely was a different path, and I gotta get out here and grind and earn my spot on the team. I'm going to do whatever I can to do that."

The Long brothers both attended LaPeer (Mich.) East High about an hour north of Detroit. But while Jake went to the heralded and tradition-laden Michigan program, Joe cast his lot with Division II Wayne State in Detroit.

The only Division I looks Joe got was as a preferred walk-on. He knew at the Division II level he not only would get some scholarship money, but he'd have a chance to play earlier in his college career. Things couldn't have worked out better.

Long was a four-year starter at left tackle, making a school record 49 consecutive starts. This past season, he won the Gene Upshaw Award as the top lineman (offensive or defensive) in Division II. And the Wayne State Warriors reached the Division II national championship game, losing 35-21 to Pittsburg State.

Even though Long had a private workout with the Detroit Lions and a pre-draft visit with the New York Jets, his name wasn't called in the draft.

"I knew that coming from a Division II school it's kind of hard to get drafted," Long said. "That's fine. I just wanted to have a shot somewhere. When the Rams called me up, I was really excited. So just to be out here with a team and working out, practicing, that's all I wanted."

He knew there was some interest from the Rams because the team contacted both him and his agent the week of the draft. At 6-5, 304, Long has gotten most of his work at left tackle so far with the Rams but knows that eventually he could be moved around.

Joe and Jake are close, they talk nearly every day, and big brother has helped in terms of knowing what to expect from these first few days in the NFL.

"He is the best resource because he's gone through it all," Long said. "So I came in like ready, kind of knowing what's going to happen."

Relaxed football

There was almost a festive atmosphere to Friday's practice session at Rams Park. During practice, team sponsors and potential sponsors were invited on the practice fields to watch the team up close.

On the balcony overlooking the fields were parents of Rams 2012 draft picks. Later that evening, the parents were invited to a dinner in what used to be the private suite of late owner Georgia Frontiere on the second floor of the facility.

A street was blocked off adjacent to the Rams Park parking lot for a barbecue fundraiser held by the St. Louis County Police Department's central precinct, with the Rams' blessing. And Sage, the golden retriever (of assistant coach Brandon Fisher) who's quickly becoming an unofficial team mascot, was seen walking the grounds and showing interest in the barbecue aroma.

Taking in Friday's practice was former wide receiver great Isaac Bruce, who is in town for his foundation fundraiser.]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 06:59:58 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248236,248236#msg-248236 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248236,248236#msg-248236
By Marc Sessler

[www.nfl.com]

The St. Louis Rams notched 39 sacks in 2011, tied for 15th in the NFL. Coach Jeff Fisher is raising the bar for 2012.

In his first season guiding the team, Fisher is asking the St. Louis defense to chase down the opposing quarterback 73 times, according to CBSSports.com. That figure would break the NFL record of 72 sacks set by the 1984 Chicago Bears.

(Dear AFL historians: Yes, the 1967 Oakland Raiders recorded 73, but sacks weren't an official statistic in that rough-and-tumble league of old. )

That's a tall order for a roster that might not be up to the task, but the Rams' 4-3 scheme flashes some potential along the defensive line. Chris Long recorded a team-best 13 sacks last season, and Robert Quinn is an emerging pass-rusher who totaled five sacks as a rookie in 2011. End James Hall had six, but he's currently a free agent.

Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports chronicled the organization's desire to land defensive tackle Michael Brockers in the draft after Justin Blackmon vanished off the board. Brockers is a big, run-stuffing inside man who will help St. Louis shore up a run defense that allowed too many big plays on the ground last season (Football Outsiders had the Rams D-line ranked 23rd against the run in football last season).

We don't see where 34 more sacks would come from (14 teams totaled 33 or less in 2011), but why not aim high, Mr. Fisher?]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 05:50:47 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248229,248229#msg-248229 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248229,248229#msg-248229
[www.nfl.com]]]> RamBill The Original HERDSat, 19 May 2012 04:18:51 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248209,248209#msg-248209 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248209,248209#msg-248209www.nfl.com]]]> TackleDummy Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 10:14:17 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,248197,248197#msg-248197 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,248197,248197#msg-248197
]]> ferragamo79 The Cyber PubSat, 19 May 2012 00:52:23 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248191,248191#msg-248191 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248191,248191#msg-248191Brown: At least 50 percent of NFL players smoke pot
[www.nfl.com]
By Marc Sessler NFL.com
Writer
Published: May 18, 2012 at 11:36 a.m.
Updated: May 18, 2012 at 01:00 p.m.

A trio of marijuana-related arrests for the Detroit Lions this offseason is indicative of a more widespread problem plaguing the league, according to one former NFL offensive lineman.

Lomas Brown, now an ESPN analyst, claims at least 50 percent of NFL players likely smoke marijuana, according to a report in the Detroit News

"I just don't think you'll be able to curb this," Brown told the newspaper.

In Brown's eyes, this is actually an improvement. Brown claims up to 90 percent of players league-wide smoked marijuana when he began his career with the Lions in 1985.

It falls in line with some recent findings:

• Four out of 10 draft-eligible prospects from the 2012 class failed at least one school-administered drug test for marijuana; two in 10 failed multiple times, per a CBS Sports report from April.

• "About 70 percent" of prospects at the combine admitted to using marijuana, per an ESPN report.

• A 2009 report by the NCAA stated 26.7 percent of all football players admitted using marijuana over the past 12 months, the highest number of any athlete group they surveyed.

I suppose we should be stunned. Here in Culver City, Calif., we're a brief jog away from Venice Beach, where medical marijuana shacks dot the Pacific Ocean. As you walk by, vibrant youth hoist signs asking you to come in and "see the doctor." A surreal scene, but a testament to how easy it is to get your hands on the drug.

Marijuana has infused our culture and dotted college campuses for decades. Brown's estimates are eye-catching and perhaps disappointing, depending on your perspective. It's not something the league wants to put up, but it's an issue and debate that goes far beyond the playing field.]]> TackleDummy The Original HERDSat, 19 May 2012 00:35:21 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248181,248181#msg-248181 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248181,248181#msg-248181[espn.go.com]
(4:02 PM)

Good to be here. And, yes, I did turn on auto-update. Let's get rolling.
PatW (Moses Lake, WA)

If Skelton beat out Kolb, Do you think the 5 and 2 record we saw last year would continue? I think if Skelton got his mechanics right, helping his accuracy, he could be a solid starter. Thoughts?
Mike Sando
(4:05 PM)

The investment Arizona has made in Kolb would ideally lead to the Cardinals giving Kolb another shot before bailing on him entirely. I mean, why pay the $7 million bonus this offseason? But if Skelton does win the job, I think he'll be inconsistent. Just didn't see enough last season to make me think he would be the answer. That performance at San Francisco comes to mind.
Kevin W (Bellevue, WA).

From what you've seen and heard, how has Ricardo Lockette developed since last year's training camp? How raw is he compared to last year?
Mike Sando
(4:07 PM)

Lockette hasn't played much, but I was very impressed with what he showed late last season. He has a flair for the big play. There's no evidence to suggest he's ready to become a factor from play to play, but I don't think the Seahawks are counting on that from him. They want the big-play factor from him. We won't have a feel for his progress on a play-to-play basis til training camp.
Jeff (Seattle)

Who is your favorite player, for each team in the Division, to interview?
Mike Sando
(4:08 PM)

Off the top of my head, Steven Jackson from St. Louis, Michael Robinson from Seattle, Vernon Davis from San Francisco and Larry Fitzgerald from Arizona. There are other good ones.
Dennis (MI)

How competitive do you see this division turning out this year?
Mike Sando
(4:09 PM)

Looks like we have three teams with the ability to be .500 or better. I think it'll be very competitive. San Francisco should be the favorite, but teams rarely win 13+ games, so I would expect that total to come back into a more realistic range, opening the door for the team that gets better-than-expected play from its quarterback.
ripstardust (Las Vegas)

It's striking to me how many 3-4 rd. draft picks are regularly considered for starting roles in Seattle. Do they seem to rely more heavily on the mid/late rounds of the draft than other teams that you follow?
Mike Sando
(4:11 PM)

The Seahawks blew up their roster, so they had more jobs to offer. That is one consideration. I would also say middle rounds, not just third- and fourth-rounders. Kam Chancellor was a fifth-rounder. Richard Sherman was a fifth-rounder. I also think Seattle's defensive staff and personnel department have a good thing going. They seem to know exactly what they want.
erock (Santa Clara)

When are you heading to the 49ers facility and who are you most excited about seeing?
Mike Sando
(4:12 PM)

I'll be visiting the 49ers during their mandatory June minicamp. Randy Moss is the player I'm most interested in seeing. What will the 49ers get from him? Just want to size him up and get a feel for the dynamics. Michael Crabtree is another one.
Damian (Seattle/Key West, FL)

What is your best guess/gut feeling for the division as a whole and their total combined record?
Mike Sando
(4:14 PM)

Was thinking about this yesterday and this morning, just sort of reformulating expectations. Maybe put the 49ers at 10-11 wins, Seattle at nine, Arizona at eight, St. Louis at 4-6 wins? It is hard to know. I go back and forth on these.
Griz (Montana)

Let's say Matt Flynn is moderately successful next season. Could you still see Pete Carroll switching to Wilson since he seems to fit Pete's QB philosophy a bit more? Mobility and bootlegs are Wilson's strength and it seems to be what Carroll prefers in QBs. Seahawks
Mike Sando
(4:15 PM)

Moderately successful will not be good enough for Flynn to hold onto the job. The Seahawks love Russell Wilson and want to see if he can overcome the one big strike against him: lack of height. They feel like Wilson has everything else. They're optimistic, but they just don't know for sure based on the height. That one trait explains why Wilson was still available in the third round.
Randy (Toledo, Ohio)

Don't you predict SF to win the division! Why are your predictions a kiss of death? Was it a pact with Satan?
Mike Sando
(4:18 PM)

Football is largely unpredictable, especially in a division without established, reliable quarterback play. It's not like the AFC East, where everyone is trying to catch up to Tom Brady. We went into last season with Sam Bradford appearing on the rise, the 49ers breaking in a new staff under tough circumstances, Arizona spending big on Kevin Kolb, Seattle coming off a weird season featuring a 7-9 record and a playoff victory. So many variables in this division. The 49ers are the logical favorite based on what we saw from them last season.
Jeff (Seattle)

When you say Seattle at 9 wins and AZ at 8, are you weighing those numbers based on potential for friction in blog "discussions?"
Mike Sando
(4:20 PM)

I'm weighing them based on impossible projections for quarterback play. Kevin Kolb and to a lesser extent John Skelton left a negative impression last season. In Seattle, Matt Flynn (and Russell Wilson) represent the unknown. They have the perhaps imaginary upside that Kolb possessed last offseason. We assume there's a potential to get better.
Joker (SD)

Assuming Alex has a second productive season under the current regime does that change his status of bust in your opinion or do we have to wait until the book of work is set equivalent to the amount of negative seasons?
Mike Sando
(4:21 PM)

I've moved past considering whether Alex Smith was a bust. He was a bust as the No. 1 overall pick, yes, but he is no longer playing under his original contract. Jim Plunkett was a bust with the Patriots, but not with the Raiders. After a certain point, the bust conversation becomes a hindrance. I think we've passed that point with Smith. He's a good value under terms of his current deal.
Will (Tallahassee)

Are you saying that even if the Rams come into the season healthy, as opposed to last season, and maintain relative good health amongst their starters on offense and defense, that they would only get 4 or 5 wins? Really Sando?1?1
Mike Sando
(4:23 PM)

I could be gunshy on the Rams after last season. Let me put it this way: After going 15-65 over a five-year period, the burden of proof is on the Rams. We must assume disaster until the Rams give us reason to assume better. Have you looked at the schedule? They gave away one home game already. Which 7-8 teams are they going to beat?
Sean (Buffalo)

OK Sando stop ducking it.. would you finally agree Smith still hasn't reached his full potential?
Mike Sando
(4:25 PM)

Smith has not reached his full potential. Most players do not reach their full potential.
Ryan (Seattle)

Seahawks starting offensive line when the season starts?
Mike Sando
(4:27 PM)

Early guess might be: RT Breno Giacomini, RG Deuce Lutui, C Max Unger, LG Paul McQuistan, LT Russell Okung. The thinking would be: Lutui is one of the five best when in decent shape; James Carpenter will be on physically unable to perform list; John Moffitt is also coming off a knee injury and I'd like to see how he fares before suggesting he'll jump right back into the lineup.
Randy (Toledo, Ohio)

You did a mailbag question about whether Flynn was the "most developed QB in the division". I read that and was thoroughly confused, I would think he'd be the least developed considering the lack of playing time and brand new system he's being thrown into. Could you explain the "developed" concept and why a guy with so little experience could even be in the conversation for it?
Mike Sando
(4:28 PM)

We were discussing Flynn's background under Mike McCarthy in the Green Bay system. He has been developed the Green Bay way, which might give him an edge over quarterbacks who have suffered through multiple coordinator changes.
Will (Tallahassee)

In a chat a few weeks back, you named your all-division defensive team. You failed to put Cortland or JL55 or Chris Long on your list. JL55 is debatable because of Patrick Willis, but you really think that Carlos Rogers is a better corner than Finn?
Mike Sando
(4:30 PM)

I don't recall making that selection at cornerback, but the truth is, I watched Carlos Rogers every week last season. I did not watch the Titans very much at all. Might need to see Finnegan play in the division before putting him on an all-division team. Chris Long is very good and could be a worthy selection. He has competition in this division, however.
Anthony (Anaheim, CA)

Seattle with 9 wins? What did they do to get two wins better? Or do they have a weaker schedule?
Mike Sando
(4:31 PM)

They will not have Charlie Whitehurst starting a game for them. They will not be reliant upon a quarterback (Tarvaris Jackson) with a torn pectoral. There is some projection involved at the quarterback position. That projection could be incorrect. Do not know. In general, though, I think Seattle will get better play from the quarterback position.
Drew B (St. Louis, MO)

Mike;You have to admit that the rams have defensively upgraded almost instantly from last year. James Lauranitis is only going to get better now with Langford and Brockers in front of him. Quinn will more than likely be full time this year with Long on the opposite side. Not to mention the upgrades at every CB position. There has to be some optimisim there... right?
Mike Sando
(4:34 PM)

Do you think Quinn will be better than James Hall right now, as an every-down NFL defensive end? I do not think so. Could be wrong. Seems like he'll have to grow into the role. The run defense should be improved, for sure. The secondary will be much better. I think optimism is warranted. I'd be shocked if the Rams went 2-14 again. I was shocked they went 2-14 last season. The home games against Seattle and Arizona in Weeks 4-5 will be pivotal, I think.
Dennis Ashley (Oroville, CA)

Mike: The Seahawks defense was ranked 9th overall last year; with the addition of Irvin to complement Clemons on the pass rush and Jason Jones rushing up the middle; with 3 of the 4 members of the secondary in the Pro Bowl; I am thinking a Top Three defense this year. Your reactions?
Mike Sando
(4:35 PM)

I think Seattle will have a good defense, but with some really good quarterbacks on the schedule, it's unlikely the Seahawks will finish among the top three in yards allowed. I'd say top 10 is a good goal once again.
EDTGO (NY)

Sando I read your article who mentioned Flynn as the most developed QB in the NFCW. But I see the same hype/pattern in HAWK fans as I saw in Card fans last year. Flynn like Kolb last year biggest reason for the hype is that they had not played much. People saw tape on Smith, Tjax and Bradford and saw weaknesses, Given the limited tape on Flynn like Kolb, the fans where riding high on him. Do you see the same situation repeating itself.
Mike Sando
(4:37 PM)

You could be 100 percent correct in that. I do see similarities, for sure. The feeling in Arizona last season was that the quarterback play had to improve even if Kevin Kolb were mediocre, and that the improvement would help the team win a few more games. The team did win a few more games, improving from 5-11 to 8-8, but how much did that have to do with quarterback improvement? The defense improved tremendously over the second half of the season. Patrick Peterson's punt-return touchdowns were huge. And then John Skelton, not Kolb, helped pull out some comeback victories.
alvaden (Phoenix)

Any reason for the change in positions between the Seahawks and Cardinals this year versus last? Both were ascending last year, both had a top 5 defense by end of season. Both have unproven QB situations, both have 1000 yard rushers. Is it this year's draft?
Mike Sando
(4:39 PM)

The main reason would be general impressions about the quarterback position. Those impressions could be wrong. I also think Seattle's defense was more consistent throughout the season and could be reliable. It is possible, though, that the Cardinals' defense will continue its late-season trajectory. In the end, I'm not trusting the Cardinals' quarterbacks as much.
Damian (Seattle/Key West, FL)

With the Arizona Cardinals bringing the new WR weapon, do you see Larry Fitzgerald's number going down at all?
Mike Sando
(4:40 PM)

Not really. Larry Fitzgerald is a great player. He had a couple of his best seasons with Anquan Boldin on the team.
Jeff (Seattle)

Serious question: If three teams from the West make the playoffs, with the Hawks playing in SF on a Saturday and the Cards playing somewhere else on a Sunday...would that be the greatest day in your ESPN blogging career or would it be the next weekend with the Hawks hosting the Cards in the NFC Championship game?
Mike Sando
(4:41 PM)

Having two NFC West teams in the NFC Championship Game would be the greatest day in the history of the NFC West blog. I'd love it, regardless of which NFC West teams were playing in the game.
Randy (Toledo, Ohio)

Sando, I can't recall if you've answered it before, but who's schedule do you feel is laid out in the most brutal way? I would think SEA with the rough start that whoever their QB is gets to begin with.
Mike Sando
(4:43 PM)

Each schedule has its own tough spots. Seattle does get three NFC West home games in the final four weeks, a chance to make up ground in the division if necessary.
Chex Norris (San Diego)

Do you consider the 49ers D the top in the NFL going into the season?
Mike Sando
(4:44 PM)

Yeah, cannot think of one I'd take instead.
Anthony (Ogden, UT)

The Rams have been getting very high draft grades for a few years in a row, building through the draft, and now have one of the highest paid coaches in the US. How long before it all comes together? I'm a 49er fan and I think the Rams will be the second best team NEXT year.
Mike Sando
(4:46 PM)

Those high draft grades didn't prevent ownership from firing the people responsible for making those picks. Ron Bartell, Donnie Avery, John Greco, Adam Carriker, Jason Smith ... not many contributions from some of those early picks.
roaddog (sacramento)

At what point is someone drafted "too high" to be used on special teams? Say punt/kick returner... Patrick Peterson may be an exception, but surely there is a rule of thumb here.
Mike Sando
(4:48 PM)

Deion Sanders did it, too. Joey Galloway did it. Ted Ginn Jr. did it. If you're a dynamic talent, you could factor into the return game as a high choice. Tim Brown is another one, going back a few years.
tom page (bellevue, wa)

Draft grades are meaningless, they are based on what the writer thinks versus what teams think. Teams know more than the media in 100% of the cases.
Mike Sando
(4:48 PM)

Teams know exactly what they want. That is the key part of this. Bruce Irvin might be a bad pick for some teams, but the Seahawks think he fits exactly what they want to do.
ripstardust (Las Vegas)

How much of the 49ers meteoric rise last year was due to health, versus the talent of players/coaches? I'm wondering if that was a "flash in the pan" or if they have staying power at the top of the NFC?
Mike Sando
(4:50 PM)

Alex Smith's health was a big factor. I didn't expect him to start all 16 regular-season games. Thirteen wins is a high bar to clear. The 49ers could be just as good this season without winning as many games.
Deccarizzle (Bay Area)

Who's to blame for the 49ers losing the NFC championship game?
Mike Sando
(4:51 PM)

The Giants.
OleSagginSeahawk (West of Seattle)

Mike, I'll reference you to your head coach pay article. I ask fellow commenters and they didn't seem to have the answer, either. Players get a bonus for reaching Pro Bowl status and playoffs. Do head coaches get a bonus ($) on top of their base salary in the same fashion? What's the norm?
Mike Sando
(4:53 PM)

Good question. Contracts for head coaches remain shrouded in some secrecy. Seems like I've heard of coaches getting bonus pay for on-field accomplishments, but I do not know what is the norm. Sounds like something I should look into.
ripstardust (Las Vegas)

Two years ago, when SEA made the playoffs at 7-9, there was talk of changing the playoff rules/structure to prevent losing teams from having home field in the 1st round, or even from making the playoffs at all. Has that talk died, or are there still some who think changes like that could happen?
Mike Sando
(4:55 PM)

That talk has pretty much died because that situation was an exception. People want the division title to mean something.
Dennis (MI)

Is the NFC west the worst division in the NFL?
Mike Sando
(4:55 PM)

This is weird. It appears as though there was a two-year lag in this question getting through. Hope 2010 was a good year for you. Things have been looking up in the NFC West for a while.
tom page (bellevue, wa)

Is Cortez Kennedy the first player you have been an advocate for make it to the HOF?
Mike Sando
(4:57 PM)

Yeah. I've been a HOF selector for the last three years, representing the Seattle market. So when a former Seahawks player is a finalist, my job is to present the player's case to the other selectors. That was the case with Kennedy. It has not been the case for others yet. Walter Jones could be next in line from the Seattle market.
OleSagginSeahawk (West of Seattle)

Sando- It was reported that Bruce Irvin ,wearing shorts and flip flops, leaped over a 6' blocking dummy. As tall as you are, and if you stood still, Could he clear your heigth? No dummy reference intended. hahaha
Mike Sando
(4:58 PM)

These guys are freakish athletes. I'm 6-4. Guessing I'd take a knee to the face, which some of you would probably find amusing!
Pete Carroll is better than you (Pasadena, CA)

Yo, Mike Sando!!! Do you enjoy reading our comments? I feel we are probably one of the more amusing fans in the ESPN blog world.Please discuss and thanks for being the [man].
Mike Sando
(4:59 PM)

Yeah, I do enjoy the comments sections on blog items. The interactivity and sense of community are a big draw for me. Makes things much more enjoyable for me. Also, I learn from others and value that aspect as well.
Mike Sando
(5:00 PM)

Thanks for dropping by the NFC West chat. Back to the blog. See you there.]]> Shaky The Original HERDFri, 18 May 2012 22:59:48 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248179,248179#msg-248179 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248179,248179#msg-248179


..and with his son in his arms...]]> RFIP Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 00:44:44 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248176,248176#msg-248176 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248176,248176#msg-248176$199. In HD. But no Red Zone except at extra cost.
$299 includes Red Zone plus Internet access for watching on mobile or laptop.
No begging. No threatening to quit.
Everybody gets the deal.

I like it.
$199 is a darn good price for 17 weeks of NFL football.
An extra $100 isn't worth it to me for mobile or Red Zone.
Kudos to Direct TV.]]> RockRam Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 02:20:49 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,248169,248169#msg-248169 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,248169,248169#msg-248169


]]> IowaRam The Cyber PubSat, 19 May 2012 05:06:00 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248165,248165#msg-248165 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248165,248165#msg-248165
Rams awarded TE Brody Eldridge on waivers from Colts. Jets also put in claim. He played 13 games, started eight last season.

Evan Silva ‏@evansilva

New #Rams TE Brody Eldridge is purely a blocker. Played guard and center at Oklahoma. All-Big 12 pick at fullback as redshirt soph.]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumFri, 18 May 2012 23:21:50 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248160,248160#msg-248160 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248160,248160#msg-248160 Shaky The Original HERDSat, 19 May 2012 02:05:59 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248158,248158#msg-248158 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248158,248158#msg-248158www.rams-news.com]

Notes on Quinn, Amendola, Kendricks, Dahl, Salas, Ojinnaka]]> RamBill The Original HERDFri, 18 May 2012 20:34:46 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248157,248157#msg-248157 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248157,248157#msg-248157www.rams-news.com]

Notes on Quinn, Amendola, Kendricks, Dahl, Salas, Ojinnaka]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 03:20:08 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248147,248147#msg-248147 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248147,248147#msg-248147By Rick Venturi
Published: May 17, 2012 @ 11:46pm
[www.101sports.com]

I begin my piece in inquisitive mode, because there is so much noise floating around, so many unknowns, and more importantly, because I have hands-on experience with how stadium issues have become deciding factors in the movement of two teams, the Colts and Browns, and an unnoticed near-miss with the Saints. The Rams’ situation has all the same trappings, with its own level of uniqueness.

In 1984, I was on the “midnight ride” to Indianapolis with the Baltimore Colts. This was a devastating day for the city of Baltimore, and despite now having a very successful franchise in the Ravens, bitterness exists to this day. The then owner, the late Bob Irsay, had become a pariah to the Baltimore fans, and the team had deteriorated from great to bottom-feeder. Irsay had publically shopped the team, and the relationship of team and town was at an all-time low. The city refused to build a new stadium, and Bob was off to Indianapolis. The advantage Bob had: many suitors, including Jacksonville, Phoenix and Indianapolis. Indy, having built a stadium, with no team in sight, desperately wrote the best deal in franchise history and thus welcomed the “Indianapolis” Colts.

I scroll down to 1995 (my second move), to the Cleveland Browns’ move (ironically) back to Baltimore. The Browns, successfully drawing 78,000 a game and for all appearances, were a model franchise. Owner Art Modell, angered over new Cleveland stadiums – Jacobs Field for the Indians, the Gundt Arena for the Cavaliers – when, in fact, his team (the Browns) had defined the city for decades, packed up and took the sweetheart deal in Baltimore. At that moment, it was mind-blowing, considering the absolutely fanatical Cleveland fan base.

What will probably come as a surprise to many was the near-miss at losing a franchise by my third team, the New Orleans Saints. The years leading up to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 were solid years on the field, but the rift between owner Tom Benson and the city and state authorities was growing. They were not about to help him with stadium renovations, and he was struggling to get the needed sponsorship from the business community in the economically challenged region.

The reality is that the Saints had negotiated with the city of San Antonio and were close to a deal. In the aftermath of Katrina, the league essentially demanded that Tom take his team back to the embattled city and, subsequently, contribute millions to the rebuilding of the Superdome. It was always amazing to me that the Superdome was totally refurbished before one shovel was lowered into the devastated Ninth Ward. In my view, the city of New Orleans was spared the loss of its team because of the storm, a one-in-a-million irony.

We can certainly learn lessons from these events. It is important here to get out of our tunnel vision as citizens of St. Louis. We love our city, and we have civic pride. Understand, however, that an NFL team is simply a business and not a right. The difference between an NFL team and a normal business is the former’s high profile, and the fact that there are only 32 of them. An NFL team provides a “first city” image, and a quality stadium-convention center gives a city a driving force to attract “big events.” It has been said that the only thing that the American public loves more than the NFL is money.

What is a constant in the aforementioned examples and the Rams: that each owner has a commodity that people want and for which they are willing to pay. Also, except for the incredible turn of events in New Orleans, community leaders drew lines in the sand and gave the owner little choice but to leave. In Stan Kroenke’s case, he has one additional advantage the others didn’t. With the shrewd negotiator, John Shaw, holding St. Louis hostage in 1995, demanding the now famous “top tier” clause, he provided Stan all the high cards. The city can dislike him, find him cold and disloyal, but it’s of no significance. If this thing is protracted and becomes a year-to-year agreement, we will only be buying time for a Los Angeles or London to get their act together – which will eventually happen.

This city danced with the devil in 1995, and now will pay the consequences. I actually am impressed with the Rams’ proposal; it creatively presents a realistic way to mold the present piece of junk that is the Edward Jones Dome into a top-tier facility. When it comes to funding, don’t expect much. I don’t think Stan and John perceive themselves as stadium builders. In the Indianapolis Colts’ model, owner Jim Irsay kicked in approximately one-eighth of the cost – which ain’t much. Indianapolis, a much smaller market, determined an NFL team was an invaluable asset, and by levying a 1 percent tax on about everything in the area, it kept the Colts and got a palace built. Never have I seen that city more vibrant than during Super Bowl week in February.

This won’t be about Kroenke in the end. It will be all about whether the people and politicos of this city deem the Rams a big enough asset to save and pay for.]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumFri, 18 May 2012 18:32:03 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248145,248145#msg-248145 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248145,248145#msg-248145By Mike Sando
ESPN.com
[espn.go.com]

NFL rosters undergo massive changes each offseason. That has been particularly true in 2012 as limits increased from 80 to 90 players.

As much as I'd like to comply with requests to publish specific roster breakdowns for age and other factors, the changes require quite a bit of time to process.

A few trends are coming into focus regarding the NFC West already:

The St. Louis Rams keep getting younger. I'm projecting them to be the youngest team in the league by a relatively wide margin, pending a few missing dates of birth for undrafted rookies on other teams. Mario Haggan (32), Quintin Mikell (31), Scott Wells (31) and Harvey Dahl (30) are the oldest players on the team. Gone are Fred Robbins (35), James Hall (35), Justin Bannan (33), Ben Leber (33) and Josh Brown (33). The Rams have not re-signed any of their own unrestricted free agents, including A.J. Feeley (35), Tony Wragge (32) and Brady Poppinga (32). Al Harris, 37, is retiring.

The Seattle Seahawks have quietly gotten older. They ranked among the one or two youngest teams in the NFL last season and could regain that status once roster cuts are made. For now, however, I'm projecting the Seahawks to rank just outside the 10 youngest teams. Seattle brought back Marcus Trufant (31), Leroy Hill (29) and Michael Robinson (29) while adding Alex Barron (29), Frank Omiyale (29), Deuce Lutui (29) and Barrett Ruud (29 this week).
The Arizona Cardinals could get older on defense. Arizona has gotten younger overall, but re-signing Vonnie Holliday (36) and Clark Haggans (35) would probably move the Cardinals back among the 10 oldest teams. Some of Arizona's age is concentrated with its specialists, however. That is also true for the San Francisco 49ers. Sometimes age is a good thing at those positions.
The 49ers are young up front on offense. I'm projecting San Francisco to take one of the two or three youngest offensive lines to camp. Parting with 30-year-old Adam Snyder in free agency affected the equation once the 49ers decided to let youngsters Alex Boone and Daniel Kilgore compete for the job at right guard.


Enjoy your Friday. Hope to see you at the rescheduled NFC West chat. I'll publish a reminder later Friday.]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumFri, 18 May 2012 18:11:50 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248137,248137#msg-248137 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248137,248137#msg-248137May, 18, 2012
May 18
11:56
AM ET
By Mike Sando | ESPN.com
[espn.go.com]

NFL rosters undergo massive changes each offseason. That has been particularly true in 2012 as limits increased from 80 to 90 players.

As much as I'd like to comply with requests to publish specific roster breakdowns for age and other factors, the changes require quite a bit of time to process.

A few trends are coming into focus regarding the NFC West already:

The St. Louis Rams keep getting younger. I'm projecting them to be the youngest team in the league by a relatively wide margin, pending a few missing dates of birth for undrafted rookies on other teams. Mario Haggan (32), Quintin Mikell (31), Scott Wells (31) and Harvey Dahl (30) are the oldest players on the team. Gone are Fred Robbins (35), James Hall (35), Justin Bannan (33), Ben Leber (33) and Josh Brown (33). The Rams have not re-signed any of their own unrestricted free agents, including A.J. Feeley (35), Tony Wragge (32) and Brady Poppinga (32). Al Harris, 37, is retiring.
The Seattle Seahawks have quietly gotten older. They ranked among the one or two youngest teams in the NFL last season and could regain that status once roster cuts are made. For now, however, I'm projecting the Seahawks to rank just outside the 10 youngest teams. Seattle brought back Marcus Trufant (31), Leroy Hill (29) and Michael Robinson (29) while adding Alex Barron (29), Frank Omiyale (29), Deuce Lutui (29) and Barrett Ruud (29 this week).
The Arizona Cardinals could get older on defense. Arizona has gotten younger overall, but re-signing Vonnie Holliday (36) and Clark Haggans (35) would probably move the Cardinals back among the 10 oldest teams. Some of Arizona's age is concentrated with its specialists, however. That is also true for the San Francisco 49ers. Sometimes age is a good thing at those positions.
The 49ers are young up front on offense. I'm projecting San Francisco to take one of the two or three youngest offensive lines to camp. Parting with 30-year-old Adam Snyder in free agency affected the equation once the 49ers decided to let youngsters Alex Boone and Daniel Kilgore compete for the job at right guard.]]> Shaky The Original HERDFri, 18 May 2012 19:24:25 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248080,248080#msg-248080 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248080,248080#msg-248080
Or that the lawsuit will wind up being nothing but a sideshow for the benefit of an angry player who feels he has been disrespected.

I think it has the potential to shake some things up.

This Commish has, I think, played on the edge and may have gone over it. It is one thing to suspend a player for shooting up a nightclub, particapting in a dog fighting ring, repeated DUI's, failing drug tests, or some such thing. Those things are either in the CBA or are so well spelled out with defined courses of action , or so heinous that there is practically no resistance to it by the NFLPA or the player himself.

But the actionable behavior in Vilma's case is, of itself, as questionable as it's actual effect. And that is largely because while not universal, these "bounties" have played a role in NFL locker rooms traditionally and for decades (at least so say current and retired players).

Further, the level of punishment is unprecedented. Goodell is handing out half and full season suspensions like they were parking tickets. While on the surface it sounds logical that if you throw the book and the book shelf at someone to make a point, that it ought to have a great effect on eliminating the unwanted behavior, we live in a society of lex talionis: an eye for an eye. Proportional punishment. And I think that here we have a player who has decided that the punishment for his "offense" is not only NOT proportional to the violation, it rises to the unjust if not absurd.

And that when a punishment is this severe, such that the team also is penalized by not having his services for an entire season, that one man ought not be in the position to be judge, jury, and executioner.

I've said from the beginning of BountyGate that Goodell has gone WAY too far. Not one case of actual injury has been proven as a result of the Bounty program. Had he heavily fined some coaches, docked a team a draft pick (as he did), even suspended a coach for a couple of games, that would have sent a major message the likes of which the NFL has not seen. But no; something near the equivalent of 20 to life was handed down for threatening to punch your nieghbor.

Even in our Criminal Courts, while it is illegal to conspire to committ a criminal act, as long as it is not carried out it does NOT have the same consequences as if the act WAS carried out. For Goodell, it seems that there is no difference.

If it had be proven that BountyGate had actually caused severe injuries to targeted players, that's another matter. And then I'm not so sure that this wouldn't have civil penalties that involved individual players suing due to premeditated injury. None of that has happened and to my knowledge no player has threatened it.

I think Vilma's case has legs. I think that while he might not win some huge defamation settlement (but he might), it could have an effect on how the NFL prosecutes such offenses and players and teams and coaches for it. It should.

It could change a lot in the NFL head office. Not that Goodell is in any danger of losing his position; but I think he could find himself rightly losing his status as King of the NFL who can, at his own whim, announce "off with their heads!" And cost players and coaches millions of dollars and years off of their careers because Goodell thinks it is bad PR.

I suspect that Goodell may have overstepped his boundaries considerably this time.]]> RockRam Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 00:37:57 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248071,248071#msg-248071 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248071,248071#msg-248071 rampet Ramsrule.com Football ForumFri, 18 May 2012 13:23:48 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248066,248066#msg-248066 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248066,248066#msg-248066www.101espn.com]#

How Big of an Asset are the Rams?
By: Rick Venturi
Published: May 17, 2012 @ 11:46pm

I begin my piece in inquisitive mode, because there is so much noise floating around, so many unknowns, and more importantly, because I have hands-on experience with how stadium issues have become deciding factors in the movement of two teams, the Colts and Browns, and an unnoticed near-miss with the Saints. The Rams’ situation has all the same trappings, with its own level of uniqueness.

In 1984, I was on the “midnight ride” to Indianapolis with the Baltimore Colts. This was a devastating day for the city of Baltimore, and despite now having a very successful franchise in the Ravens, bitterness exists to this day. The then owner, the late Bob Irsay, had become a pariah to the Baltimore fans, and the team had deteriorated from great to bottom-feeder. Irsay had publically shopped the team, and the relationship of team and town was at an all-time low. The city refused to build a new stadium. and Bob was off to Indianapolis. The advantage Bob had: many suitors, including Jacksonville, Phoenix and Indianapolis. Indy, having built a stadium, with no team in sight, desperately wrote the best deal in franchise history and thus welcomed the “Indianapolis” Colts.

I scroll down to 1995 (my second move), to the Cleveland Browns’ move (ironically) back to Baltimore. The Browns, successfully drawing 78,000 a game and for all appearances, were a model franchise. Owner Art Modell, angered over new Cleveland stadiums – Jacobs Field for the Indians the Gundt Arena for the Cavaliers – when, in fact, his team (the Browns) had defined the city for decades, packed up and took the sweetheart deal in Baltimore. At that moment, it was mind-blowing, considering the absolute fanatical Cleveland fan base.

What will probably come as a surprise to many was the near-miss at losing a franchise by my third team, the New Orleans Saints. The years leading up to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 were solid years on the field, but the rift between owner Tom Benson and the city and state authorities was growing. They were not about to help him with stadium renovations, and he was struggling to get the needed sponsorship from the business community in the economically challenged region.

The reality is that the Saints had negotiated with the city of San Antonio and were close to a deal. In the aftermath of Katrina, the league essentially demanded that Tom take his team back to the embattled city and, subsequently, contribute millions to the rebuilding of the Dome. It was always amazing to me that the Superdome was totally refurbished before one shovel was lowered into the devastated Ninth ward. In my view, the city of New Orleans was spared the loss of its team because of the storm, a one-in-a-million irony.

We can certainly learn lessons from these events. It is important here to get out of our tunnel vision as citizens of St. Louis. We love our city, and we have civic pride. Understand, however, that an NFL team is simply a business and not a right. The difference between an NFL team and a normal business is the former’s high profile, and the fact that there are only 32 of them. An NFL team provides a “first city” image, and a quality stadium-convention center gives a city a driving force to attract “big events.” It has been said that the only thing that the American public loves more than the NFL is money.

What is a constant in the three examples and the Rams: that each owner has a commodity that people want and for which they are willing to pay. Also, except for the incredible turn of events in New Orleans, community leaders drew lines in the sand and gave the owner little choice but to leave. In Stan Kroenke’s case, he has one other advantage the others didn’t. With the shrewd negotiator, John Shaw, holding St. Louis hostage in 1995, demanding the now famous “top tier” clause, he provided Stan all the high cards. The city can dislike him, find him cold and disloyal, but it’s of no significance. If this thing is protracted and becomes a year-to-year agreement, we will only be buying time for a Los Angeles or London to get their act together – which will eventually happen.

This city danced with the devil in 1995, and now will pay the consequences. I actually am impressed with the Rams’ proposal; it creatively presents a realistic way to mold the present piece of junk that is the Edward Jones Dome into a top-tier facility. When it comes to funding, don’t expect much. I don’t think Stan and John perceive themselves as stadium builders. In the Indianapolis Colts’ model, owner Jim Irsay kicked in approximately 1/8th of the cost – which ain’t much. Indianapolis, a much smaller market, determined an NFL team was an invaluable asset, and by levying a 1 percent tax on about everything in the area, it kept the Colts and got a palace built. Never have I seen that city more vibrant than during Super Bowl week in February.

This won’t be about Kroenke in the end. It will be all about whether the people and politicos of this city deem the Rams a big enough asset to save and pay for.]]> Shaky The Original HERDFri, 18 May 2012 11:43:38 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248057,248057#msg-248057 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248057,248057#msg-248057 rampet Ramsrule.com Football ForumFri, 18 May 2012 12:36:12 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248038,248038#msg-248038 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248038,248038#msg-248038[www.rams-news.com]

Today’s Posts—May 17
Fisher beams about QB Bradford–Sports Xchange
Brockers, Softli, Sando, and Clayton–Audio Interviews
The most developed QB in the NFC West–Sando
Rams Conference Call With Season Ticket Holders, ‘We Will Improve’
Jim Thomas Tweets
Alexander Struggling Again– Softli
Balzer: Injuries Affect Participation in OTAs
Rams’ Fisher not pleased with missing rookies–PFW
Bryan Mattison trying to learn offense
Looking forward to Fisher’s relative candor–Sando]]> RamBill The Original HERDSat, 19 May 2012 06:16:28 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248037,248037#msg-248037 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248037,248037#msg-248037[www.rams-news.com]

Today’s Posts—May 17
Fisher beams about QB Bradford–Sports Xchange
Brockers, Softli, Sando, and Clayton–Audio Interviews
The most developed QB in the NFC West–Sando
Rams Conference Call With Season Ticket Holders, ‘We Will Improve’
Jim Thomas Tweets
Alexander Struggling Again– Softli
Balzer: Injuries Affect Participation in OTAs
Rams’ Fisher not pleased with missing rookies–PFW
Bryan Mattison trying to learn offense
Looking forward to Fisher’s relative candor–Sando]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumSat, 19 May 2012 06:15:03 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,248030,248030#msg-248030 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,248030,248030#msg-248030
Now, keep in mind, I spent my early years in Shelby, Ohio where I was born. It's just a small, farm town. . . but it was always a football town.

I was just putzing around the internet and learned this. . .

The first African-American football player played for the Shelby Blues from 1902 to 1906 -- Charles Follis. Now. What I, at least, find interesting is that also on that team was Branch Rickey. . . yep, the same Branch Rickey who signed Jackie Robinson. So the influence of that movement began in my little town.

I don't know how to do the picture thing, so here's a link of the team picture. Rickey, I believe is standing next to the manager with the hat on. Follis is on the second row. So what we have is Branch Rickey standing next to the "Branch Rickey" of football.

[www.profootballhof.com]

In all honesty, what started my search was to see if there was any connection between the Shelby Blues and the Cleveland Rams, so I could post they should go back to their real place of origin.:lol3

Apparently, this was discovered in 1975 and I was long gone and didn't have a clue.]]> RAMbeau The Cyber PubFri, 18 May 2012 14:37:08 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248013,248013#msg-248013 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248013,248013#msg-248013
They make a lot of good points...

[www.101espn.com]]]> Sledrock Ramsrule.com Football ForumFri, 18 May 2012 16:36:22 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248005,248005#msg-248005 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?5,248005,248005#msg-248005[www.rams-news.com]

Michael Brockers on the Fast Lane– May 14th
Tony Softli on the Fast Lane–May 14th After Rookie Mini Camp Weekend
Tony Sofli on the Fast Lane–May 15th
Bernie Talks to John Clayton–May 16th
Mike Sando Talks with Bernie– May 15th]]> RamBill Ramsrule.com Football ForumFri, 18 May 2012 01:48:35 +0000 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248004,248004#msg-248004 http://www.ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?11,248004,248004#msg-248004[www.rams-news.com]

Michael Brockers on the Fast Lane– May 14th
Tony Softli on the Fast Lane–May 14th After Rookie Mini Camp Weekend
Tony Sofli on the Fast Lane–May 15th
Bernie Talks to John Clayton–May 16th
Mike Sando Talks with Bernie– May 15th]]> RamBill The Original HERDFri, 18 May 2012 01:47:45 +0000