Punter follies

(4/17/07)
Mel Kiper's latest mock draft has the Rams drafting a punter in the 4th round... GACK! NEVER DRAFT A KICKER!

Meanwhile, the Rams plan to get off the punter-a-year plan by signing Dolphins RFA Donnie Jones to a 5-year contract. Stability at punter is something the Rams have not had since coming to St. Louis. But I'm not sold that Jones is worthy of the deal he's been offered. He ranked only 22nd in the NFL last year, losing nearly a yard off his '05 average, and a whopping 3.6 yards off his '05 net. For his part, Matt Turk had a better average by 0.7 yards, a better net by *3.1*, half as many touchbacks and as many kicks inside the 20 despite 13 fewer attempts. Turk arguably had the best season of any Ram punter in St. Louis to date. So the Rams are going to put together a big package to get worse?

The key factor working against Turk is that he wants a multi-year deal and he's close to 40 years old. Jones is in his mid-20s; then again, so is Bengals punter Kyle Larson, a better punter, also an RFA, who wouldn't have cost the Rams a 7th-round pick as compensation like Jones will. But he was re-signed by Cincy three weeks ago.

Maybe the Rams should have acted then. Their only options left now are Jones, Turk, or aagh, draft pick. Hopefully Jones will settle into a groove once he gets here, because it certainly looks like he's the "upgrade".