Free agent catchup: cornerback

Cornerback

Top 10 UFA CBs:

1 - Carlos Rogers (signed by 49ers)

2 – Brandon Carr (signed by Cowboys)

3 – Cortland Finnegan (signed by Rams)

4 - Aaron Ross (signed by Jagwires)

5 - William Gay: solid nickel back, was on his way out in Pittsburgh (signed by Big Dead 3/26)

6 - Richard Marshall (signed by Dolphins)
6a - Drew Coleman (cut by Jagwires 5/3)

7 - Tracy Porter: small but quick, could be effective in the slot. But is not physical, has had injury problems, poor tackler, only 2 INTs last two seasons (signed by Broncos 3/22)

8 - Dimitri Patterson (re-signed by Browns)

9 - Tim Jennings (re-signed by Bears)

10 – Ron Bartell (signed by Raiders)

Sleepers: Wow, did this market get picked clean in a hurry or what? I won't even bother to re-calibrate my top ten to account for signings, with most of it already gone. Reggie Smith is still hanging around as a sleeper signing, though. He's played safety for four years for the 49ers but was a corner in college, and still shows the speed, range, fluid movement and loose hips to play corner at the pro level. He has a few career starts and wouldn't be a total project. At worse, you've got a hybrid corner/safety. (Signed by Panthers 4/3, will play safety)

Wild card: I'll have to call Bradley Fletcher the wild card for the Rams' cornerback outlook. How his recovery progresses, and how much the new regime wants to trust him coming off his second blown ACL, stands to affect how much of an overhaul they want to make in the secondary, where they've already made a couple of major moves.

Tag you're it: Brent Grimes

(Also) out of the running: Al Harris (retired), Rashean Mathis (re-signed by Jagwires), Jason Allen (signed by Bengals), Ronde Barber (either re-signs with Bucs or retires, signed by Bucs 3/21), Jarrett Bush (re-signed by Packers), Michael Coe (re-signed by Giants), Marquice Cole (signed by Patriots), Cedric Griffin (signed by Redskins), Jacob Lacey (signed by Lions), Terrell Thomas (re-signed by Giants), Eric Wright (signed by Buccaneers)

Voting present: Reggie Smith (signed by Panthers 4/3), Rod Hood, Will Allen (signed by Patriots 3/21), Chris Carr (signed by Vikings 4/5), Terrence Newman (cut by Dallas 3/14, signed by Bengals 4/11), Donald Strickland, Chris Johnson, Bryant McFadden, Andre Goodman (cut by Broncos 4/14), Drayton Florence (cut by Bills 5/4, signed by Broncos 5/11), Lito Sheppard, William Middleton (re-signed by Jagwires 4/10) , Benny Sapp, Elbert Mack, Corey Graham (signed by Ravens 3/23), Antwuan Molden (signed by Giants 4/12), Kelly Jennings, Kelvin Hayden (signed by Bears 4/6), Leigh Torrence (signed by Redskins 4/11), Jonathan Wilhite (signed by Bears 4/6), Paul Oliver, Travis Daniels (re-signed by Chiefs 4/4) , Patrick Lee (signed by Raiders 3/20), Frank Walker, Justin Tryon (re-signed by Giants, 3/14), Byron Westbrook, Nathan Jones, Brandon McDonald, Kennard Cox, Zack Bowman (signed by Vikings 3/26), Reggie Corner (June signing, Jagwires), David Jones, Will Blackmon, Cletis Gordon

The doctor will see you now: Domonique Foxworth (chronic knee problems), Marcus Trufant (chronic back problems, re-signed by Seahawks 4/10)

Gawd no: Philip Buchanon's coming off a substance abuse suspension and a season-ending shoulder injury. I'm sure Adam "Pac-Man" Jones (re-signed by Bengals, 3/23) and Jeff Fisher would have wonderful chemistry together if re-united. And I still cringe at the overwhelmed Danny Gorrer attempting to cover anyone in a failed run here in St. Louis. But the ABSOLUTE WORST thing the Rams can do in 2012, besides move to Los Angeles three years early, is bring back Justin King. Lauded for his supposed speed, King was instead burned deep repeatedly all season long, infamously so by rookie Torrey Smith for THREE TDs in the Baltimore game. King was also faked out constantly by bubble screens, and had an amazing knack for allowing first-down catches right in front of him in zone coverage. In 2011, King landed the crown of worst defensive back in St. Louis Rams history. He didn't cover anyone all year. You may not be able to spell Justin King without stinking, but I wish him the best of luck landing a job with another team in 2012. Preferably Seattle, Arizona or San Francisco.

RamView’s moves: The Ram secondary was an injury train wreck in 2011, with I believe 11 cornerbacks going on injured reserve at one time or another. Most of them won't be back, including Ron Bartell, who was cut and quickly signed with the Raiders. I've rarely had more than 50% faith in Bartell, but probably would have tried to keep him at a lower price vs. making the big splash for Cortland Finnegan. I thought the Rams also got decent play out of Josh Gordy and Rod Hood in a pinch. Hood should be a cheap free agent to retain. There's Jerome Murphy hopefully bouncing back from an ankle injury that cost him all of 2011, and Bradley Fletcher hopefully returning from his SECOND blown ACL. I don't need to discuss King again. I would have announced I was cutting him even though he's a free agent. I might have added one veteran, like Reggie Smith, or drafted a corner in the first four rounds to guard against Fletcher's latest injury being the one that does him in. But the Rams could have gone to war with Bartell and Fletcher. Unless an actual grenade goes off in the Rams' secondary during training camp, they'll have far more stability back there this season than they did any time in 2011. I get why the Rams have made the moves they've made so far, but am not sure they needed to be as urgent, or expensive, as the route they're taking with Finnegan. The Ram secondary was pretty good on paper in '11 (even with Justin King) before it became a MASH unit.

Shoot the moon: Before free agency started, knowing I couldn't get this and other previews written in time, I fired off a scenario where the Rams sign Courtland Finnegan and draft Morris Claiborne. Well, we're halfway there.

Prediction: I don't see Claiborne slipping out of the top five, though, or the Rams selecting a corner with the #6 pick overall. Tracy Porter must have made a lot of plays against Les Snead's Falcons; I don't understand the interest in him otherwise. He's not a physical, Fisher-type DB; he and Finnegan would give the Rams bookend midget corners; do they really want that? I think it'll be Finnegan, Fletcher and a rookie unless a good veteran comes cheap. Meaning that if they do get Porter, he'd better be really cheap.

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