Not that much going on today, I'll just pass on a few links and short notes...
Rams play the Chiefs tonight, kickoff at 6 p.m. I'm shooting to have RamView out no later than noon Friday. Trent Green will start at QB; expect very few regulars on the field, if any. Curse Scott Linehan for not taking the Governor's Cup seriously!!!?!?!!
Bunch o' links:
- Dante Hall doesn't take the Governor's Cup seriously, either. And this will be his ninth one!!! Bill Coats
- The Rams are comfortable with Adam Goldberg at LT if Orlando Pace can't play. Coats article
- Post-Dispatch writers make their NFL predictions for 2008. No one picked New England to even go to the Super Bowl?
- stlouisrams.com previews the Governor's Cup game. More previews: Nick Wagoner Steve Korte
- Howard Balzer goes back over the cap implications of cutting Drew Bennett. Still sounds good to me.
- John Clayton: Kurt Warner proves he has a future.
- Around the league: Shawn Merriman's skipping surgery.
- Big injury news: Jeff Saturday out six weeks for the Colts.
More here if anything actually happens.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Update: Rams report, 8/27
* Update: Trent Green will start at QB tomorrow night. Marc Bulger will not play. It is highly doubtful that Steven Jackson will play, though it apparently hasn't been completely ruled out. The Rams would have to cut a player to have Jackson available for the game.
* Oh dear. From Bill Coats this morning:
"Will Witherspoon's groin injury is worse than first thought and is causing some concern in the Rams' camp." Witherspoon is out for tomorrow night's game in KC, which is no big deal, but the Rams are sunk if he can't play in the season opener.
SUNK.
* Cuts. Cut yesterday to get the team to the 75-man roster limit:
- RB Lavarus Giles, who I doubt was here long enough to learn any plays;
- PK Justin Medlock;
- WR Shaine Smith.
The Rams also placed Justin King on injured reserve. They will have to cut 23 players, not 22, to get to the 53-man roster limit on August 30, because they've got a roster exemption for Steven Jackson.
* Keep dreaming. Those of us hoping the Rams would use a surprise cut and dump Drew Bennett, whose picture is next to the dictionary entry for "underachieving", can stop holding our breath. Scott Linehan says Drew's "..holding himself accountable to a very high standard, and he will play good football for us."
In other words: Signing the guy was my idea and we're not cutting him not matter how much he sucks, which even I realize is a lot.
* Oh dear. From Bill Coats this morning:
"Will Witherspoon's groin injury is worse than first thought and is causing some concern in the Rams' camp." Witherspoon is out for tomorrow night's game in KC, which is no big deal, but the Rams are sunk if he can't play in the season opener.
SUNK.
* Cuts. Cut yesterday to get the team to the 75-man roster limit:
- RB Lavarus Giles, who I doubt was here long enough to learn any plays;
- PK Justin Medlock;
- WR Shaine Smith.
The Rams also placed Justin King on injured reserve. They will have to cut 23 players, not 22, to get to the 53-man roster limit on August 30, because they've got a roster exemption for Steven Jackson.
* Keep dreaming. Those of us hoping the Rams would use a surprise cut and dump Drew Bennett, whose picture is next to the dictionary entry for "underachieving", can stop holding our breath. Scott Linehan says Drew's "..holding himself accountable to a very high standard, and he will play good football for us."
In other words: Signing the guy was my idea and we're not cutting him not matter how much he sucks, which even I realize is a lot.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Rams report, 8/26
* Perhaps the best news of camp so far is that OJ Atogwe is finally back on the practice field. Nick Wagoner blog He'll only get two practices in before the Chiefs game Saturday, so he's unlikely to appear there. That's OK; September 7 is the important deadline now.
More good news: Orlando Pace is practicing again.
I wouldn't expect to see Steven Jackson on the field at Kansas City. The Rams got an exemption so he doesn't count against the roster unless he plays. So to see him on Thursday, they'll have to cut someone else. (I have a great idea below).
Fakhir Brown's expected back next week. Also out: Dante Hall (ankle), Drew Bennett (useless waste of money).
And - (GULP) - Will Witherspoon (groin). When did this happen? The Rams are f*cked without Witherspoon.
* Speaking of Bennett - cut him! Howard Balzer makes the case today that the Rams should cut their losses and cut Drew Bennett, who's rivalling the Road Grader for worst free-agent pickup of the St. Louis era. I'd never thought it an option just because of the man's huge contract, but Balzer points out cutting him now would only cost an extra half-million against the cap next year.
Knowing those numbers, the Rams should consider cutting Bennett today to help them get down to 75 players. Bennett has been completely useless. He has poor hands. He won't fight for catches. He doesn't use his height to win contested passes. He doesn't stretch the field, and he has not been the red zone weapon the Rams thought they were getting when they signed him. He is CONSTANTLY injured, including right now with a groin pull suffered Saturday night. And did you notice what happened once Bennett was off the field against Baltimore? The Rams' passing offense started clicking!
If you're not looking at his salary, just judging off his demonstrated "talent", -Bennett- would be the one fighting for WR6 with Derek Stanley and the others, not Dane Looker. Looker and Dante Hall aren't tall multi-millionaires, but they're better receivers than Bennett. Rookies Keenan Burton and Donnie Avery stepped up Saturday night and gave the Ram offense a jolt Bennett has never offered. Stanley's not tall, and didn't cost a lot to sign, either. But he can at least return punts.
Cut Drew Bennett.
* LeCharles Bentley in town. The former Saints, then Browns center, who never actually got to play for Cleveland due to injuries, reportedly visited Rams Park yesterday. Jim Thomas article This is an odd-looking move by the Rams, where center hasn't looked like a need area, thanks to the preseason play of Nick Leckey and the past play of Brett Romberg, who'd be the starter if not for a broken hand. And Richie Incognito can play there in an emergency. If the Rams feel there's an immediate need to upgrade at center, how is someone who's been out injured two seasons and hasn't taken a snap in the Rams' system going to help? Bentley was one of the league's top centers before injuries hit, but it's hard to see him as a quick upgrade at center for the Rams.
More good news: Orlando Pace is practicing again.
I wouldn't expect to see Steven Jackson on the field at Kansas City. The Rams got an exemption so he doesn't count against the roster unless he plays. So to see him on Thursday, they'll have to cut someone else. (I have a great idea below).
Fakhir Brown's expected back next week. Also out: Dante Hall (ankle), Drew Bennett (useless waste of money).
And - (GULP) - Will Witherspoon (groin). When did this happen? The Rams are f*cked without Witherspoon.
* Speaking of Bennett - cut him! Howard Balzer makes the case today that the Rams should cut their losses and cut Drew Bennett, who's rivalling the Road Grader for worst free-agent pickup of the St. Louis era. I'd never thought it an option just because of the man's huge contract, but Balzer points out cutting him now would only cost an extra half-million against the cap next year.
Knowing those numbers, the Rams should consider cutting Bennett today to help them get down to 75 players. Bennett has been completely useless. He has poor hands. He won't fight for catches. He doesn't use his height to win contested passes. He doesn't stretch the field, and he has not been the red zone weapon the Rams thought they were getting when they signed him. He is CONSTANTLY injured, including right now with a groin pull suffered Saturday night. And did you notice what happened once Bennett was off the field against Baltimore? The Rams' passing offense started clicking!
If you're not looking at his salary, just judging off his demonstrated "talent", -Bennett- would be the one fighting for WR6 with Derek Stanley and the others, not Dane Looker. Looker and Dante Hall aren't tall multi-millionaires, but they're better receivers than Bennett. Rookies Keenan Burton and Donnie Avery stepped up Saturday night and gave the Ram offense a jolt Bennett has never offered. Stanley's not tall, and didn't cost a lot to sign, either. But he can at least return punts.
Cut Drew Bennett.
* LeCharles Bentley in town. The former Saints, then Browns center, who never actually got to play for Cleveland due to injuries, reportedly visited Rams Park yesterday. Jim Thomas article This is an odd-looking move by the Rams, where center hasn't looked like a need area, thanks to the preseason play of Nick Leckey and the past play of Brett Romberg, who'd be the starter if not for a broken hand. And Richie Incognito can play there in an emergency. If the Rams feel there's an immediate need to upgrade at center, how is someone who's been out injured two seasons and hasn't taken a snap in the Rams' system going to help? Bentley was one of the league's top centers before injuries hit, but it's hard to see him as a quick upgrade at center for the Rams.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Rams report. 8/25
Good effort by the Rams in their 24-10 win over Baltimore Saturday night. RamView
After that disaster of a game in Tennessee, they've bounced back to where I'd say they're playing better now than they were at this time last preseason. If that means much considering the slaughterhouse of an early-season schedule they have, I don't know, but at least Scott Linehan worked the starters more than last preseason, and the results are apparent.
The Rams look as ready as they're going to be.
* Injury report. Just about all of Rams Nation sees Drew Bennett's groin injury Saturday night as a blessing in disguise. It got the young receivers on the field, and Keenan Burton and Donnie Avery shone, looking well-acquainted with Marc Bulger and the Ram offense.
The injury also gets Bennett off the field, which is another good thing in itself.
- Dante Hall sprained an ankle on a punt return, but we don't yet have an idea of the severity of the injury. Or maybe we do; Linehan said it was not as bad as his injury last year, and we all know the coach is a big fat liar about injuries.
- Mark Setterstrom made it through waivers and is on the Rams' injured reserve list.
* Stuff I missed in RamView.
- Donnie Jones' average was low because the Ravens blocked a punt in the first and it traveled forward 11 yards. I completely forgot about that blocked punt in the special teams rundown.
Oh great, another reason to worry about special teams.
Justin Medlock also sent a kickoff out of bounds, but I left that out because he barely missed sending it into the endzone, or even killing it inside the 5; and if Yamon Figurs had returned it, he would have gotten to the 40 anyway.
* Around the league. Kurt Warner has been named the Big Dead's starting QB after Matt Leinart's disastrous 3-interception performance against the Raiders.
Unfortunately, Leinart at QB gives the Rams their only chance of beating the Big Dead these days, so I'm expecting another fucking Arizona season sweep and getting ripped at home fucking AGAIN.
After that disaster of a game in Tennessee, they've bounced back to where I'd say they're playing better now than they were at this time last preseason. If that means much considering the slaughterhouse of an early-season schedule they have, I don't know, but at least Scott Linehan worked the starters more than last preseason, and the results are apparent.
The Rams look as ready as they're going to be.
* Injury report. Just about all of Rams Nation sees Drew Bennett's groin injury Saturday night as a blessing in disguise. It got the young receivers on the field, and Keenan Burton and Donnie Avery shone, looking well-acquainted with Marc Bulger and the Ram offense.
The injury also gets Bennett off the field, which is another good thing in itself.
- Dante Hall sprained an ankle on a punt return, but we don't yet have an idea of the severity of the injury. Or maybe we do; Linehan said it was not as bad as his injury last year, and we all know the coach is a big fat liar about injuries.
- Mark Setterstrom made it through waivers and is on the Rams' injured reserve list.
* Stuff I missed in RamView.
- Donnie Jones' average was low because the Ravens blocked a punt in the first and it traveled forward 11 yards. I completely forgot about that blocked punt in the special teams rundown.
Oh great, another reason to worry about special teams.
Justin Medlock also sent a kickoff out of bounds, but I left that out because he barely missed sending it into the endzone, or even killing it inside the 5; and if Yamon Figurs had returned it, he would have gotten to the 40 anyway.
* Around the league. Kurt Warner has been named the Big Dead's starting QB after Matt Leinart's disastrous 3-interception performance against the Raiders.
Unfortunately, Leinart at QB gives the Rams their only chance of beating the Big Dead these days, so I'm expecting another fucking Arizona season sweep and getting ripped at home fucking AGAIN.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Rams report, 8/22
* Pace's shoulder RE-injured. (stltoday/Bill Coats) Orlando Pace has been sitting out because he landed on it hard trying to make a tackle after one of Marc Bulger's interceptions last Saturday. The shoulder swelled up and restricted the range of motion of his arm.
Pace's status for tomorrow night's game against Baltimore is uncertain. I'd prefer he not play, myself.
Also, since Scott Linehan told the press all week that Pace just had lingering soreness from the Charger game, is there any reason to EVER believe him about a player's injury status again?
* Setterstrom waived. (stlouisrams/Nick Wagoner) Yes, waived, as in waived/injured, to make room for Steven Jackson on the 80-man roster. He has to be put on waivers because he hasn't been in the league long enough. Assuming no other team claims him, he will go on the Rams' IR. This seems like a stupid risk on the Rams' part, if they really want to keep Setterstrom in the first place. They could have held onto him a few more days and moved him to the IR during the roster cutdown phase, like they'll have to do with Justin King. With 11 wide receivers on the roster right now, it certainly seems as though one of them could have been cut to keep Setterstrom on the 80-man until cutdown day on Tuesday. How many snaps do they really think, say, Shaine Smith, is in line for Saturday night? Or Matt Caddell? Or Brandon Williams? I don't think he's even eligible for the practice squad.
And an apparent clarification on Brandon Gorin: he is already listed on the Rams' website on injured reserve. He's got the seniority (7 years) to not have to clear waivers first.
* Jackson contract. (stltoday/Jim Thomas) I've already seen different descriptions of the terms of Steven Jackson's contract, so I went to Jim Thomas' article for confirmation. It is a six year deal worth up to $44 million (original report was 50). The final two years may void out based on performance, which would turn it into a 4-year, $30 million deal. $20 million is guaranteed and Jackson received an $11 million signing bonus. (Minus a $405,000 fine, I trust.)
Linehan lost more points yesterday when he told the press, when asked about Jackson's contract negotiations, "It never once felt like it wasn't going to get done and get done in time and it's all behind us now."
DONE IN TIME? So Linehan didn't notice Jackson missed 27 days of camp, two preseason games, and EVERY TRAINING CAMP practice?
DONE IN TIME?
Jeez.
* Gene Upshaw 1945-2008. The Hall-of-Famer and players' union representative passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer yesterday. NFLPA has named Richard Berthelsen as an interim successor, but, as Georgia Frontiere's passing seems to be marking a turning point for the Rams' future, Upshaw's passing may well be a turning point in the future of the relationship between players and owners. With Upshaw gone, the players' union is far more likely to dig in its heels when the owners try to make back some of the concessions they made in the last contract. That increases the possibility of hitting the 2010 season with no salary cap. And it'll all blow up from there.
One hopes the players will remember that Gene Upshaw helped make them very, very rich. One hopes the owners will remember that Gene Upshaw helped them stay very, very, rich. One hopes football players and owners are smart enough not to repeat the near-fatal mistakes of MLB and the NHL. One hopes negotiations will always be held with Upshaw's legacy in mind and that there will be long-time player/owner harmony in the NFL.
One hopes.
One assumes I'll be looking for new stuff to keep me busy in the fall of 2011. Madden Football, anyone?
Pace's status for tomorrow night's game against Baltimore is uncertain. I'd prefer he not play, myself.
Also, since Scott Linehan told the press all week that Pace just had lingering soreness from the Charger game, is there any reason to EVER believe him about a player's injury status again?
* Setterstrom waived. (stlouisrams/Nick Wagoner) Yes, waived, as in waived/injured, to make room for Steven Jackson on the 80-man roster. He has to be put on waivers because he hasn't been in the league long enough. Assuming no other team claims him, he will go on the Rams' IR. This seems like a stupid risk on the Rams' part, if they really want to keep Setterstrom in the first place. They could have held onto him a few more days and moved him to the IR during the roster cutdown phase, like they'll have to do with Justin King. With 11 wide receivers on the roster right now, it certainly seems as though one of them could have been cut to keep Setterstrom on the 80-man until cutdown day on Tuesday. How many snaps do they really think, say, Shaine Smith, is in line for Saturday night? Or Matt Caddell? Or Brandon Williams? I don't think he's even eligible for the practice squad.
And an apparent clarification on Brandon Gorin: he is already listed on the Rams' website on injured reserve. He's got the seniority (7 years) to not have to clear waivers first.
* Jackson contract. (stltoday/Jim Thomas) I've already seen different descriptions of the terms of Steven Jackson's contract, so I went to Jim Thomas' article for confirmation. It is a six year deal worth up to $44 million (original report was 50). The final two years may void out based on performance, which would turn it into a 4-year, $30 million deal. $20 million is guaranteed and Jackson received an $11 million signing bonus. (Minus a $405,000 fine, I trust.)
Linehan lost more points yesterday when he told the press, when asked about Jackson's contract negotiations, "It never once felt like it wasn't going to get done and get done in time and it's all behind us now."
DONE IN TIME? So Linehan didn't notice Jackson missed 27 days of camp, two preseason games, and EVERY TRAINING CAMP practice?
DONE IN TIME?
Jeez.
* Gene Upshaw 1945-2008. The Hall-of-Famer and players' union representative passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer yesterday. NFLPA has named Richard Berthelsen as an interim successor, but, as Georgia Frontiere's passing seems to be marking a turning point for the Rams' future, Upshaw's passing may well be a turning point in the future of the relationship between players and owners. With Upshaw gone, the players' union is far more likely to dig in its heels when the owners try to make back some of the concessions they made in the last contract. That increases the possibility of hitting the 2010 season with no salary cap. And it'll all blow up from there.
One hopes the players will remember that Gene Upshaw helped make them very, very rich. One hopes the owners will remember that Gene Upshaw helped them stay very, very, rich. One hopes football players and owners are smart enough not to repeat the near-fatal mistakes of MLB and the NHL. One hopes negotiations will always be held with Upshaw's legacy in mind and that there will be long-time player/owner harmony in the NFL.
One hopes.
One assumes I'll be looking for new stuff to keep me busy in the fall of 2011. Madden Football, anyone?
Thursday, August 21, 2008
UPDATE: Rams report, 8/21
UPDATE: STEVEN JACKSON SIGNS 6-YEAR DEAL...
(stltoday.com)
* Jackson's back. Well, Steven Jackson has finally chosen to grace us with his presence at Rams camp. He will arrive in town today for a physical and is expected to practice, though his appearance in either of the remaining preseason games is doubtful.
Great. I'm expecting multiple fumbles like the season opener against Carolina, then.
Jackson may even have a new contract shortly, in the 7-year, $50 million, $17 million guaranteed range, pretty much what he was offered BEFORE HE STARTED HIS HOLDOUT.
My analysis of the contract is that it's good for everyone concerned. I still think the Rams are getting Jackson on the cheap for just over $7 mil a year. Jackson will get his money up front, while the Rams don't figure to be on the hook for a lot of money toward the end of the contract. (I say that because all reports make it sound really front-loaded.) The Rams have done Jackson a solid with a long-term, megabucks contract; now he owes them play that lives up to the potential he showed in 2006.
How will Jackson be received by Rams fans? Well, we won't get a chance to greet him in the preseason, so my recommendation to him is to have a bulletproof game in Philadelphia Week 1 and give the Giants plenty to think about in Week 2. Fans have very short memories in the face of a couple hundred yards and 2-3 TDs.
* Injury report.
- Orlando Pace sat out for the third consecutive day. Gulp. He is questionable for Saturday night's game. Gulp.
Supposedly he would play if this were the regular season. We'll see. I am still very leery about this whole situation.
- OJ Atogwe is still out. Gulp.
- Donnie Avery, though, will play Saturday night.
* Upcoming roster moves. Mark Setterstrom and Justin King will go to IR officially on Tuesday when the first, and fairly pointless, roster cutdown is made. It seems like Brandon Gorin should go IR as well. And of course, the Rams will add Jackson back to the roster. So the way I see it, there'll be just 3 guys who have to be cut to get the roster down to 75.
* The Ravens game will be aired live on local TV. The Rams used a couple of accounting tricks to get the game to be considered a sellout. Since I want to records as many home games as possible, I encourage all the creative accounting the front office can muster throughout the regular season. Bill Coats article
(stltoday.com)
* Jackson's back. Well, Steven Jackson has finally chosen to grace us with his presence at Rams camp. He will arrive in town today for a physical and is expected to practice, though his appearance in either of the remaining preseason games is doubtful.
Great. I'm expecting multiple fumbles like the season opener against Carolina, then.
Jackson may even have a new contract shortly, in the 7-year, $50 million, $17 million guaranteed range, pretty much what he was offered BEFORE HE STARTED HIS HOLDOUT.
My analysis of the contract is that it's good for everyone concerned. I still think the Rams are getting Jackson on the cheap for just over $7 mil a year. Jackson will get his money up front, while the Rams don't figure to be on the hook for a lot of money toward the end of the contract. (I say that because all reports make it sound really front-loaded.) The Rams have done Jackson a solid with a long-term, megabucks contract; now he owes them play that lives up to the potential he showed in 2006.
How will Jackson be received by Rams fans? Well, we won't get a chance to greet him in the preseason, so my recommendation to him is to have a bulletproof game in Philadelphia Week 1 and give the Giants plenty to think about in Week 2. Fans have very short memories in the face of a couple hundred yards and 2-3 TDs.
* Injury report.
- Orlando Pace sat out for the third consecutive day. Gulp. He is questionable for Saturday night's game. Gulp.
Supposedly he would play if this were the regular season. We'll see. I am still very leery about this whole situation.
- OJ Atogwe is still out. Gulp.
- Donnie Avery, though, will play Saturday night.
* Upcoming roster moves. Mark Setterstrom and Justin King will go to IR officially on Tuesday when the first, and fairly pointless, roster cutdown is made. It seems like Brandon Gorin should go IR as well. And of course, the Rams will add Jackson back to the roster. So the way I see it, there'll be just 3 guys who have to be cut to get the roster down to 75.
* The Ravens game will be aired live on local TV. The Rams used a couple of accounting tricks to get the game to be considered a sellout. Since I want to records as many home games as possible, I encourage all the creative accounting the front office can muster throughout the regular season. Bill Coats article
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
JACKSON ENDING HOLDOUT
Bernie Miklasz is reporting that Steven Jackson will end his holdout and practice with the team tomorrow. A long-term deal is expected to be done soon; the two sides are very close.
Yeah, I think they've been close since the beginning of training camp. I guess Steven's fine finally had to pass what the President makes in a year to get him back in the fold.
Welcome back. You idiot.
Yeah, I think they've been close since the beginning of training camp. I guess Steven's fine finally had to pass what the President makes in a year to get him back in the fold.
Welcome back. You idiot.
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