I agree with you that a trade might be the best move at this time. We are going to need all of the draft picks we can get for the next few years. As much as I hate to say it I think Holt and Little would be the guys to put on the block. Teams could definitely use them and I don’t see either of them having an impact with the Rams after a year or two down the road. I love Holt but we need to get younger at WR and he could get us some quality draft picks.

First off, if I’m the GM, Bulger stays. He just signed a big deal, and he’s worth more to this team’s success than a first-rounder or second-tier veteran next year. Drafting a competent backup in the third-fourth round range could become a priority.

Second, I would tailor the personnel on the offense towards enabling Steven Jackson to reach his potential. That means next year, drafting the best available offensive lineman in the draft. Period. Jackson’s a great back, and its logical to assume he wants to stay in STL at least a little with the new extension he just signed. But, he’s not getting any younger, and I can’t help but worry about how much longer we can exploit his potential.

On Holt, let’s face it. He’s not getting any younger either, and has expressed passing interest in finishing his career with Terrence on the Panthers. According to Rotoworld, he becomes a free agent after next season. Instead of letting him walk or cutting him and getting nothing for it (cough cough Isaac Bruce), let him finish this year out and then trade him. Let’s just say we grant him that wish, and trade him to the Panthers for G Travelle Wharton and a mid-late round pick (either give or receive depending). Wharton is young, and has been part of a line who thus far has enabled the Panthers to rush for 161 yds/game. Not to mention, Wharton was a Gamecock, so I do have a soft spot for him there. I think he and Jacob Bell would be a serviceable tandem at guard for 09.

By the by, Panthers T Jordan Gross is a free agent next year. While not young (or old) and somewhat injury prone, I have to believe he’s better than Alex Barron or Orlando Pace will be next year.

Sorry to be long-winded, but I believe that as the GM I would work on building talent and depth on the offensive line, under the assumption that would immediately make all the skill positions that much better (especially SJ). The Panthers are a great example of a team with a good offensive line making everyone better. I think SJ would be as good or better than D Williams behind that line. I think Bulger is a better QB than Delhomme too. But with a good line and a more than competent D, the Panthers are winning ballgames with arguable less skill position talent on offense than the Rams.

Don’t even get me started on our defense.

I’m making the trip to DC this weekend. I haven’t seen a Rams game in person since the ‘04 playoffs, so I’m pretty juiced despite the fact we’re probably going to be trounced. Anyone else going to be there?

I’m already on record (most recently here) saying that we should be exploring a trade for Holt — with his blessing, of course. Leonard Little is another good suggestion for a possible deal (to the Giants?) before next Tuesday. Additionally, trading Will Witherspoon back to Carolina might generate a decent value pick, and there’s no doubt he could step back into John Fox’s system and help shore up their pedestrian run defense. Finally, I wonder if Orlando Pace or Alex Barron might have value to a team like Jacksonville, whose O-line has been decimated. I don’t believe Barron will ever make it here, but another team may decide that a “change of scenery” is all he needs to get to the next level.

While it doesn’t make sense to trade Bulger mid-season … there’s no team in the hunt that he could just pick up the playbook and go with … it might be worth looking into in the offseason. Given his fragile wisp of a body and the number of hits he’s taken, he probably has two years more, three max, of starter-level play. So trading him depends heavily on the new choice for head coach and GM, and whether they deem this team ready to contend in that time span.

However, I think the best case scenario is that Bulger sticks — as does Al Saunders — and the two get in sync offensively. Bulger, Holt, and Steven Jackson were the primary weapons that Saunders designed his offense around, and to trade more than one out from under him cuts his legs off at the knees.