New Rams CB Manning, Jr. ready to make an impact

by Ryan Van Bibber on Sep 3, 2008 10:57 AM CDT in News

Don't overlook the Rams move to sign Ricky Manning, Jr. to bolster their defensive back depth.

Manning plays well in coverage and has shown a great eye for the ball in his five NFL seasons. He's just one season removed from 5 INTs, 113 yards and a TD. For the Rams and their tough schedule, take-away opportunities will be the key to running with big dogs like Dallas and stealing a game or two against those tough opponents.

Here's the Sporting News' take on him:

He's a veteran with starting experience who has proven to be durable. Manning is probably best suited for a team that doesn't play cover two and is best in man-to-man coverage.

Don't undersell the durability argument. The Rams are clearly concerned with Fakhir Brown's shoulder, and Manning is a guy that, while not a Champ Bailey type, plays at a starting level.

He's also motivated after falling out of favor with the Bears last season, when they demoted him to the third string. It's been obvious for some time that he wasn't going to be part of the Bears' plans this season. How much will that motivation help him? Who knows, but here's what Manning, Jr. said right before being released:

"Not being a part of their plans, that's fine with me. If that's the mistake they want to make, hey, so be it....I'm the best nickel on this team. Everybody knows that. But I'm not there. It remains a mystery why I'm not there."

He signed a one year deal worth $1.25 million with the Rams. This could be another feather, albeit a smaller one, in new personnel guru Billy Devaney's cap.

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Never been a fan of Manning's

but he does have something he can do and that is he has a ball hawk mentality. Plus, from the sounds of things, he seems to be motivated and that is a good thing. I think he’ll see the field plenty early on, so we should know soon enough what type of impact he’ll have.

In the world I see--you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying strips of venison on the empty carpool lane of some abandoned superhighway.

by Tackle Box on Sep 3, 2008 12:08 PM CDT reply actions