The Rams at the trade deadline: What to expect

Today, at 3:00 p.m. CST, is the NFL trade deadline. Unlike major league baseball, the deadline usually comes and goes with very little action. How does today's deadline, how could today's deadline impact the St. Louis Rams?

Basically, the Rams have two options if they do make a trade. GM Billy Devaney can try and secure some much needed help for his struggling team or he can try to move a player for draft picks when the spring rolls around.

Obviously, 0-6 teams in the first year of a rebuilding project are way beyond that mystical "one player away" status that sends GMs from contending teams to the phones. So the question becomes do they have any players that might appeal to those contending teams? Not really. The Rams cleaned house during the offseason, and most of their "one player away" type players are long gone. There are still a few possibilities, though it's a stretch. Who might be a candidate to move?

Marc Bulger - Forget it. No matter how bad they are, the Rams are going to need three quarterbacks to play out their schedule this season. Is there a team out there that needs a solid backup? I still don't see him in a Rams uniform in 2010.

Steven Jackson - If the Rams wanted to fetch some draft picks for their rebuilding, this would be the move to make. It seems unlikely, since you can imagine how bad the Rams would be without Jackson. Also, as the offensive line improves, SJ39 would be a big asset next season, and a needed one if the Rams snag a rookie QB in the draft.

Alex Barron - I'm of the opinion that the Rams would be just fine with Jason Smith at LT and Adam Goldberg at RT, for the rest of this season at least. Barron's a restricted free agent after this season. If the Rams are leaning toward parting ways with Barron, then trying to trade him might possibly bring a better return than just letting him go.

O.J. Atogwe - Another player who would fetch a nice return. The Rams need to get a long-term deal with Atogwe, who'll be a RFA next year thanks to the wacky CBA situation, or risk an extended holdout. Two choices here: make him a deal that reflects his role as a centerpiece in the defense or move him for some return. The smart thing to do is to pay the guy.

Leonard Little - Little's a FA after this season, and at his age isn't likely to bring a first round pick. However, as this week's game reminded us, he still has lots of fire left...just nothing to burn with the Rams. Plenty of teams need a pass rusher, the Bengals and the Patriots come to mind, and Little is the Rams most obvious trading chip. Of course, that make the defensive line really, really thin for the rest of the season. However, if Devaney could get a second or third round pick that could then be used to trade up for another pick late in the first or early in the second, that would have a huge impact for rebuilding team.