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Highlights from Billy Devaney's chat

St. Louis Rams GM Billy Devaney sat down at keyboard somewhere inside Rams Park - hopefully he wiped it down with disinfectant first - to chat with fans via the interwebs today. What insights did the GM have to offer?

There's not a lot to say. Draftniks will be disappointed because he was unable to get into any detail on the team's draft plans. Free agent talk is verboten this time of year too, but he did remind us that there are two very different free agent markets shaping up right now, a bountiful one with a cap and a handful of old guys without a cap. Let's start with players already on the roster.

On Carriker:

Adam is currently in intense rehab. A healthy Adam Carriker would play a big part in our plans next season (we sure could use him now).

It's all about staying healthy for Carriker. Spagnuolo was expected to mold the Rams first round pick from 2007, but never got that chance since the DT went to IR so early. Of course, Carriker started out training camp in the doghouse, forced to compete for his starting spot in the early weeks.

Will they resign Oshiomogho Atogwe?

He is a hell of a person and football player that means a lot to this organization. We certainly hope OJ is here for a long time.

This is going to be an interesting situation to watch, and we might have an answer of what direction the team will go early on since they'll immediately start evaluating the roster after the season. To wit:

We need to identify our needs. We'll do this right after the season with the coaches and scouts. I can tell you now while we have obcvious needs, the list is not nearly as long as this time last year. We need to do a good job adressing these needs in the offseason.

He couldn't say much about the draft or the team's draft board, for obvious reasons, but Devaney did offer up one little tidbit that I found interesting...

I will say this: I feel much more comfortable about the environment we have in this building now than I did two years ago. There will be people we keep on the draft board this year that we would have had off of it two years ago. That's all I can say.

The question was about passing up on players with off-field issues. And while I doubt the "four pillars" are being retired, I suspect that since  they've turned over so much of the roster and will continue to whittle it down to players buying into the system, there's an assumption that they can do a better job of bringing players along who might not have made the cut last season because of those off-field issues.

Those are the highlights. Go read the rest of what Devaney had to say.

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A lot not being said here...

Nice way to tote the company line Devaney, but theres no way the Rams have Carriker in their future. He’s been incredibly unreliable since he was drafted and Spags still doesn’t see very much in him to take a gamble on him next season. We’ll probably replace one Cornhusker (Carriker) with another (Suh) when its all said and done. Lets hope the results aren’t the same.

by Da Rams! on Dec 18, 2009 4:30 PM CST reply actions  

Did anyone

ask Devaney if he ever makes his way to the Turf Show Times to get a better feel for the Rams faithful?

by CaliRamMan on Dec 18, 2009 6:22 PM CST reply actions  

I wonder if Carriker would fare any better

if he was switched back to DE like he was in college. Carriker is listed at 296, but I’m sure he’s lost some weight recovering from all the injuries. Jared Allen is listed at 270, which isn’t that much of a weight difference. If Little retires or goes somewhere else, we’re gonna have a big void at DE to fill. If it worked out it’d kill two birds with one stone.

Something to consider, I think.

by hisTALLness on Dec 18, 2009 7:46 PM CST reply actions  

You raise a very good point.

I think moving Carriker to DE is his ONLY chance to succeed. He was an absolute bust at DT. However, I’m afraid his skills were never as great as we’d hoped and that his injuries have done him in early. But, if he can comeback at DE opposite the so far lackluster Chris Long and with Suh and Ryan at DT, we may have something…

by edpjr on Dec 18, 2009 8:11 PM CST up reply actions  

agreed

I think carriker needs to at least show what he’s got at the DE position.

Carriker-Suh-Scott/Ryan-Long is a solid D-line and one that spags can work with.

by Pen15 club on Dec 18, 2009 9:21 PM CST up reply actions  

I hope the season doesn't go uncapped.

If it does, we lose any real shot of getting any good FA WRs or any other position. And thats what the Rams need… (along with a good draft of course)

This station is now the ultimate power in the universe!

by AbsolutMoose on Dec 19, 2009 1:51 AM CST reply actions  

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