Antonio Pierce and the Rams

The New York Giants made a notable roster cut today that merits some talk for St. Louis Rams fans and armchair GMs. Giants MLB Antonio Pierce was released today; would Pierce make a good addition for the Rams?

First of all, he wouldn't be a starter for the Rams. Second round pick James Laurinaitis has the middle linebacker job nailed down, firmly, in St. Louis. Hell, everyone should have the kind of job security that Laurinaitis does, but most people aren't as good at their jobs as Animal Jr. Pierce would have to settle for a backup role, which is what he's most suited to since father time has slowed him down. He turns 32 in October, and was placed on IR last November with a bulging disc in his neck, no small injury. The guy wants to start (don't they all), but it'll be tough to find a team willing to commit to that given Pierce's age and injury history. 

There's the obvious connection to Spagnuolo, though Pierce wasn't a Spagnuolo guy, per se, having been signed by the Giants as a free agent in 2005, when Spags was still working for the Eagles. However, Pierce is the kind of cerebral, defensive quarterback that Spagnuolo likes in a MLB. His age and ability might make him an acceptable addition as a backup for Laurinaitis, should the unthinkable happen and Animal Jr. have to miss some time with injury. He's too slow and not good enough in coverage to be anything more than a backup. It wouldn't be smart to pay him anything like the $4 million plus the Giants would have been on the hook for in 2010. 

Of course, there's also that whole Plaxico Burress situation that might be enough to sour the Rams and plenty of other teams.