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We have talked quite in depth about quarterbacks today, so let us go the opposite direction for this one. Packers fans have talked in depth about this issue. He would be a good addition to the Rams, but that is just on our side of the fence. What do the Packers think about him?

Brandon at Acme Packing Company hit on this issue today (most of the links are from this post). The Packers could certainly use a pass rusher, but is he worth signing to a long term contract? Will he sign a long term contract with them? They almost certainly will not use the franchise tag, as that would cost them around 10 million dollars (a large sum regardless of the salary cap situation). Chris and Dave (Packers therapy) tweeted a while back:

Aaron Kampman "furious" about how Packers used him last season

It's not hard to understand why; he hesitantly switched positions (he was a linebacker waaay back in the day, but it's been a while), had a so-so year statisically and was injured. Frustrating to say the least.

Also, Kampman isn't stupid (not that any players really are). He know's he can probably snag a big paycheck by hitting the open market- one the Packers may not be willing to give him. As Brandon pointed out, it's going to come down to the franchise tag. Is he worth 10 million dollars? No. Is he worth a large contract to the Rams? Yes.

The Rams (as we all know) have been plagued by bad lines. Not only has it been bad draft picks, but we've seen multiple players walk away only to have productive careers with other teams. If the Rams do indeed draft a QB with the first pick, then they are going to need to find high-quality defensive lineman somewhere else. Praying that someone in the 2nd (or later) rounds will make an immediate impact simply won't work. It's too big of a hole to leave up to a gamble. With the rotational system Spagnuolo likes to employ, it would make sense to bring in another younger (OK, OK, he's younger then James Hall or Leonard Little) player and let Hall or Little (whichever, or both, depends on who they retain) come in on select plays to keep their snaps down.

All in all, it makes sense. The Packers don't want to drop 10,000,000 dollars on a guy who had a difficult, injury laden transition. He doesn't like the way he's being used. The Rams need help and they can certainly use him. This isn't a Michael Vick-stopgap type of upgrade, he is someone, who if healthy, could make a difference for quite a while with the Rams.

Getting him is the smart move.

Photo via Ramsgab.com I must find more players!

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It's all fun and games until your team is consistently the worst in the NFL. This is something we all know very well.Billy Devaney and the front office received a lot of praise last year for finding diamonds in the rough (in the form of both players on other teams, and in the draft). Players like Laurent Robinson, Danny Amendola, Bradley Fletcher and Brandon Gibson all made contributions to the team and they are part of a young, promising nucleus of players that should set the team of for success. There is no reason to think that the Rams will not employ a similar strategy this year. Here are four players that might be worth taking a look:

1) Trent Edwards, QB, Buffalo

He did struggle earlier this year and was eventually replaced by ex-Ram Ryan Fitzpatrick, but I wouldn't necessarily say it is all his fault because he played for the Bills (this is an argument we should be used to by now, being Rams fans). Even in the midst of this so-so season, he completed 60.1% of his passes and threw 6 touchdowns vs. 7 interceptions. Nothing to brag about, but it could have been a lot worse. He had a good year in 2008 where he flashed plenty of potential. He could definitely use a change of scenery after falling from grace and could somewhat cheaply if the Rams made a play for him. He could certainly be a Drew Brees type of acquisition, someone who joins the team nucleus and helps the team play better in the long run. Not only that, but the Rams have plenty of young quarterbacks who they could trade in additions to picks for the QB starved Bills.

Could it happen? Certainly.

2) Devin Aromashodu, WR, Bears

Here is a player that has bounced from team to team for the last few years. When Devin Hester went down, he had a nice 4 game stretch where he played pretty well. You never know what is going to happen when Mike Martz comes to town, but the Bears look like a team that has quite a few promising wide receivers (Knox, Hester and Devin Aromashudo), so they might be able to try and pry one away.

Could it happen? Possibly.

3) Richard Seymour, DT, Raiders

He was blindsided by the trade to the Raiders at the start of the year and still seems to hate the Patriots. His family still lives on the east coast and he'd most likely love to move to a team that is closer to them then Oakland. It might be tough to convince someone who wants to win to join a 1-15 team, but a sit down with Coach Spagnuolo would probably help quite a bit to ease his mind. In addition to that, I doubt anyone would want to stay in Oakland longer then they can.

Could it happen? Possibly.

4) Quentin Groves, DE, Jaguars

Two years ago there was some hope that the Rams would draft this guy. They didn't and it seems to have been the better move. Some people don't even know if Groves can make the team next year because he just isn't big enough to be a consistent pass rushing threat at DE, but with a defensive line specialist as your head coach and a linebackers coach as your defensive coordinator, It seems logical that the Rams could find somewhere to put him. It might be tough for the Jags to jettison such a young player, but given the fact that he hasn't produced anywhere near what they wanted (or needed) him to, it's a possibility the Rams could make a play for him.

Could it happen? Certainly.

With the announcement by the Commish' all but nailing the hole in the coffin of the salary cap, this offseason could be an interesting ride for the Rams. The thought of grabbing high-upside young players will most likely go out the window, as any team besides the Raiders will probably tender their young RFA's at a respectable level and even if they do want to dump them, they will most certainly be looking for something in return.

This leads to the unfortunate conclusion that to get some young new players, the Rams will have to give something up. That "something" is most likely draft picks because there aren't too many players on the Rams that others teams would trade a great deal for. It's quite unlikely that the Rams will dump Steven Jackson, but as it's been brought up before, the Rams do have one RFA that should draw plenty of interest: O.J. Atogwe.

The team so far has been quietly (working? Chillar-ing?)  on a long term contract for him. I personally don't think it's a coincidence that he was franchised the year a new defensive minded coaching staff was brought in to control the team. I also don't think it's a coincidence the team hasn't plowed through contract negotiations given the state of the RFA situation regarding him. The Rams are most likely moving ahead as a business. That means evaluating how much he is worth, how much he wants, and how much the team can get for him in exchange.

If they are waiting it out to see what happens on CBA front and decide to place O.J. on the RFA trading block, they would probably want to snag a first round pick for him (they'd likely tender him at that level). If he was shipped off for picks, would the Rams go for a FS (most likely through the draft, as it doesn't make sense for them to trade their FS and then ship off more picks for another) or would they use what they already have? If the Rams were to *upgrade* at that position, the only available option in the draft is S Eric Berry from Tennessee (who I might add is probably the only other player worthy of being the first pick). But that would mean that barring the Lions paying for O.J., Ndamukong Suh would not be a Ram (no offense to O.J., but I could live with having the first two picks in this draft).

Bottom line- Is it worth it to try and play the RFA game with Atogwe? So far, the relationship between him and the team has been pretty cordial, but we've all seen what happens when you jerk around a player who wants a long term contract. Make the call in the poll; do you want another first rounder and a Rams team minus Atogwe, or do the Rams keep him and hope the team can find enough ammo to improve the team?

With the draft fast approaching, everyone seems to be buzzing about Ndamukong Suh (including myself). But as edpjr has pointed out, their is also a large amount of RFA/UFA's that could be hitting the market in the free agency.

Compiled below is a quick list of free agents that the Rams could target. I have no idea what will happen if the league converts to a no-cap, everyone-is-an-RFA type system, so for simplicities sake, I'm leaving that mess out. These players aren't in any order.

1) Jerious Norwood, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Grand Poobah Devaney (hopefully) knows Norwood's capabilities from his stint in Atlanta from 2006 to 2008, where Norwood enjoyed his best years. Jerious looks to be on the way out especially with Jason Snelling carrying the ball so well. He's a quick, change of pace back to Steven Jackson. There is no doubt that Rams need a second back, because Steven simply won't be able to take as much punishment as he received in 2009 much longer. He's everything the Rams would like in a second runningback; he's quick, has the ability to catch passes, has a good career YPC average (5.3 yards off of 373 attempts) and most importantly, will come rather mildly priced.

2) Tony Scheffler, TE, Denver Broncos

One McGenious' trash is another man's treasure, as the saying goes. Scheff is a young, pass-catching tight end with soft enough hands to help whoever might be the quarterback next season. He was put on the scout squad by McDaniels for being a big meanie to the coach, and much like Brandon Marshall, may be on his way out of Denver. He would be a more expensive option, but most likely wouldn't break the bank, which is something that most of the Rams free agent acquisitions this year will most likely have in common.

3) Aaron Kampman, DE, Green Bay Packers

Luckily for the Rams, Kampman has struggled of late switching to Don Caper's 3-4 scheme. He has seemed somewhat out of place as an OLB and probably would fit best if he returned to a 4-3 DE. He had an injury this year and Brad Jones did well enough as his replacement that the Packers probably won't keep Kampman around. He's still only one year removed from a 9.5 sack season, and just turned 30 a few months ago. He's a bit on the older side for the Rams, but should have plenty in the tank for a mid-length contract. Like Scheffler, he could be a bit more expensive, but the Rams are desperate for front seven help and will most likely be willing to pay quite a bit for improving it.

4) Jason Campbell, QB, Washington Redskins

Hold the phone- I just pulled a Van. This idea has met a lot of opposition, but quite frankly, you're not going to find an All-Pro, young, franchise, cheap quarterback on the market. There's been a lot of talk here about Kevin Kolb, but quite frankly, the Eagles aren't going to let him go, especially with only one year remaining on aging Donovan McNabb's contract. If the Rams are looking for something more long term, they'll either need to look in the draft or try for a QB like Campbell. Statistically, every year he has improved. His stats aren't anything to brag about, but hated OC Pat Shurmur was indeed a QB coach before coming to the Rams. Not only that, but with a few pieces available, the Rams could create a nice support system for him. He'd be a good, inexpensive pickup for the Rams should they look for another QB.

5) Donald Penn, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Penn is a young, talented tackle. He currently plays LT, but could probably make the transition should it be required of him. He'd most likely be a cheaper option only because of his lack of fitness. Reports came out that he tipped the scales at a Free Willy-esque 360 pounds, which is huge. Spagnuolo has had mixed success in helping offensive lineman throughout the course of the season, but a little Spagalosophy could go a long way in helping out a player condition himself. Depending on what Tampa wants to do, he may be resigned, but he'd be a great pickup should he become available.

Wilcard: Richard Marshall, CB, Carolina Panthers

Marshall is a young, physical CB from Carolina, and DC Ken Flajole would most likely have some sway in helping the Rams cause. He's on the small side, but unlike Tye Hill, he's actually put up stats. He's not the most insane ball-hawk you've ever seen, but he's picked up some nice turnover numbers in addition to his clockwork 80 or so tackles a season. The Panthers would be stupid to let him go, but should they do, the Rams would be wise to to take a look at him.

Van took a look at another free agent (RFA) possibility in Brandon Marshall earlier and CaliRamMan has a post about this very topic (I didn't see it originally- he beat me to the punch). An article the New York Post may have some implications for the Rams. The player I am speaking about is Osi Umenyiora, someone who knows current Rams coach Spagnuolo very well. He states:

I would love to be here, but the situation cannot continue the way it is...I am all in, but I think I am too good of a player for this kind of situation.

It seems like a perfect fit on paper. The Rams need help on the defensive line, Osi is a 28 year old, well established player with large ties to current Rams coaches, who'd probably love to have him aboard. The disagreement seems to stem from the new DC Bill Sheridan (again, making the paper implications even better) and the article says they've haven't had a good relationship:

Umenyiora back in the preseason walked out of practice after a disagreement with first-year defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan. Clearly, the two do not have a warm-and-fuzzy relationship.

The article also points out that Tom Coughlin seemed indifferent on the matter, but did say the Umenyiora was a "big part of the team's future." Take that PC statement however you will, but this clearly isn't Terrell Owens like disruption. It is going to be interesting to see if the coaching staff sticks with Sheridan and if they do, how players like Osi will react. It doesn't appear to be that simple though, as Umenyiora has reiterated many times he enjoys New York:

I hope I'm here, I'd love to be here. I'm definitely under contract here. I can't really tell you I'm going anywhere. It's all in their hands.

Just like Brandon Marshall, there is a good chance nothing will happen. Teams and players have reconciled before, but it is always worth a look, especially when your head coach is a old defensive coordinator, whom players seem to love, coaching on a team desperate for defensive line help and the player in question is desperately seeking to play. It seems like a slam dunk to say that if anything would happen, the Rams would be on a short list of teams a Giants player would want to go to, but it appears that anything but a trade would be out of the question.

Food for thought.

So if this perennial injury bug has any positive, it's that we've been able to see what just about everyone on the whole team can do. Sometimes, you get pleasant surprises, like Danny Amendola or Craig Dahl. Sometimes, you see things you didn't want to see. So who should we expect to be shown the door this offseason? Here are five players that need to be sent packing if the Rams want to turn things around. Of course, having your head where the sun don't shine may have it's advantages...

Firstly, the player that needs to go the most is Alex Barron. Throughout his entire career, he has shown everything that the Rams do not stand for. A general malaise and a disregard to understand that false starts aren't actually a good thing has made him a favorite scapegoat for this team. Jason Smith should have, could have and would have taken his spot at LT if he wasn't suffering the ill effects of a nasty concussion. Hopefully he will get better soon, as their will be a vacancy at that position after the season ends.

Final Straw (If for some demented reason you still think he should be on the team): Drawing a penalty on the first play of the game on Sunday vs. the Cardinals.

Next, you have the one and only Randy McMichael. Stone hands hasn't been much of a threat, and since Daniel Fells has shown enough (he is now on the IR), he will most likely be shown the door. With the receivers as inexperienced as they are, he was the only real veteran threat and could have really helped out this team (and anyone of the three QB's who've played) by stepping up and playing well. Instead, he got shown up by a undrafted two year pro. Nice Randy.

Final Straw (If for some demented reason you still think he should be on the team): Anyone of his drops this year. 

Thirdly you have Jonathan Wade. Yet another bust of the Rams, he has done virtually nothing to help this team. Through 46 games, he has 63 tackles and a pair of INT's. It's one thing if you need more time to develop, it's a completely other thing when Quincy Butler, the workout warrior of the team, starts ahead of you. How many chances do you need? He started the season, was replaced by Fletcher, who subsequently was injured, and then couldn't even hold the job down against some low level free agent picks. 

Final Straw (If for some demented reason you still think he should be on the team): It might be the fact that he hasn't done anything, or the fact that the coaching staff hates him.

Fourth is the one and only Samkon Gado. This guy's been somewhat of a mystery, as he had a good preseason by all measures (he is a backup, after all), had a relatively good camp and was thought to have been a good enough back to assist Steven Jackson. For whatever reason, he just hasn't been able to get it done. When your averaging 1.9 yards per carry, something is wrong. The offensive line, while inconsistent, just isn't that bad. This is definitely a priority for the Rams, because without Steven Jackson, they have nothing going on offense. Hopefully Spags will let Ogbonnaya play a bit more next week. 

Final Straw (If for some demented reason you still think he should be on the team): The fact that he can't ever convert 3rd and 1.

The Last spot goes to the one and only Marc Bulger. Love him or hate him, he simply doesn't have the gas in the tank to continue to play. He's been injured and sacked so many times he looks like a cat on crack in the pocket. For his current salary, he is nowhere near the player we need him to be and quite possibly will never be. Unfortunately, it appears that time has caught up with him. His one saving grace is that the only other quarterbacks on the team, Kyle Boller and Keith Null (and that Mike Reilly guy) have virtually no experience. I'm excluding Boller here because well, he is Kyle Boller.

Final Straw (If for some demented reason you still think he should be on the team): Too many injuries, level of play has dropped, and he isn't a 9 million dollar QB anymore.

The Rams have struck a deal with third round pick, Iowa CB Bradley Fletcher. The news arrived via his agent's Twitter feed. Word is that Fletcher will receive a $892,298 bonus on a four-year deal that can pay him as much as $1.2 million this year. 

Fletcher was somewhat of a surprise pick in the third round, but the Rams coaches and scouts like his physical style of play, a perfect fit for head coach Steve Spagnuolo (a former DB coach) and defensive coordinator Ken Flajole's system. 

Reports from spring practice put Fletcher beyond rookie expectations, for that this time of year, and he will compete for playing time, even a starting role, in the second CB and nickel spots. 

We'll have to wait and see the final details before grading my contract prediction. We do know now that the Rams have gone from signing late round picks from three-year to four-deals, as predicted. That's a better move in my opinion, especially with the cap uncertainty.

This is good news, and the dominoes should start falling soon here. 

Uh oh, we've got a rumor sighting...two rumors actually. Let's evaluate.

Both came in the form of a question posed to ESPN's Mike Sando in his mailbag post from today. The first one stinks to high heaven: Rams looking to trade Alex Barron for a draft pick. No way. The team legitimately thinks Barron can be a good LT, and if he can cut down on the penalties he will be. And, as Sando points out, this team can't afford to trade working offensive linemen.

The second rumor has the Rams swapping TE Joe Klopfenstein to the Broncos for DE Jarvis Moss. This one sounds more like a fan playing armchair general manager on a message board somewhere, connecting disappointing recent draft picks on the roster bubble for each team. It's got to be a rumor, and the only thing giving it a whiff of cred is Denver's wacked out management. I don't see the Broncos giving up on their first round pick from '07 just yet, though the switch to a 3-4 moves him closer to the old roster knife. Klop's as good gone with the Rams, but you'd think teams could just wait it out...unless they don't want to compete with other bidders.