Meetings, meetings, meetings...the St. Louis Rams have been taking in all kinds of meetings this week as they work through the offseason.
We mentioned yesterday meetings with free agents RB Willie Parker, FB Jason McKie, and CB Kevin Dockery. Recent meetings have included/will include a couple of defensive ends: Tampa Bay's Jimmy Wilkerson and Jacksonville's Reggie Hayward.
Hayward is 31 and injury prone, having played just one game last season prior to hitting IR with a broken leg, probably better against the run than as a pass rusher, though he had 4.5 sacks in 2008. Wilkerson, 29, is a much more intriguing player. He has 11 sacks and three forced fumbles over the last two seasons. Wilkerson would be a nice add if the Rams can get him.
GM Billy Devaney and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur met with Sam Bradford in Florida yesterday...and Dr. James Andrews. Devaney and Spags have also met with Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy, and you can likely expect all of those guys in St. Louis for a visit before the draft. I'd say the sit down with Dr. Andrews, the renowned surgeon who performs surgery for many top athletes, was as important as the meeting with Bradford.
Bradford will hold a private workout with the Rams on April 12.
In other news...
The Chicago Sun Time says that a run at Oshiomogho Atogwe is not in the Bears' offseason plans. Makes you wonder if it's just because they've spent their money already or just aren't interested.
The Rams are scouting safeties in the draft. They've met (no clarification whether it was a visit to STL or on-site chat) with Oregon SS T. J. Ward. Though he is listed as a SS, he plays the ball well, according to his scouting report. The former CB played FS in 2008, before replacing Patrick Chung in 2009. He excels in run support, and ran a 4.46 second 40 at his pro day. Ward is projected as a 3rd or 4th round pick.
The more I think about it, the more I think the Rams are willing to part with Atogwe, or at least risk parting with him, because he doesn't fit well into the new system, being too one-dimensional.