Alex Barron, the St. Louis Rams flag loving offensive tackle is planning to sign his RFA tender according his agent.
That Barron will sign his offer isn't much of a surprise. The Rams let it be known that he was available for trade, but the market never developed. Many of the teams needed offensive tackles found an answer in a draft heavy on tackle talent.
Barring any late interest, the Barron will back with the Rams this season, again, not a huge surprise. Having Barron on the roster for 2010 gives the Rams depth at offensive tackle. The best arrangement would be Barron on the right, Smith on the left and Roger Saffold at RG, that would give the Rams a strong offensive line. Should injury befall any one of those players, the team could easily shuffle assignments and still have starting quality players up front. They also Adam Goldberg who can play guard or tackle, though he's better at guard, and newly acquired Hank Fraley, who gives them solid insurance should C Jason Brown miss any time.
Barron's agent gave the typical offseason lip service that players and agents give when a guy comes back for his last season before unrestricted free agency. To wit:
Alex is planning on having the best year of his career. I believe Alex will show that he'll be one of the best tackles in the NFC.
It would be great for the Rams if Barron really does have the best year of his career, and all he really needs to do that is cut down on the penalties. Last season, when he was also playing for a contract, Barron had 11 penalties; he averages 12.6 per season. His 5 false starts were a career low, and his 5 holding flags were a career high.
The real question for the Rams now will be what to do with Barron in 2011. That scenario depends on Barron. If he gets the penalty penchant nipped in the bud, he can probably find another team willing to pay him left tackle dollars. If it's the same old Barron, then he doesn't have too many options, and the Rams would have to be in the mix at the very least to try and keep depth at the tackle position.