This is it. The low point of the doldrums, the doldrums of the doldrums if you will, for football fans. The players are off enjoying what tiny fraction of an offseason they get. Ditto for the coaches and front office, who split for the 4th of July weekend. It's the kind of slowness usually represented in cartoons with hound dog sleeping on a porch hiding out from a steamy Southern afternoon. Or something like that.
It won't last long. The St. Louis Rams will be back to work this week, albeit behind the scenes, with the biggest task at hand making sure Sam Bradford signs a contract and gets in camp on time. Rams contract guru Kevin Demoff will also be working to get second round pick OT Rodger Saffold under contract. It's widely expected that the Rams will indeed have both picks in camp on time, based on precedent if nothing else. Hell, even Bradford has been telling people that he'll be there when camp starts.
Last year, the Rams first round pick, OT Jason Smith, missed the first day of camp while getting his contract finalized. Second round pick and all around super guy MLB James Laurinaitis signed his contract the day before rookies reported to camp. Some pundits predict smooth sailing for first round picks getting signed this year, but another points to a potential problem for first and second round picks with the second year bonus occurring in a year when the league could very well be shut down if a new CBA isn't reached by then. We'll see what happens.
Some links...
Pat Kirwan takes a look at rookie QBs on third down...and says history reminds us to temper our expectations about Sam Bradford in 2010.
The sad story of JaMarcus Russell continues, with codeine.