Time to Play St. Louis Rams General Manager

Since the subject of the day seems to be "Trade", it made me think of Rams players and their individual value on the NFL market. The obvious "High value" players are Sam Bradford, James Laurinaitis, and Chris Long. These top three are followed closely by Steven Jackson and, more than likely, a health Danny Amendola. Quintin Mikell retains his preseason value. After these six players, there are injured players like Bartell and Bradley, who have value that is vague at this point. Rodger Safford holds a median value at this point, due to his current "sophmore slump".Jason Smith has been mentioned as trade-able, but unless a playoff contender is in desperate need of a lukewarm body at offensive tackle, the cost to benefit ratio is very low. A playoff bound team won't let a wide receiver go for him if they envision a stretch run inside tough divisions. As much as I'm disappointed by Smith's play, available replacements for him would make trading him for a draft pick in the 6th or 7th round range less attractive.

There is a steep drop off after the aforementioned players. Some may think Hendricks has earned an innate value to date, but as a rookie with a sub-par performance so far this season, I doubt he holds his original second round appraisal. Brandon Gibson may garner interest from teams with marginal #2 or #3 WRs, but it would be a stretch to think anyone would extend anything above a 6th or 7th round pick on a player who has never done anything of true remark. The vast number of "One Year Contract Wonders" hold no value at all, due to their availability at season's end.

So let's all play General Manager for a moment, and appraise what assets you have to put on the trading block, and their absolute base price to let one go to another team. The first thing I'd do is establish my "Don't even think about it" list. My top player list that can't be touched is : Bradford, Laurinaitis, Long, Safford, Mikell, Kendricks. A team has to have a core, and these are mine as of now. Jackson would make my list if he had two or three fewer years, and miles, on him.

Some of you may be shocked that Danny Amendola doesn't make my core group? I've been, and will continue to be, a strong supporter and fan of Amendola. But I've come to believe if Sam Bradford is going to step up, he needs to take the training wheels off at some point. I think Sam checks down too quickly to his "Danny Amendola comfort zone". Just my opinion, but take the option away, and Sam will have to think in a different way. He needs to not "run home" to the three or four yard pass as much as he does. He needs his thinking paradigm to expand to reach the next level. Yes, Danny would no doubt be a star on another team, but we have to decide what kind of team we want going forward. Passes beyond the 8 yard range has to become the norm and rule, not completions for completions sake. In fact, if I could have Sam read anything I've ever written about the Rams, it would be these last 6 sentences.

So what are your core players? Who would you trade and what would you want in return, whether player or draft pick? Show me the GM in you and what you'd really do!