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The St. Louis Rams have been safety shopping this week. The team is reportedly targeting Lions safety Louis Delmas in free agency, according to Jim Thomas at the Post Dispatch.
Indications are that Rams are targeting Louis Delmas at safety.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) March 12, 2013
That news should come as no surprise. New defensive coordinator Tim Walton coached Delmas in Detroit in his previous stint as the defensive backs coach there. Detroit reportedly made Delmas an offer to stick around, but it was one he felt was too low for him. Delmas famously told the media:
"The Lions are cheating on me," he said. "They're going to the club every damn night and staying out late night, trying to come back home to Daddy."
Delmas is only 25-years old. He turns 26 in April, which is plenty young enough to have a future with the Rams, or whatever team that signs him. A product of Western Michigan, he was the first pick in the second-round of the 2009 NFL Draft, taken two picks before James Laurinaitis that year.
Injuries have dogged Delmas through his career. When healthy, he was the best defensive back on the field for Detroit, but he only played eight games last season and 11 the year before that because of knee injuries. That could make him a bargain for the Rams, who really need a free safety.
If the Rams do sign Delmas, I'd still look for them to try and find safety help in the draft. For one, they have to replace both their starting safeties from the year before. Second of all, they need talent at the position.