:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/9654909/150712973.0.jpg)
The St. Louis Rams have a pair of guests on Wednesday, free agents Jake Long and Louis Delmas. Polite hosts offer their guests something, dinner, drinks ... a contract. Will the Rams be offering either of their two visitors something special?
They do get a free trip to St. Louis, which is nice if you've never been outside the Midwest. Long's coming from Miami and Delmas hails from Florida, so a trip to Missouri in March might not be all that appealing. The Rams are giving both men physicals, which isn't so great in and of itself. Think about how you'd feel if all you got for visiting a friend was poked and prodded and your balls grabbed.
However, those physicals could be the first step toward a really nice present in the form of a contract. But there's no guarantee.
Just wanted to make sure I'm crystal clear here ... My report: If Long passes his Rams physical, he could well sign. Not that he def will.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 13, 2013
RT @kleems4: Is that the case for Louis Delmas too? Heard he's in StL today also. ... Correct. Some physicals more important than others.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2013
These two physicals are extremely important. Both players have really struggled with injuries over the last two seasons. Yes, both are capable of playing among the elite at their respective positions, but that hasn't been the case as knee injuries have limited Delmas and a torn triceps sidelined Long last season.
If Delmas doesn't check out or if he wants more money than the Rams are willing to pay, there are plenty of other options in both free agency and the draft, where the team will probably have to find some safety help anyway. Tackle is another matter. Sebastian Vollmer, Andre Smith and Eric Winston are all still out there, but the market gets thin after that. Teams will be bidding against each other to sign those players. The draft's best tackles, the guys ready to play on day one, are all expected to be gone once the Rams starting doing their picking at No. 16.