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This has all the makings of a very deep draft. One worth acquiring more picks for:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Record number (98) underclassmen apply for NFL Draft. Consequence of CBA-mandated rookie pay system</p>— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) <a href="https://twitter.com/adbrandt/statuses/424941883916181504">January 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Rams still in need of top receiver: ESPN NFC West
The Rams have drafted a WR in each of the first 4 rounds over the last two years. Should they still be looking to draft that elusive "#1" wide-out?
5 Players The Rams Should Re-Sign This Off Season: Rant Sports NFL
Rodger Saffold, Kellen Clemens, Matt Giordano, Darian Stewart, and Shelley Smith make the list of Rams who should be re-signed this off season.
5 Rams Who Shouldn't Be Back In 2014: Rant Sports NFL
Cortland Finnegan, Scott Wells, Harvey Dahl, Darian Stewart, and Will Witherspoon make the list of players who shouldn't be re-signed by the Rams this off season.
Do The Rams Need To Draft A Running Back?: Ramblin' Fan
Should the Rams draft a running back in this years draft...to spell Zac Stacy? Or do they have enough complementary pieces already on the roster in Daryl Richardson, Isaiah Pead, and Benny Cunningham?
Top 25 Free Agents For 2014: NFL.com
Players that could potentially be targets for the Rams - Alex Mack, Alterraun Verner, T.J. Ward, and Jairus Byrd - are found on this early ranking of top free agents.
Draft Prospect Highlight Reel: Safety - Ahmad Dixon - Baylor
Ultimate Ahmad Dixon Highlights | HD (via TheFootballman175)
St. Louis Rams need a Richard Sherman-like defender: Cover 32 Rams
Will Cortland Finnegan be returning to the Rams? Are the Rams satisfied with their young pair of corners: Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson? Should they be looking to draft a tall, press man defender similar to Richard Sherman?
Rams need much more than they will admit: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Bernie Miklasz details roster needs the Rams' front office are seemingly overlooking thus far in the off season.
Senior Bowl has played a big role in Rams draft evaluation process: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The Rams' scouting department will be out in full force for the upcoming Senior Bowl.
"You’re gonna have first-rounders, second-rounders, third-rounders there," said Snead, the Rams’ general manager. "What’s neat about it is you get to see them live. You get to see them compete close up against other people of similar (skills). Pretty good prospects. So that’s always a nice thing."
ESPN's Nick Wagoner answers readers questions - on a wide assortment of Rams-related topics - in his weekly off season "chat".
Orange Crush: Grantland
A detailed look at the many moves - big and small - the Denver Broncos have made under John Elway, and how they contributed to the Broncos' post-season run.
Stat Facts Of The Week: 3rd Down Conversion Efficiency
| Rank | Team | 3rd Down Attempts | 3rd Downs Converted | 3rd Down Efficiency % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Chargers | 206 | 101 | 49.0 % |
| 2 | Denver Broncos | 205 | 95 | 46.3 % |
| 3 | New Orleans Saints | 221 | 97 | 43.9 % |
| 4 | Carolina Panthers | 208 | 91 | 43.8 % |
| 5 | Atlanta Falcons | 207 | 89 | 43.0 % |
| 6 | Detroit Lions | 221 | 95 | 43.0 % |
| 7 | Chicago Bears | 197 | 83 | 42.1 % |
| 8 | Tennessee Titans | 227 | 94 | 41.4 % |
| 9 | Green Bay Packers | 216 | 89 | 41.2 % |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | 225 | 92 | 40.9 % |
| 11 | Washington Redskins | 235 | 95 | 40.4 % |
| 12 | New York Jets | 231 | 90 | 39.0 % |
| 13 | Philadelphia Eagles | 213 | 83 | 39.0 % |
| 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 216 | 82 | 38.0 % |
| 15 | Indianapolis Colts | 213 | 80 | 37.6 % |
| 16 | New England Patriots | 221 | 83 | 37.6 % |
| 17 | Seattle Seahawks | 204 | 76 | 37.3 % |
| 18 | San Francisco 49ers | 211 | 77 | 36.5 % |
| 19 | Minnesota Vikings | 214 | 78 | 36.4 % |
| 20 | Baltimore Ravens | 253 | 92 | 36.4 % |
| 21 | Houston Texans | 231 | 83 | 35.9 % |
| 22 | Arizona Cardinals | 210 | 74 | 35.2 % |
| 23 | Oakland Raiders | 223 | 78 | 35.0 % |
| 24 | Miami Dolphins | 217 | 76 | 35.0 % |
| 25 | Cleveland Browns | 237 | 83 | 35.0 % |
| 26 | Dallas Cowboys | 180 | 63 | 35.0 % |
| 27 | Kansas City Chiefs | 213 | 74 | 34.7 % |
| 28 | St. Louis Rams | 212 | 73 | 34.4 % |
| 29 | Buffalo Bills | 244 | 83 | 34.0 % |
| 30 | New York Giants | 211 | 69 | 32.7 % |
| 31 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 221 | 69 | 31.2 % |
| 32 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 225 | 70 | 31.1 % |
Converting on third down is a vital component in terms of a teams ability to score points. The Rams finished 28th in 3rd down conversions for the 2013 season. The return of Sam Bradford next season - and the continued development of the young offensive weapons - should allow the Rams to convert more third downs, and by extension, score more points. The chart is courtesy of "Sporting Charts".
A nostalgic look back at the greatest running backs in Rams' history: Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, and Steven Jackson:
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams: Greatest Runningbacks (via yrba1)
Upon Further Review
In this three part series, Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch interviews Rams General Manager Les Snead.
On This Day In Sports History
1979 - The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 in Super Bowl X111. QB Terry Bradshaw is named the MVP of the game.
Where There's Smoke...: S.I. MMQB
Is it time the NFL relaxed its ban on the use of marijuana?
"If you were 50 years old and had some of those ailments, if you took them to a doctor he would prescribe marijuana to you. But if you’re 26, 27, and have the same ailments and you play in the NFL, you can’t have marijuana, but they’ll give you Percocet or Vicodin."
Litigation-Happy Culture Casts More Doubt On Rams' Stadium Situation: 101 Sports
There appears to be no end in sight regards the Rams' stadium situation. Bear in mind it took Minnesota nearly a decade, and San Francisco 17 years, to resolve their stadium issues.
5 Toughest Decisions The Rams Will Have To Make This Off Season: Bleacher Report
A backup QB, the offensive line, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Kendall Langford, and the wide receivers are noted as positions the Rams have to make decisions on this off season.
2013 Offensive Line Rankings: Pro Football Focus
After ranking 26th in 2012, the offensive line played much better in 2013. The addition of Jake Long - and the play of Joe Barksdale - turned out to be fortuitous, as the Rams placed 17th in PFF's annual offensive line rankings.
Who Will The Rams Target With The #13 Pick?: Ramblin' Fan
CB Darqueze Dennard, S Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, and WR's Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, and Marqise Lee top the list of players the Rams could target with their second 1st round selection. Clinton-Dix, Lee, and Dennard all rate very highly on my board.
Bradford On Rams: "I think we're close": St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Despite the strength of teams in the NFC West, Sam Bradford believes the Rams are close to being able to compete for the division crown, in the toughest division in football:
"So it's not far off. I think everyone saw that we have the talent to compete and to play with anyone. It's just a matter of us just finishing a few more games. I don't know how we do that, but we'll look at that in the off season and figure out what we need to do. I think we're right there."
2014 NFL Mock Draft: SB Nation - Mocking The Draft
Dan Kadar presents his latest mock draft over at MTD. The Rams select WR Sammy Watkins with the #2 pick, and OT Cyrus Kouandjio with the #13 pick.
Richard Sherman Goes Nuts On Erin Andrews: Deadspin
Thank-you Richard Sherman, for showing all of us how to conduct a post-game interview, and how to win in a classy manner.
Sam Bradford: I feel very confident for camp: Pro Football Talk
Good news for the Rams. Sam Bradford's rehab - from surgery on his torn ACL - appears to be ahead of schedule. Having Bradford in training camp can do nothing but increase the Rams' chances of going to the post-season in 2014.
Catching Up With Jackie Slater: St. Louis Rams Official Website
Reading this brings back memories of a time when the Rams perennially had one of the best offensive lines in the league. It's time for the Rams to devote resources that'll make the current offensive line one of the most powerful in the NFL.
Les Snead doesn't think the Rams need another wide receiver: NFL Spin Zone - S.I.
Smokescreen? Reality? Only time will tell...
"I think our receivers right now, I truly believe as they progress … we cannot have another receiver around here. And we’re going to be a good football team."
What can Jairus Byrd bring to the Rams defense: Ramblin' Fan
Would love to see Byrd roaming the Rams' defensive backfield. He is likely to command 8 million plus in free agency this year. Could the Rams make salary cap room for him?
List of underclassmen granted eligibility for the 2014 NFL Draft: NFL.com
With 98 underclassmen declaring for the 2014 NFL Draft, it promises to be one of the deepest in many a year. Trading down to accumulate additional selections should be one of the goals for the Rams in May. There should be plenty of talent and value throughout the entire draft.
Does OC Brian Schottenheimer receive unfair criticism?:
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St. Louis Rams Weekly Salary "Re-Cap"
The Rams currently have $172,529 in Available Salary Cap Space, second-lowest in the NFL. They will likely carry this amount forward into the 2014 off season as a credit towards the 2014 salary cap.
2014 Consensus Mock Draft - 7 Rounds: Drafttek
Jake Matthews, Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, Ryan Shazier, and Tajh Boyd highlight the Rams' selections in this 7 round mock draft.
Rams set to cap "All Star" phase in Mobile: ESPN NFC West
All Star games, culminating in the upcoming Senior Bowl, are valuable tools for assessing and evaluating prospective NFL draftees:
"For the better part of the past month, Snead and his staff have been working through this phase by using the college all-star games to confirm or possibly bolster grades for different players who will be available in the coming draft."
Senior Bowl 2014: Full Roster And Players To Watch: Bleacher Report
BR offers a handy guide to the upcoming Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
Salary Cap Mailbag: National Football Post
Joel Corry provides an interesting take on many cap matters, including Colin Kaepernick, the rise in the salary cap, and restructuring contracts.
2014 NFL Draft Big Board: Walter Football
Walter Football updates its big board of 134 players, with Jadeveon Clowney the top prospect in the draft.
Senior Bowl Twitter Practice Reports: Rams News Now
Reports from Day 1 of Senior Bowl practices by Daniel Jeremiah, Josh Norris, Todd McShay et al.
Blast From The Past: Tuesday's Got The Blues: Freddie King - Have You Ever Loved A Woman
Freddie King - Have You Ever Loved A Woman (via hepcatblues)
Please have a great Tuesday and a Ramtastic week!