Chargers sign Kellen Clemens; Rams officially looking for a backup QB

The St. Louis Rams will not have Kellen Clemens to backup Sam Bradford this year. Clemens turned his 10-game performance as the Rams starting QB into a free agent deal with the San Diego Chargers, who signed him to a two-year contract potentially worth $3 million.

Clemens took over for Bradford in Week 7, after the starter tore his ACL in a loss to the Carolina Panthers. During that stretch, the Rams veteran backup produced career numbers in yards and touchdowns with a 1,673 yards, eight touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 58.7 percent completion rate, 6.9 yards per attempt and a 78.8 rating.

The move leaves the Rams with Sam Bradford, the obvious starter, and Austin Davis as the only quarterbacks on the roster. They're widely expected to draft a backup/developmental quarterback in the later rounds of the draft this year. It's a big need given Bradford's injury history and having just two seasons left on his hefty contract.

Possibilities include Eastern Illinois signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo, who has turned heads since his performance at the Senior Bowl. He's probably a second-round pick, so that might be a tad early for the Rams. Another option is Alabama's A.J. McCarron, who can be a decent option in a run-first, short passing game offense.

There's also the possibility of signing another veteran to backup Bradford, but that seems less likely considering the Rams are leaning heavily on Bradford.

In other free agent news ...

Ex-Rams and Titans CB Cortland Finnegan will visit the Miami Dolphins tomorrow.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 13, 2014

If the Dolphins, or any other team, signs Finnegan, the Rams could save as much as $3 million against their cap because of offsets.

Guard Shelley Smith is also headed to Miami on Thursday night for a free agent visit. He visited the Giants and Patriots previously.