St. Louis Rams – Blog

Greetings from Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Good morning from Lucas Oil Stadium where the media portion of this year’s NFL Scouting Combine will begin in earnest today.

-  This is my ninth NFL Scouting Combine and I must say, now that we’ve settled here at Lucas Oil, it’s that much more enjoyable. This city is an excellent host and always has been so it was no surprise that it got rave reviews for its Super Bowl hospitality.

- Let me give you a little rundown of the Captain’s Log for the next four days.

- Today, Thursday, the offensive linemen, tight ends and kickers and punters will be coming through the media area. That group will have its medical checkups today as well with their physical workouts scheduled for tomorrow.

- Friday will be the biggest day of the event for those looking for Rams-releated stuff. Coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead will address the media at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. In addition, it’s the day for skill position players to meet the media. That means wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks – including the likes of Justin Blackmon, Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson, etc. That group will do its physical workout on Saturday.

- Saturday will feature defensive linemen and linebackers with their media and medical day. That group works out on Sunday.

- Sunday will wrap up the media portion with defensive backs including safeties and cornerbacks. Those players will work out on Monday to wrap things up from here.

- In the meantime, expect plenty of blog updates in this space as well as feature stories on the main page. Also, for the first time ever, we’ll have video updates throughout the days with clips from interviews with players and necessary coaches and personnel guys. We’ll also have a few surprises along the way.

- One quick note on the players: Alabama RB Trent Richardson had a knee scope last week and will not work out here or at the Crimson Tide’s upcoming pro day. He’s still scheduled to be here and we’ll hopefully get a chance to chat with him tomorrow.

- Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for plenty more in the coming days.

NFL Teams Set to Play Tag

- In a normal offseason, teams are wrapping up what one might call the “tag” season by now. As they enter the scouting combine, teams generally are making final decisions on which potential free agents should get the franchise or transition tag. But this isn’t a normal offseason.

- With everything pushed back some because of last year’s new collective bargaining agreement, the tagging season is starting later and the numbers are quite different.

- The tag season started on Monday and will end March 5 with free agency set to open on March 13.

- The dates aren’t the only thing that has changed. Unlike past years, the franchise tag number won’t be as extravagant. Where the old system factored in the salaries of the five highest paid players at said free agent’s position, the new CBA stipulates that franchise tags will now involved a more complicated formula that uses the amount from franchise tags of the previous five seasons.

- Here’s a few things to keep in mind before we get to the numbers:

1. There are two types of franchise tags – exclusive and non-exclusive. The exclusive tag means tagged players cannot negotiate with other teams. The non-exclusive tag means players can negotiate and sign tender offers with other teams. The original team retains matching rights and would receive compensation in the form of two first-round picks or other agreed upon compensation if it lets the player leave.

2. Teams can only have one franchise player named at a time.

3. Exclusive franchise players receive more money than non-exclusive players.

4. Players can sign the one-year offers at any point but teams wishing to negotiate long term contracts in lieu of the expensive one-year deals have only until July 16 to get a deal done.

- With that, here’s a look at the positional breakdown for franchise tags this year according to Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network:

QB: $14.4 million in 2012; down from $16.1 million in 2011
RB: $7.7 million in 2012; down from $9.6 million in 2011
WR: $9.4 million in 2012; down from 11.4 million in 2011
TE: $5.4 million in 2012; down from $7.3 million in 2011
OL: $9.4 million in 2012; down from $10.1 million in 2011
DE: $10.6 million in 2012; down from $13 million in 2011
DT: $7.9 million in 2012; down from $12.5 million in 2011
LB: $8.8 million in 2012; down from $10.1 million in 2011
CB: $10.6 million in 2012; down from $13.5 million in 2011
S: $6.2 million in 2012; down from $8.8 million in 2011

- Now, there’s one thing that needs to be noted here. If a player is franchised for the second consecutive year, his salary will be 120 percent of the previous year’s salary. That’s important to note for guys like San Diego WR Vincent Jackson and Houston DE Mario Williams, both of whom will have very expensive price tags should their teams opt to tag them.

- There are a number of high profile free agents available this year and with prices across the board down, expect many teams to use the franchise tag, perhaps a record number.

- Some players likely to be tagged: New Orleans QB Drew Brees, Baltimore RB Ray Rice, Chicago RB Matt Forte, Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch, New England WR Wes Welker, Detroit DE Cliff Avril, Philadelphia WR DeSean Jackson and Arizona DE Calais Campbell.

- That’s just a jumping off point as there are a number of other quality players that very well could be tagged. Even restricted free agents such as Pittsburgh WR Mike Wallace and Houston RB Arian Foster could find themselves tagged.

- Of note for the Rams, who have 20 players scheduled for unrestricted free agency, is WR Brandon Lloyd. It’s unlikely the Rams will use the tag at all though Lloyd would be the logical candidate. Still, expect the Rams to negotiate but not tag the wideout they acquired midway through last season.

- Some players of note to keep an eye on who could be of interest to the Rams in free agency if they are not tagged: Tennessee CB Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee DT Jason Jones, Kansas City WR Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City CB Brandon Carr, Baltimore G Ben Grubbs, Buffalo WR Stevie Johnson, New Orleans G Carl Nicks and New Orleans WR Marques Colston.

- Obviously, certain teams will have to make some tough decisions. In New Orleans, the Saints won’t be able to keep Brees, Colston, Nicks, WR Robert Meachem and CB Tracy Porter. In fact, they might only be able to keep two of them. But if they can’t get Brees signed to a long term deal, there’s no chance they’ll let him hit the open market.

- So while free agency is still a few weeks away, it started Monday in earnest as teams begin plotting and scheming how they will attack their offseasons.

Fisher Back on Competition Committee

- One of new Rams coach Jeff Fisher’s passions in his first stint in the league was his time on the NFL’s Competition Committee. The league announced Tuesday that he’s back on that panel after a year absence when he was away from the game.

- Here’s the league’s official release:

Head coaches JEFF FISHER of the St. Louis Rams and KEN WHISENHUNT of the Arizona Cardinals, along with Green Bay Packers President and Chief Executive Officer MARK MURPHY, have been named to the NFL Competition Committee by Commissioner ROGER GOODELL, the NFL announced today.

Fisher co-chaired the committee from 2002-2010 with current committee chairman RICH MC KAY of the Atlanta Falcons.  Whisenhunt has served as a member of the Coaches Subcommittee, which consists of current and former NFL head coaches and makes recommendations to the Competition Committee.  Murphy, the Packers’ CEO since 2007, played eight seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1977-84, including two Super Bowl appearances, and was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1983 season.

The Competition Committee studies all aspects of the game and recommends rules and policy changes to NFL clubs.  It consists of the following members:

Official Invite List for Scouting Combine

- We are only a few weeks away from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and the league released the names of the participants this week.

- Here is a link to the entire list of players invited. Remember, this includes underclassmen who have declared for the draft and in a general sense includes players expected to be drafted in April. However, not all of these players will participate in every facet of the combine.

- http://www.nflcombine.net/players/official-invite-list

- A record 65 underclassmen declared for the draft this year and a dozen or so of those players are thought to be the top available players in this year’s draft. Of that group, 55 were invited to the combine.

- Of local interest, the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois each had four invites.

For Mizzou, it’s TE Michael Egnew, DT Dominique Hamilton, WR Jerrell Jackson and DE Jacquies Smith.

For Illinois, it’s DE Whitney Mercilus, OL Jeffery Allen, K Derek Dimke and WR A.J. Jenkins.

- Also, WR Marvin McNutt of Iowa, who played at the Senior Bowl, received an invite.

- As always, stlouisrams.com will have full coverage from the Combine with media availability beginning Feb. 23-26. As an added bonus, this year, we will have a video presence in attendance to add more multimedia content throughout the weekend.

Letter From Commissioner Goodell

Hey all, just wanted to pass along this note from the Commissioner…

To NFL Fans:

Now that another remarkable NFL season has concluded, let me express my gratitude on behalf of all 32 NFL teams for your incredible support. Record numbers of you watched at home, made your way to the stadium, and connected with the NFL in numerous other ways during the 2011 season. Your love of football is what makes the NFL special.

We are proud of the quality of the game today. From the individuals and team skills on display in every game to the record-breaking achievements of future Hall of Famers, the 2011 season was extraordinary on many levels.

It finished up with some of the most exciting playoff games of recent years leading to a tense, drama-filled Super Bowl between the Giants and Patriots that was the most-watched show in the history of television. What a tribute to our players, coaches, and fans!

As good as it’s been, I believe the NFL’s best days are ahead. Our responsibility in leading the league is to protect and enhance the bond between our game and the passionate fans who sustain it. We know we have to earn your trust every day and prove we are worthy of your amazing support.

Our commitment to improve everything we do is ongoing. We are not done yet. From the game on the field to the fan experience at home — and everything in between — there are ways we can do even better. We owe it to you, the fans, to believe in better and strive for more. Our game has always evolved and that will continue. I encourage you to visit our new web site – NFL.com/evolution – to explore how the game has improved over the past century. There are more good changes to come.

Our mission is captured very simply in these four words:
Forever forward. Forever football.Thank you once again for your passion and commitment to the game we all love.

Scouts Buzz: Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. -

- I’ll be departing from here later this afternoon but before I do I wanted to share with you all some of the nuggets of information I’ve gleaned from various scouts I’ve talk to this week. Some of them are scouts with teams right now, some run scouting services online and others are former scouts down here looking for work. I wanted to get an idea of what some thoughts were not only on guys here at the Senior Bowl but on this draft class as a whole even at this early stage of the process. The opinions below are those of those scouts and not of the St. Louis Rams or myself.

- One thing some people are debating is who is the best quarterback in the draft and some wonder if Robert Griffin III of Baylor will in fact challenge Stanford’s Andrew Luck to be the top pick in the draft. The consensus here is no, he won’t. For as much as scouts like Griffin as a kid and a player, he apparently doesn’t have the one intangible thing Luck has in spades: the ability to read defenses before the snap and make that quick read. Luck is still considered as NFL ready as any QB to enter the league since the man he might replace: Peyton Manning. And he’s considered a better athlete than many give him credit for.

- One former league scout said he believes the Rams Sam Bradford still was a better prospect than Luck, though and believes long term Bradford will be the better quarterback. For what it’s worth.

- It’s very clear that Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon is regarded as the best WR in the draft. And though some are curious what he’s going to run when the time comes, the majority believes Blackmon is indeed good enough to be a top five pick. One scout compared him to Julio Jones, saying he has similar after the catch ability and though he isn’t as fast as Jones, has better hands.

- There is some differing opinions on the top tackle in the draft, however. USC’s Matt Kalil is considered the best but there are a few dissenting opinions that believe Iowa’s Riley Reiff is the better player. And a couple of scouts say that Stanford G David DeCastro is actually the best lineman in the draft regardless of position.

- South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery is apparently someone who draws split opinions. Scouts seem to agree he doesn’t have the speed or route running skills to separate consistently. But what he does better than anyone is “high point” the ball and go get it. He always seems to be covered but it doesn’t seem to bother him because he makes catches anyway.

- A sleeper name to remember at wide receiver? Wake Forest’s Chris Givens. Numerous scouts mentioned him as a guy that is better than advertised with the deep speed to blow the top off a defense. Keep an eye on him, he could be a fast riser and run something big time at the combine in February.

- At running back, it’s Alabama’s Trent Richardson and then everybody else. Richardson is viewed as a top 10 pick and is apparently the total package. He could slip if only because backs don’t seem to have the value they once did but there’s no question Richardson will go in the top half of round one. After that, it’s anybody’s guess right now.

- As for some consensus thoughts on the players at this year’s Senior Bowl:

- In a straw poll, the following earned votes as the best player here (in order of most mentions): North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins, North Carolina DL Quinton Coples, Alabama LB Courtney Upshaw and one mention for Clemson DT Brandon Thompson.

- Jenkins, of course, is the transfer from Florida who has some character questions. But there’s no doubt that he has first-round talent as a man cover corner.

- Coples has questions about his work ethic and effort from play to play but he certainly looks the part.

- Upshaw is being called the next LaMarr Woodley.

- Thompson is an intriguing guy because he had a big junior year but didn’t produce much as a senior. He’s still considered an intriguing prospect, though.

- A sleeper name to consider here? Louisiana-Lafayette CB Dwight Bentley. He’s been a revelation the first couple days here and could work his way up some draft boards in the weeks leading up to the draft.

- There are some with concerns about the lack of size of Nebraska LB Lavonte David but those same people think he might be the best pure 4-3 OLB prospect here, even better than the speedy North Carolina LB Zach Brown.

- That’s going to do it for my time here in Mobile. I’ll have some more features and such on guys from here in the next few days but otherwise will be turning my attention to the rest of the Rams coaching staff filling up. Of course, I will be in Indianapolis again for the Scouting Combine in February with plenty more to discuss on this draft. And I’ll be doing my chat tomorrow so feel free to shoot me questions about some draft prospects and I’ll answer them best I can. Thanks for reading.

Tuesday Afternoon – South Practice

MOBILE, Ala. -

- The South team just wrapped up its Tuesday afternoon practice as the Washington Redskins coaching staff put its group through the paces.

- I’ve made reference to it before but the South team always seems to have better, more spirited and more competitive practices. I think it’s because in a general sense, the talent is usually better. The South team always has mostly SEC and Big 12 talent as well as the cream of the crop from the ACC. While many of the North practices look slow and plodding, this group is anything but.

- Let’s start with Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden. Yes, he’s 28. But he’s also the best QB here and if he were 22 or 23, he’d probably be right in the discussion as one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft. As it stands, some scouts think he might be anyway Yes, he’s older but he’s also really talented. His numbers and production have little to do with being part of a “system” and everything to do with his being a really good football player.

- North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins is here and he’s one of the most interesting prospects on the board. Talent wise, the scouts say he’s a top 10 guy, every bit as good as Joe Haden, whom Cleveland took 7th a couple of years ago. But Jenkins made some mistakes at Florida and was dismissed from the team. His talent was clear on Tuesday: he’s wildly competitive and athletic and fits the mold of a lockdown man corner. How he handles himself in interviews and the process leading up to the combine will ultimately decide where he lands, though.

- Georgia OL Cordy Glenn is the heaviest player here, checking in a tick below 350 pounds. He was a tackle for the Bulldogs but he’s almost certainly going to be a guard at the next level. He’ll need to get in better shape but he’s a good athlete for his size and could be a mauler in the run game.

- On the opposite end of that spectrum is Alabama C William Vlachos. He’s one of Nick Saban’s favorites because he’s very competitive and nasty but also extremely intelligent. Vlachos is a bit stumpy at 6’1, 294 pounds but he’s not afraid to mix it up and figures to fight his way onto a roster.

- Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray has some nice runs in a day of practices in which it seemed running backs performing well were few and far between.

- Everything you’ve heard about the speed of Florida RB Chris Rainey is true. It looks like the guy isn’t even touching the ground when he accelerates.

- Same for UNC LB Zach Brown. Brown isn’t the soundest technician according to scouts but his ability to chase down the ball with his supreme athleticism makes him a rare commodity. If he had better instincts, he’d be a dominant player.

- His teammate, DL Quinton Coples, looks the part at 6’6, 285 pounds. He draws comparisons to Cameron Jordan, the Cal DL who went to the Saints in round 1 last year. But Coples’ motor doesn’t always run at full speed and it prevents him from dominating the way he should. He’ll likely still go very high in the draft but it seems there are some mixed opinions on him in a small sample of various scouts.

- I’ll have some more info for you all tomorrow with one more post before heading back to STL. Thanks for reading.

Tuesday Morning – North Practice

MOBILE, Ala. -

- The Senior Bowl teams got back on a regular schedule Tuesday morning as the North team went through the paces of a morning workout before the South steps onto the field at Ladd-Peebles Stadium this afternoon.

- It was a tough day for receivers, tight end and quarterbacks as they struggled to get on the same page while the signal callers missed easy throws and the receivers had some drops on throws that were on target.

- The exception to that rule was Iowa WR Marvin McNutt, who had a nice day. McNutt dropped one early but seemed to have the best knack for getting open and plucking the ball out of the air.

- Cal WR Marvin Jones can really run and stretch the field, at one point he outran the arm of Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson. Some scouts in attendance said Jones is a little lacking as a route runner, though.

- Speaking of Wilson, he might have struggled the most on Tuesday. He is already facing questions about his size (he checked in around 5’10) but he missed some easy throws Tuesday. In fairness, he also hit on a few difficult ones, including a nice deep out down the sideline to McNutt.

- While the skill position guys were finding their way, the big boys up front were having a  big day.

- None, moreso than Michigan DT Mike Martin. At 6’2, 304 pounds, Martin isn’t the biggest DT on the block but he’s probably the strongest. He pushes the pile almost at will and he has good enough athleticism to chase the quarterback. Some buzz among scouts that he’ll be a fast riser in the coming weeks.

- Ohio State OT Mike Adams is a big, big man. He’s listed at 6’8, 320 pounds but looks bigger. Surprisingly, he moves pretty well and he did some good things in one on one pass rush drills today.

- Marshall DE Vinny Curry has been through a lot, his mother passed away during the season, but he continues to state his case for being one of the first defensive linemen taken in this year’s draft. He has good burst off the edge and he’s a favorite among scouts.

- Connecticut DL Kendall Reyes also flashed some potential today.

- Wisconsin OL Kevin Zeitler is a typical, bruising Wisconsin offensive lineman. I’ll have more on him in a feature story at some point but he’s taking snaps at center as well as guard and he’s got the mentality of a mauling Wisconsin lineman that has translated well to the NFL. If he adds that versatility, he could be a really valuable commodity come draft day.

- One sleeper to watch out for on the offensive line: Iowa State OL Kelechi Osemele.

- That’s all for now. Stay tuned as I’ll be back with updates from the afternoon practice later this evening.

Rams To Play in London Next Three Years

ST. LOUIS RAMS TO HOST REGULAR-SEASON GAME IN UNITED KINGDOM

IN EACH OF NEXT THREE YEARS

RAMS FACE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT WEMBLEY STADIUM ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28

In an unprecedented step that begins the next chapter of the NFL’s continued momentum of growing the international fan base, the St. Louis Rams have committed to becoming the first NFL team to play regular-season games abroad on an annual basis, the league announced today.

The Rams will play one regular-season home game in the U.K. in 2012, 2013 and 2014, beginning with a game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at London’s historic Wembley Stadium.  The game will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. UK) and be televised live in the United States on CBS.

 “The response to NFL games in the U.K. among our British fans has been exceptional,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL.  “We are confident that having the Rams host one game in the U.K. in each of the next three seasons will allow us to better serve the growing popularity of our sport beyond the borders of the United States.”

Last October 11, NFL owners approved a resolution that authorized the league to schedule regular-season games in the U.K. in each of the next five years, including to determine the number of games per season, the venue and the competing teams.  All clubs were permitted to volunteer to play at least one regular-season game per year as a home team in the U.K. on an annual basis for up to five years, and the Rams’ proposal was selected.

“This is a tremendous honor for our franchise, the city of St. Louis and our fans throughout the world,” said Rams owner E. STANLEY KROENKE.  “We are excited about the opportunity to reach new audiences globally.  This is a great platform to showcase the city of St. Louis to London and the UK. 

We’ve seen first-hand the increased popularity of the NFL not only in London but throughout Europe. To play a role in that growth over the next three years will be incredible and is a testament to the many good things happening not only in the NFL but also in the St. Louis Rams organization.”

The Rams, who earlier this week announced the hiring of head coach JEFF FISHER, will face the Patriots – who on Sunday will play for the AFC Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XLVI – next season in London.  New England defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in London in 2009.

“We are honored to be selected for this year’s game and eager to return,” said New England Patriots Chairman and CEO ROBERT KRAFT. “We had such a great experience during our last visit to London.  We are proud to have great support from our fans when we are on the road.  The United Kingdom is home to some of our most passionate Patriots fans, including the UKPatriots, who are among our most active fan clubs overall, not just overseas.  We look forward to another memorable experience.”

The international series of regular-season games to date has contributed to increased NFL fan interest in the U.K., with a current fan base of 11 million, including more than two million avid fans, a 32% increase in the past two years. 

Television ratings have also shown tremendous growth – with Sunday viewership of NFL games up 154% and the Super Bowl audience increased 74% since 2006 – while the league has developed new and stronger business partnerships.

“When the initial resolution to play international regular-season games was approved in 2006, the thinking at the time was that we would have two new teams every year,” said NFL Vice President of International CHRIS PARSONS.  “As the series evolved, we saw that having a team return to the U.K. on a regular basis would increase fan interest for that particular team, which in turn would drive fan growth for the entire league.  We are incredibly excited to introduce a young, talented team like the Rams to our U.K. fans.  And to do so against a team with the rich history and tradition of the Patriots makes it even more exciting.”

The game between the Rams and Patriots at Wembley Stadium will be the only NFL contest in the U.K. next season.

The regular-season games played in the United Kingdom:

Colts Hire Grigson as GM

- The Rams began their process for hiring a general manager on Monday as Philadelphia Director of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson came in for a visit.

- Grigson came to St. Louis after he made a stop in Indianapolis to interview for the same position there.

- The Rams brought in Lake Dawson from Tennessee and Les Snead from Atlanta on Tuesday as they continued their process.

- But Grigson’s name was removed from consideration Wednesday when he accepted the job with the Colts after going back for a second discussion on Tuesday.

- The Rams are waiting on a decision from Jeff Fisher on their head coaching job. It’s expected that Dawson would be a favorite for the GM job if Fisher lands in St. Louis though he will be a candidate regardless. Should Fisher opt for Miami or not make a decision today, the Rams are expected to continue their search for a head coach with another series of interviews in Denver beginning as soon as tonight and leading into tomorrow.