St. Louis Rams – Blog

Draft Day Two: Live Blog

10:03 P.M. CST

- Apologies for the delay in updates but obviously got inundated with things happening. Have to write now. Thanks for following along.

8:23 P.M. CST

- The Rams have added more reinforcements for their secondary, pulling the trigger on Johnson.

- Johnson played with Brandon Fisher. He could be a potential safety.

8:20 P.M. CST

- The Colts are on the clock. They selected Clemson TE Dwayne Allen. Interesting, another TE for Luck.

- The Rams are on the clock.

8:15 P.M. CST

- The Giants selected LSU WR Rueben Randle. Great value for them there.

- That wraps up round two. Another name to know: Montana CB Trumaine Johnson, he played with Brandon Fisher there.

8:10 P.M. CST

- The Niners grabbed Oregon RB LaMichael James with the 61st pick in the draft.

- Green Bay grabbed Vanderbilt CB Casey Heyward.

- The Rams are two picks away. Have to think they are looking for an outside linebacker right now. Keep an eye on Spence and James Michael-Johnson. If Randle falls, he could be under consideration as well.

8:02 P.M. CST

- Baltimore grabbed G Osemele, a guy the Rams had some interest in for the third round.

- Marshall DE Vinny Curry is also off the board.

- Interesting that Randle is still available.

7:40 P.M. CST

- Wisconsin C Peter Konz and Oklahoma WR Ryan Broyles come off the board. A pair of solid picks.

- Pittsburgh will take Ohio State T Mike Adams here. Rebuilding the O line in Steel town.

7:28 P.M. CST

- The Packers moved up and grabbed Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy.

- The Rams still have glaring needs at linebacker and guard, two spots that generally are easier to find later in the draft. Someone like Iowa State’s Kelechi Osemele could be of interest. Linebackers such as James-Michael Johnson and Sean Spence remain on the board as well.

- Tennessee grabbed North Carolina OLB Zach Brown at No. 52. The Rams did not have much interest in him.

7:21 P.M. CST

- Pead was the highest rated player on the Rams board at No. 50. They get a change of pace for Jackson who can also do some returning, possibly even punts.

- Philadelphia is on the clock.

7:15 P.M. CST

- The Chargers just took Connecticut DT Kendall Reyes. The Rams are on the clock.

- Pead is a strong possibility here. Premiere speed back with change of pace ability.

7:10 P.M. CST

- That was not a good run for the Rams. Their two favorite OLBs just went: Kendricks and Wagner. That’s not ideal for the Rams.

- New England just snatched Illinois DB Tavon Wilson.

- The Rams are almost on the board. Randle is still there. Some other possibilities: Isaiah Pead.

6:54 P.M. CST

- Had a feeling the Rams wanted to get that fifth rounder they didn’t have from the Brandon Lloyd trade back. Now they have. They just moved back five spots with Chicago and picked up pick No. 150. They now have a pick in every round.

- Kansas City just selected Illinois OL Jeff Allen. Offensive linemen are VERY popular right now. And I wouldn’t be stunned if the Bears went OL here as well.

6:49 P.M. CST

- The Jets moved up with Seattle and grabbed Hill.

- The Chiefs are on the clock. Lots of options going to be for the Rams here.

- Sounds like the Rams could move this pick. Hang on here.

6:45 P.M. CST

- One more note on Jenkins and I’ll get into it more later but wanted to share this: When Jenkins was still at Florida, he covered Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Alshon Jeffery. He shut all three down. He is capable of stepping in to start right away.

- The Bills snatched Glenn. A nice pickup  for them at that spot.

- A little run on offensive linemen here, though Jonathan Martin remains on the board.

- Miami took Martin.  And Seattle traded its pick to the Jets.

6:37 P.M. CST

- Carolina just took Silatolu, a guy the Rams really liked but they couldn’t pass on Jenkins’ immense talent. Silatolu is a nice addition for the Panthers.

- The Rams are on the clock again soon. There are four picks between the Rams and that pick, some really excellent players on the board. If Randle slides, it could be him. Otherwise, Glenn and Kendricks seem like definite options.

6:31 P.M. CST
- The Rams pulled the trigger on Jenkins. They just picked up a top 10 talent at No. 39 in the draft.

6:30 P.M. CST

- Jacksonville has selected Clemson DE Andre Branch. Much needed pass rush.

- Options for the Rams include Randle, Cordy Glenn, Amini Silatolu and Janoris Jenkins. They could also go outside linebacker with someone like Mychal Kendricks. Very interesting options here.

6:27 P.M. CST

- The Rams get their man in Quick, we’ll have more on him later tonight.

- The Colts just got a weapon for Andrew Luck in TE Coby Fleener. I’m sure Luck is pleased with that move.

- Baltimore gets a steal in Courtney Upshaw. I believe he’s one of the 15 or so best players in the draft and a perfect fit for the Ravens. Just a huge get for them. The beat goes onin Baltimore.

- Denver grabbed Cincy DT Derek Wolfe, a player the Rams were high on and a nice solid pick for them in that spot.

- Cleveland just picked OT Mitchell Schwartz from California. It’s an interesting pick but Schwartz is a true right tackle and fills a big need opposite Joe Thomas for the Browns.

- The Rams are two picks away. Honestly, no definite feeling just yet on who it will be but I think there’s a real chance they double up on receivers and get Rueben Randle here.

6:05 P.M. CST

- The Rams will pull the trigger on Quick  right here. It’s a done deal.

- The team worked out five receivers last week. Quick blew them away.

5:57 P.M. CST

- Hello again, Rams fans. Welcome to the live blog for tonight. With the way things went last night and the wild trades and selections coming at a blistering pace, it was hard to keep up. We’ll do our best to do so tonight.

- And you won’t wait long tonight as the Rams pick first to open the second round. It sounds like Appalachian State WR Brian Quick is the odds on selection which shouldn’t surprise those of you who have been paying attention the past couple of weeks.

- Of course, let’s not completely rule out a trade possibility if someone wants to give up a big package to move up.

- Stay tuned.

Second Day Options

- With the second and third round set to begin tonight at 6, the Rams are poised to be the team that makes the most noise.

- Armed with three of the first 13 picks in the second round and the second selection in the third round, the Rams have an excellent chance to fill some major holes. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what’s left, what the Rams need and which directions they could go with their picks in the second and third round.

- Wide Receiver: The Rams were disappointed to miss out on Illinois’ A.J. Jenkins last night but they still have some really strong options they are high on heading into day 2. At the top of the list is LSU’s Rueben Randle and Appalachian State’s Brian Quick. Both of those players figure to come off the board early in round 2 but both also project to have the skill set of potential top wideouts from this year’s draft class. There’s a very strong chance the Rams will go with at least one of those players in round two. Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill and South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery don’t seem likely as possible picks. Also, don’t forget about Wake Forest’s Chris Givens. He could be an option at some point tonight as well.

- Offensive Line: This is where things could be interesting as a number of talented linemen dropped into the second round. Georgia’s Cordy Glenn, Stanford’s Jonathan Martin and Wisconsin’s Peter Konz dropped into round two despite at least some speculation they could go in the first. The Rams’ most pressing need is at left guard but they could potentially draft a tackle and slide Rodger Saffold or Jason Smith to guard. I wouldn’t count on that happening, though. My impression is the Rams will draft a player who is more of a pure guard. Glenn would be a very interesting option for this reason: he could step in at guard immediately but if Smith struggled at right tackle, Glenn has the versatility to move outside. Glenn is also the type of talent that could get a team to move up to grab him.

Looking more closely at likely Rams’ options for the offensive line, here’s some names to know:  Midwestern State G Amini Silatolu, Iowa State’s Kelechi Osemele and Miami of Ohio’s Brandon Brooks. It’s possible the Rams could get a bargain and wait until round three to pull the trigger on an offensive lineman though Silatolu, Glenn and Martin seem certain to go in round two.

- Outside linebacker: The Rams have a need to add one to go with James Laurinaitis and Jo-Lonn Dunbar and fortunately for them, save for Luke Kuechly the best 4-3 type LBs are all still on the board. The Rams hosted a number on pre-draft visits and there are two they are high on still available. Cal’s Mychal Kendricks and Utah State’s Bobby Wagner are on the board. It’s unlikely both would fall into round three but one of them possibly could. The Rams could also wait and hope to add someone like Miami’s Sean Spence or Nevada’s James-Michael Johnson in rounds three or four.

- Running Back: There was some disappointment when Boise State’s Doug Martin and Virginia Tech’s David Wilson came off the board in the final stages of round one. But there are still plenty of options, not least of which is Miami’s Lamar Miller. Miller could certainly be in play for the Rams with one of their second round choices as a speedy, home run hitter to complement Steven Jackson. Oregon’s LaMichael James and Cincinnati’s Isiah Pead are other options though they likely wouldn’t be in play until the third round.

- Cornerback: The Rams don’t have as pressing a need at corner as the positions listed above but consider that North Alabama’s Janoris Jenkins is available as we enter tonight. Jenkins is a top 10 talent but has character issues. Of the remaining corners, he stands above the rest. If the Rams are OK with his off the field concerns, don’t be stunned if they use a pick on him tonight. If it’s not Jenkins, don’t expect the Rams to look at corners until round three where Louisiana-Lafayette’s Dwight Bentley could be in play.

- Other: There are some intriguing players at positions outside of the ones mentioned above. The case could be made that Stanford’s Coby Fleener is the best pass catcher available regardless of position. The Rams don’t desperately need a tight end but they could use more help at the position and obviously need pass catchers. Alabama DE/OLB Courtney Upshaw also sits available and could be another guy that though he doesn’t fit the Rams, could help get a trade up.

- Trade down: Make no mistake, the Rams want as many picks as they can get in the top 50 of this draft. If there’s a team that really covets a player and is willing to give up a lot to move up just a few spots, the Rams could make a trade. But don’t expect that. The Rams have set this up so they can fill major holes and they are in prime position to do it now.

- Thanks for reading, we’ll live blog the draft tonight.

Draft Round One: Running Blog

11:05 P.M. CST

- Sorry we ran out of time to keep updating this with the furious pace. I’ll have another blog with some second round options tomorrow and we’ll live blog the next two rounds. Thanks for reading.

8:45 P.M. CST

- Just spoke to Rams coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead. Both men are ecstatic.

- Brockers was one of the top rated players on Rams board and the team strongly considered him at 6 according to Fisher. He said once Blackmon went at 5, they pursued trade options and were elated to get another second round pick.

- The Rams are now poised for a big Friday with four picks in the first 34 selections of tomorrow night.

- Don’t expect much more action from the Rams tonight but there is a lot to come in the next 24 hours.

- Excuse me for a break for a while here as we do more interviews and I’ll be back later with more updates.

8:13 P.M. CST

- The Eagles do indeed go with Cox.

- The Cardinals grab Floyd.

- I fully expect it to be Brockers for the Rams.

8:04 P.M. CST

- The Chiefs go with Kansas City DT Dontari Poe.

- Philadelphia has just moved up with Seattle to get Cox.

- Arizona is on the clock and expected to choose between Floyd, Reiff and DeCastro.

- Watch for the Rams to make a move on Brockers.

7:50 P.M. CST

- Carolina is up now andthey have selected LB Luke Kuechly from Boston College. That could be a very good thing for the Rams if they covet Cox at No. 14.

- The Bills are up next and are expected to be choosing between Floyd and South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore.

- Buffalo takes Gilmore.

- So we have Kansas City, Seattle and Arizona before the Rams pick.

7:45 P.M. CST

- OK, so the Rams have added a third second-round pick and now hold No. 14 in this first round. Claiborne went to Dallas and Barron went to Tampa Bay. So here’s some things to watch for as the Rams prepare for No. 14.

- DT options: Cox, LSU’s Michael Brockers – I’d make one of these guys the odds on favorite to be the pick, in that order, should they both be available.

- OL options: Staford G David DeCastro and Iowa OT Riley Reiff.  – It’s unlikely the Rams will go with an OL in the first round but either player would solidify this line.

- WR option: Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd – It’s unlikely Floyd falls this far but if he does, he would be under strong consideration.

- There are others but those are some names to keep an eye on.

- Miami has finally brought some sanity to the table and grabbed Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill.

7:35 P.M. CST

- The Rams have traded the sixth pick in the draft to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the 14th and 45th pick this year.

- The Cowboys will take CB Morris Claiborne. Back with thoughts on possibilities for No. 14 in a few moments.

7: 24 P.M. CST

- Well, there’s a curveball. Jacksonville moves up to No. 5. Minnesota is expected to take Kalil and Jacksonville will take Blackmon, most likely leaving Claiborne on the board for the Rams at No. 6.

- Look for the Rams to try to move out of this pick. If not, it could be Claiborne or Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox. Things just got interesting.

7:21 P.M. CST

- Richardson officially to the Browns.

- Minnesota is on the clock and all signs point to it being Kalil. That would likely mean CB Morris Claiborne to Tampa Bay, leaving Blackmon available to the Rams at No. 6.

- We’ll see how it plays out shortly here as teams are turning in their cards quickly.

7:10 P.M. CST

- We are finally underway. The Colts have made it official and selected Stanford QB Andrew Luck.

- The Redskins followed suit with Baylor QB Robert Griffin III.

- Congrats to both teams and both players.

- But let me add this: I have maintained that I believe Griffin is the better player, in fact I believe he is the best player in the draft. But I won’t judge Luck much based on his first couple years in Indianapolis. Griffin is walking into a MUCH better situation in Washington right now in terms of the talent around him.

- Cleveland is up next and will make it official for Richardson. The Browns wasted no time, their pick is in already.

- Richardson is clearly an elite player that the Browns believe strongly in. Say what you want about a market being there or giving up too much for him but if that’s a franchise changing player that you believe in, why not make the move to ensure you get him?

6:40 P.M. CST

- Also, I should make note that Richardson going to Cleveland should kill once and for all the rumors about Rams RB Steven Jackson. Coach Jeff Fisher dismissed those rumors yesterday anyway but now there should be no doubt that the Rams are happy to continue moving forward with No. 39 and Jackson is going to again be the lead horse in the backfield moving forward.

6:30 P.M. CST

- Hello Rams fans, we are about 40 minutes from the draft officially getting underway but it’s already been a busy night.

- News just broke that the Vikings swapped the third pick to Cleveland for the Browns’ No. 4 overall pick plus a fourth, fifth and seventh round choice.

- The move is particularly of interest for the Rams, because it means almost certainly that Alabama RB Trent Richardson will be off the board. It is widely assumed that Richardson will be the Browns’ selection at No. 3.

- How does this affect the Rams?

- Well, as I wrote yesterday, my sense is that the Rams are looking to make a trade down from the sixth spot if Richardson is off the board. Now that he is, I still believe that to be true. Now, the to make such a deal, the Rams will have to find a trade partner. It didn’t seem like there would be much of a market for that pick but this trade actually could alter that some. Here’s how:

Minnesota is sitting at No. 4, if the Vikings pull the trigger on taking CB Morris Claiborne instead of USC OT Matt Kalil, that leaves Tampa Bay at No. 5 with a tough choice to make. The Bucs probably wouldn’t take Justin Blackman or Kalil which would put them in position to make a trade. Buffalo at No. 10 could move up for Kalil or Jacksonville at No. 7 could move up for Blackman. Either way, one of those players would be on the board for the Rams. Assuming the Rams wanted to trade down, they would have the option of dealing their sixth pick to whichever of those teams doesn’t make a deal for Blackman or Kalil.

- Again, this is speculation and much is based on what Minnesota does at No. 4 but it’s entirely possible the Rams might be in luck finding a trade partner that didn’t exist 24 hours ago.

- Keep an eye on Alabama S Mark Barron, too. He’s another player that could become a trade target for someone looking to move up.

- Stay tuned throughout the night for updates.

Fisher: Jackson Talk Just Rumors

- Rams coach Jeff Fisher addressed the rampant rumors about RB Steven Jackson’s future with the team during Wednesday’s pre-draft news conference.

- For those that didn’t see it, NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi reported that Jackson is unhappy with his contract and wants out of St. Louis. Others followed it up by tacking on that the Rams could potentially trade or cut him if the team was able to draft RB Trent Richardson with the No. 6 pick tomorrow night.

- Of course, none of that ever actually came from Jackson himself nor did any word come from his camp to the Rams that Jackson is in any way unhappy.

- In fact, just last week Jackson discussed the possibility of the team drafting Richardson and whether he’d be OK with working with the talented former Crimson Tide back. Here’s what Jackson said at the time:

“The Rams are going to do what’s best for the Rams,” Jackson said. ”I understand that. It’s a business. All I can do is through my own lessons, replacing another legend, is try to be there for the young guy. If he’s receptive, I’ll try to help him and do the world for him. If not, he’s just got to compete, and I’m not backing down.”

- Fisher passed along his happiness with Jackson and mentioned he believes Jackson still has plenty in the tank.

“I’ve said this before, when a big back gets old, you look for one thing – is he getting hit or is he getting tackled?” Fisher said last week. ”Steven’s still getting tackled, he’s not getting hit, so he’s still got a lot left.”

- On Wednesday, Fisher was asked directly about the Jackson rumors and made it abundantly clear that he has seen or heard nothing to imply Jackson is unhappy in St. Louis.

“I think you stated it accurately,” Fisher responded when asked about the rumors. “Steven’s here in the offeason program. He’s upstairs every other day (where the coaches’ offices are located). He’s doing great. Having fun. Learning the offense. No discussion, conversation, or anything along that sort to my knowledge.”

- Fisher was then asked about the possibility of trading Jackson and said those rumors fall in the same boat.

“Same thing,” Fisher said. “We talk about the potential ways of improving the roster. But his name has not been floated out there, and I don’t know where it’s coming from. There were some rumors back when we did the trade with the Redskins that Sam (Bradford)’s name was floated out there. People are just trying to create some excitement.”

ContinuityX Acquires Naming Rights to Rams Training Facility

The Rams and ContinuityX announced a four-year marketing partnership on Wednesday which includes the naming rights to the training facility at Rams Park. Below is the full release on the agreement:

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Rams and ContinuityX today announced a four-year marketing partnership which centers around the naming rights of the team’s Earth City training facility. The facility will now be known as the ContinuityX Training Center.
 
The marketing partnership includes incorporation into marketing and public relations efforts originating from the ContinuityX Training Center, starting with the 2012 NFL Draft. During the entire term of the agreement, ContinuityX will also have exclusive sponsorship rights to team practice jerseys, with its logo appearing on the jerseys.  In addition, ContinuityX will have signage at the Edward Jones Dome.
 
“We are very excited about our new partnership with the St. Louis Rams,” said David Godwin, chief executive officer, ContinuityX. “We feel that it is an honor to be involved with a long established and successful franchise like the Rams. Our four-year agreement will provide opportunities for both organizations to develop a strategic brand that will serve both local markets and an ever growing global environment.”
 
“The Rams are thrilled to partner with a burgeoning company like ContinuityX,” said Bob Reif, chief revenue officer, St. Louis Rams. “The corporate name could not be more appropriate for our organizational efforts as we continue to strive for ‘Continuity’ and ‘eXcellence’ both on and off the field.”
 
About Continuity X
ContinuityX Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB:CUSX), a unique provider of business continuity, disaster recovery solutions and IT Technology services provides consulting services and management of business continuity, virtual/cloud hosting, managed equipment and storage, monitoring, and VoIP solutions. ContinuityX has a vast network presence with collocation in 23 Domestic Markets, as well as 15 International Markets. ContinuityX has quickly moved into the global ranks and continues to show rapid global growth and expansion.

Rams Wrap Up Minicamp

- The quick two-day diversion from the NFL Draft came and went Wednesday afternoon as coach Jeff Fisher and Co. went through a quick hour and 15-minute workout at Rams Park.

- The goal of the two day stint wasn’t to reinvent the wheel, rather, Fisher and Co. worked to introduce some basic concepts in all three phases and get their players running around a little bit.

- For the most part, the 60 Rams in attendance got the chance to do that. On Wednesday, QB Kellen Clemens joined the mix though S Darian Stewart was unable to get back to work from taking an exam.

- There were a few Rams a bit limited as they return from injuries, as well. CB Bradley Fletcher, TE Mike Hoomanawanui and LT Rodger Saffold weren’t quite able to go at full speed but all three did at least a little bit in the past two days and seem to be progressing toward full strength.

- Fisher confirmed Wednesday that as it stands, Saffold will continue to work on the left side with Jason Smith on the right. For now, the open left guard job is being filled by a combination of Robert Turner and Bryan Mattison. Quinn Ojinnaka has been considered as well. Not that any of that means much of anything this early in the game. Much more will be known following the final veteran minicamp in June when the Rams have a full roster.

- Now, though, it’s back to grinding the tape and evaluating the draft prospects for Fisher and his staff and GM Les Snead. Fisher said the Rams are still ranking players by position. When that’s done, he and Snead and some position coaches will do some traveling and hit some private workouts to help break some ties and finalize the final draft board which will come early next week.

- I’ll have a feature on Jason Smith and some news and notes including a bit about Danny Amendola’s recovery on the front page here soon. After that, the plan is to continue draft preparation and previews through next week’s draft. When that’s through, I’ll have some leftovers from this minicamp to get to. Thanks for reading.

Rams Re-Sign Clemens

- The Rams re-signed veteran QB Kellen Clemens on Monday evening.

- Clemens finished the season starting for the Rams as Sam Bradford nursed an ankle injury.

- Clemens threw for 546 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for a rating of 73.8 in his backup appearances last year.

- The addition of Clemens likely ends the Rams’ interest in veteran QB Dennis Dixon, whom the team brought in on a free agent visit a couple of weeks ago.

- As it stands, Clemens and Tom Brandstater are the backups to Bradford on the roster.

- Clemens is expected to practice with the team in the second and final workout of this week’s voluntary veteran minicamp.

Rams Kick Off Veteran Minicamp

- Finally, after a long few months, the Rams returned to the practice field on Tuesday afternoon.

- The minicamp is voluntary for the veterans though with a new coaching staff in place, it’s strongly recommended anyone not wanting to fall behind attends.

- As such, the Rams had 59 of a possible 60 players present and accounted for at Tuesday’s workout.

- The only player not present was S Darian Stewart. Stewart is working toward his degree and had an exam to take. He could potentially join the team for the final practice tomorrow.

- Included in the group attending: QB Sam Bradford, LT Rodger Saffold, RB Steven Jackson, DE Chris Long, LB James Laurinaitis and all of the team’s new additions from free agency.

- Coach Jeff Fisher is pretty wide open in terms of what he allows the media to do but one area he doesn’t like to get into is injuries. So while the Rams had some of their injured players returning to workout, Fisher didn’t provide much of a glimpse at where they stand. He did, however, provide some comedic material when asked about some of his injured players.

“You know, I’ll have an injury report for you on September 5,” Fisher said, laughing.

- Fisher did say that newly signed DE William Hayes had an offseason procedure on his shoulder and was a bit limited.

- Otherwise, WR Greg Salas, CB Bradley Fletcher and others seemed to be rounding into shape and at least participating in parts of the practice.

- OT Jason Smith also was back on the field and he appears to be more chiseled and focused than ever. I’ll have more on Smith’s enthusiastic return to the team in a full story for the front page tomorrow but Smith wanted it known that he has used his battles with concussion to really zero in on the important things. To the point where he says the experience has been life changing.

- Fisher said Smith has been cleared full go and will have no limitations moving forward.

“Yeah, he’s good,” Fisher said. ”He’s been here, he’s been working. He’s been working very well inside and his condition level is excellent. We’re excited about a new start for him, if you will.”

- Considering the timing of the minicamp, Fisher and his staff haven’t had much time to come up for air. They have worked with the players as much as possible but with the draft on the horizon, they have had to get back to draft meetings right after practice.

“Les (Snead) and I decided to take a little extra time, so we started a week earlier,” Fisher said. ”So the first go around we got extra work to do and we have to do some tie breaking here over the next week or so, but it’s going well. The process is going well. The scouts have done a terrific job doing their research and their homework and the discussions and the conversations are going well.”

- The Rams will be back at it tomorrow with another practice. This minicamp is the extra one courtesy of the league for new coaching staffs. The Rams will have another minicamp, for rookies in May and a final mandatory whole team camp in mid-June.

Rams Great Rich Saul Passes Away

- Condolences go out this morning to the family of former Rams center Rich Saul, who died Sunday after a battle with leukemia at the age of 64.

- Originally an 8th round pick of the Rams in 1970 out of Michigan State, Saul became a mainstay on the team’s offensive line for the next dozen years.

- Saul went to six consecutive Pro bowls from 1975-1981.

- Saul retired in 1981 while still playing at a high level.

- For the past nine years, Saul has fought leukemia until succumbing on Sunday. Former teammate and Rams legend Jack Youngblood tweeted the news to the world on Sunday afternoon: “We lost Rich Saul today. Our prayers are with Eileen and the kids. He knew who he was and where he was going. See you again, Richie.”

- Allow us to echo those sentiments in this space. All the best to Saul’s family and thanks to him for contributing so many great memories and moments to Rams history.

Draft Continues to Grow

- With each passing year, the NFL Draft becomes more and more of an event. A few years ago, the league added the NFL Network and thus added more coverage to the event. Along with that, the league began inviting more players and then literally rolled out the red carpet for those players’ arrival.

- Now, some people consider the NFL Draft one of the biggest events in sports and it’s certainly moved to the top of the list of sports-related activities that don’t involve actual games. This year, the NFL has ratcheted it up even more by inviting and getting a total of 26 RSVPs with an affirmative response. That’s right, the NFL Draft will host enough prospects to field a full team with four guys left over.

- With the sixth pick in the draft, the Rams are almost certain to be calling the name of a player who will be in attendance in New York. Along with that, the league has invited each team to send a luminary from its past to announce picks for the team in the second round. The Rams will have two, actually. Former great receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt will be in New York to call out the team’s two second round picks.

- Here’s the full list of 26 prospects from the league that will be in attendance at Radio City Music Hall on April 26.