The Rams continued positioning their roster for the start of the free agency
and trading period by informing veteran linebacker Dexter Coakley on Monday
that he will be released. Earlier in the day, two-time Pro Bowler Adam
Timmerman got the same news from Rams coach Scott Linehan.
Coakley signed a five-year, $14.15 million free-agent contract with the Rams in
2005, after spending his first eight NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
Coakley, 34, was a starter in ’05, registering 42 tackles, two sacks, and one
interception in 12 games for St. Louis before suffering season-ending leg and
ankle injuries Dec. 4 against Washington. In 2006, he finished with 37 tackles
and two interceptions as a backup, starting five games in place of the injured
Pisa Tinoisamoa.
The Rams would like to re-sign Coakley, a three-time Pro Bowler with Dallas, to
a lesser contract to backup Tinoisamoa in ’07.
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Feb. 26 2007
The news was unwelcome but not unexpected for Adam Timmerman.
The Rams’ guard, a stalwart on the team’s offensive line for the better part of
the decade, was informed by coach Scott Linehan late Monday morning that he was
being released by the club.
“He just said, ‘We’ve got some young guys that have a good chance of
developing,’ ” Timmerman said. “I was like, ‘Well, OK.’ There’s not much you
can say at that point.”
The Rams were the NFL’s losingest team in the 1990s, when they signed Timmerman
away from Green Bay in free agency after the 1998 season. Timmerman was
immediately inserted into the starting lineup at right guard and stayed there
the next eight seasons, playing in two Super Bowls for the Rams and earning two
Pro Bowl berths.
Timmerman’s combination of toughness and athleticism helped the Rams compete on
an equal footing with San Francisco, then the power in the NFC West. The Rams
went from worst to first in 1999, Timmerman’s first season with the club,
winning Super Bowl XXXIV over Tennessee. Timmerman played in 10 playoff games
and two Super Bowls in St. Louis.
He was willing to play in pain, too, playing through an assortment of injuries
over the years while compiling a streak of 204 consecutive regular-season and
playoff games dating back to his rookie season (1995) with the Green Bay
Packers.
But Timmerman missed all but one snap in the Rams’ last three regular season
games in 2006 because of cracked ribs. The Rams won all three of those
contests, with a young offensive line interior that included Richie Incognito
at Timmerman’s right guard spot.
Incognito will open ’06 as the Rams’ starting right guard. Timmerman, dubbed
one of the “Doughnut Brothers” in St. Louis (along with veteran center Andy
McCollum), will attempt to find a job elsewhere in the NFL at age 35.
“I don’t have any doubts that there’s going to be something out there,”
Timmerman said.
Lamar Lundy, who along with Los Angeles Rams teammates Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones and Rosey Grier formed the Fearsome Foursome defensive line that battered NFL offenses during the 1960s, has died. He was 71.
Lundy died Saturday at Reid Hospital in his hometown of Richmond, Ind., after a long illness, said Kevin Fouche of Community Family Funeral Home in Richmond.
Diagnosed with the neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis in the early 1970s, Lundy also suffered from diabetes, Graves’ disease and prostate cancer and had undergone surgery to have a pacemaker installed.
“He was a remarkable human being and a great friend and teammate,” Olsen said Saturday. ” … He suffered through a great many physical ailments, but he kept his good humor in spite of all that.”
The Fearsome Foursome played as a unit for only four seasons, from 1963 through 1966, but the aggressive playing style and outsize personalities of the Rams’ front four ensured their place in National Football League history. Jones and Olsen were both elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Although the Rams posted losing records in the early ’60s, the Fearsome Foursome served as the foundation of Coach George Allen’s rebuilding efforts late in the decade.
St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson’s backup in 2007 will not be Marshall Faulk.
Faulk has dropped hints in recent interviews and public appearances about playing again. While recognizing Faulk’s immense contributions in St. Louis, the Rams management is ready to move on.
It’s a delicate situation for the Rams because they’d like to avoid cutting Faulk. They would rather he made a formal retirement announcement.
OJ Atogwe played high school and OVFL community football in Windsor, Ontario before attending Stanford University and being drafted by the St. Louis Rams. He is now the Rams ‘big play’ defender.
As Washington running back Ladell Betts burst into the secondary late in a Decmeber game, the Rams’ playoff dreams seemed to be saddled on his back as Betts’ No. 46 jersey began to vanish further and further down the field.
The only thing standing between Betts and a likely game-winning touchdown was free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, who came from the side as Betts made an effort to secure the ball in his right arm.
Atogwe grabbed Betts from the left side and swung his right arm around Betts’ back. In a fluid, punching motion, Atogwe jarred the ball loose. Corey Chavous fell on the ball and the Rams went on to win. It was a huge play in a game full of huge plays, but should the Rams make the playoffs this weekend, it might be the play that saved the season.
“He practices that, and we practice that with our secondary; punching the ball out and getting it out,” coach Scott Linehan said. “O.J., he has a knack, has a feel for where the ball is. The fumble on Sunday, the guy actually…if you watch the tape, he had the ball locked away pretty good. He just had a perfect punch on it from behind, which is something we teach. But you’ve got to go execute it. He’s got a knack for that and hopefully we get many, many more.”
The thought of Atogwe making such an important play in such a significant game would have seemed almost silly a year ago. After the Rams took Atogwe in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, he spent most of last season on the bench.
Because of NFL rules that don’t allow rookies to join their teams until their final semester of school ends, Atogwe found himself behind the curve because of Stanford’s late graduation. (more…)
ESPN Defensive tackle: The Rams need a lot of help on their interior defensive line. Veteran La’Roi Glover still shows good quickness and pass-rush ability, but teammate Jimmy Kennedy does not play with the same quickness and tenacity. A quick defensive tackle would help complement the aggressive defensive scheme of coordinator Jim Haslett by slowing down the opponent’s run game.
Linebacker: Speed was the emphasis in the Mike Martz/Dick Vermeil eras, but the Rams have seemingly lost a step in this area in recent years. There is considerable need for younger, faster linebackers who can run from sideline to sideline. Pisa Tinoisamoa has been riddled with injuries over the past two seasons and teammate Brandon Chillar struggles in open space against quicker players. The addition of middle linebacker Will Witherspoon has given the Rams some relief inside, but a bigger, stronger middle linebacker would help the Rams inside and allow Witherspoon to return to his natural weakside linebacker position.
Bulger
Quarterback: With Marc Bulger entering his seventh year with the Rams, there is growing concern for a quality backup and a candidate for quarterback of the future. Bulger had a great year in 2006, but injuries happen at a moment’s notice and the Rams will need a quality quarterback to step in and make plays if Bulger goes down.Guard: The Rams struggled inside at the guard position last season. With right guard Adam Timmerman entering his 13th season, St. Louis needs start thinking about a replacement. This position is critical in slowing down the pass rush up the middle and helping to create a pocket for the quarterback.
Offensive tackle: The Rams are in need of a solid offensive tackle. With two first-round players in Orlando Pace and Alex Barron, the Rams seem to be solid in the starting lineup. However, the Rams do not have a quality offensive tackle they can rely on should injuries continue to persist as they did throughout the 2006 season.
ESPN Though nothing is official, Rams guard Adam Timmerman is not expected to be paid a $200,000 March 2 roster bonus, making him a free agent. Timmerman has been a mainstay along the Rams offensive line since the team’s glory days in the late 1990s. Last year, though, Timmerman tried to tough out the final two months of the season with broken ribs and was replaced by a younger Richie Incognito. The 35-year-old Timmerman was scheduled to make $2.2 million this season. Timmerman has two years remaining on his contract and his release will save the Rams $1.3 million of cap space.
The St. Louis Rams have allocated five players to NFL Europa for the upcoming 2007 season. All five players spent time with the Rams in some capacity in 2006. DE Mike Brown and CB Josh Lay have been allocated to the Berlin Thunder. Brown, 6-4, 250, is a Howard University product who was signed to the Rams’ practice squad on Dec. 6. Lay, 6-1, 197, played at the University of Pittsburgh and signed with the Rams one week later.
A trio of Rams, T Jeremy Parquet, DT Tim Sandidge, and RB John David Washington will play with the Hamburg Sea Devils. Parquet, 6-6, 321, out of Southern Mississippi, spent the final five weeks of the season on the Rams’ active roster but was inactive for those games.
Sandidge, 6-1, 300, from Virginia Tech, was signed just after the 2006 NFL Draft as a rookie free agent. He spent most of the season on the Rams’ practice squad before being signed to Kansas City’s active roster for the final month of the season. Washington, 5-9, 208, spent the entire 2006 season on the Rams’ practice squad after being signed just after the NFL Draft as a rookie free agent out of Morehouse College.
The 2007 NFL Europa season kicks off Saturday, April 15 and will conclude with World Bowl XV on June 23 in Frankfurt, Germany. In addition to the Berlin and Hamburg teams, the Frankfurt Galaxy, Rhein Fire, Amsterdam Admirals, and Cologne Centurions round out the six-team league.
Rams running back Steven Jackson didn’t know what to expect from his first Pro
Bowl.
“I was kind of nervous seeing how the guys were going to approach the game,” he
said. “I wanted to make sure I wasn’t too much out of shape. But when I got
there, it was a lot more relaxed than what I thought.”
That was a good thing, right?
“A beautiful thing,” said Jackson, reached Wednesday in his hometown, Las Vegas.
The practices leading up to last’s Saturday’s contest, won by the AFC squad
31-28, lasted less than an hour. And they weren’t exactly run at a break-neck
pace.
“You can’t go fast because guys are trying to learn the offense you’re going to
run,” Jackson said. “Plus, guys don’t want to hurt each other. So it’s pretty
much like a walk-through.”
The St. Louis Rams, whose string of regular-season sellouts ended at 95 games in their home finale, on Friday announced an average seven-percent increase in ticket prices to $68.28 for next season.The team said nearly 40 percent of tickets will have no increase or will be reduced, and that pricing will be at or below the NFL average.
The team also added three new price categories, including a limited number of terrace level seats at $35 without acquiring a personal seat license.
The Rams had sold out all 95 regular-season games since moving to the Midwest in 1995 before the Edward Jones Dome was about 3,000 seats shy of capacity for a game against the Washington Redskins on Dec. 24.
The Rams finished 8-8 last year under first-year coach Scott Linehan and “that generates great optimism for 2007,” team president John Shaw said.
“Rams ownership continues to be committed to spending to the salary cap to ensure a winning, on-the-field product that builds on one of the most storied and successful franchises in professional football,” Shaw said. “We are confident of making a strong run in the NFC West next season.”
Letters were mailed to season-ticket holders on Friday along with invoices due May 1. PSLs and limited tickets went on sale at the team’s official Web site and through its ticket office. Season ticket flex plans go on sale in April, with single game tickets going on sale in July.
Well since we are in the doldrums of winter I thought I would wax nostalgic and remember the good ole’ days…like 2001.
2001 is not quite as good as 1999, but hey it’s the first video I ran across. Take a look at this highlight video and remember “The Greatest Show on Turf”.
Man, these guys were good!
If there has been one position on the Rams roster that for the past six or seven years hasn’t needed much tweaking it’s wide receivers.
But with free agency set to open on March 2, the Rams will be forced to reconfigure and begin thinking about the future of the position. Starting receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce will return and are still in full stride.
Holt earned another Pro Bowl trip this season (he missed the gamebecause of a knee injury) and continues to be one of the best and most consistent wideouts in the league.
Holt finished the 2006 season with 93 catches for 1,188 yards and 10 touchdowns as he continues toward the Hall of Fame. He will be 31 in June, but figures to have several more years of productivity.
Bruce, meanwhile, came back with his first 1,000-yard season since 2004 on his way to proving that he is still among the league’s best at the position. He finished with 1,098 yards on 74 catches with three touchdowns.
There’s no doubt, though, that Bruce and Holt are getting closer to the end of their runs. In addition, the Rams’ No. 3 and 4 receivers are unrestricted free agents.
Many expected a big year from Kevin Curtis this season, but he didn’t have the output expected as Steven Jackson became more involved in the passing game. Curtis finished with 40 catches for 479 yards and four touchdowns.
Despite the drop in production, Curtis will be one of the most sought-after receivers on the market in an offseason considered lean at the position. The Rams would like to bring Curtis back But there figures to be will be more than one team interested in Curtis..
Shaun McDonald’s role was reduced even more in 2006 as he caught just 13 passes for 136 yards with one touchdown. McDonald did work as the team’s punt returner and had a bit more success in that role than in the past.
McDonald likely won’t return, either, though it’s not out of the possibility that he could. Like Curtis, McDonald wouldn’t mind a return to his West coast roots.
Should Curtis and McDonald depart in free agency; the Rams have Dane Looker under contract. Looker worked exclusively on special teams in 2006, but is still a solid receiving option. He could get the opportunity he has waited for if Curtis and McDonald depart.
After Looker, the Rams also have Willie Ponder and youngsters Dominique Thompson and Marques Hagans on the practice squad. St. Louis hopes Hagans can come along as a returner and develop as a receiver to land a roster spot. Thompson has yet to get much of an opportunity in games, but has flashed potential in preseason and training camp. Ponder is a free agent, but could be brought back as the kick returner if Hagans isn’t ready.
Regardless, the Rams will need to find a receiver or two to compete for spots in training camp. Although the free agent market is thin, the Rams would like to find a big, physical receiver capable of moving the chains. While it’s possible that player could come in free agency, it’s likely the Rams will turn to the draft to replenish the talent at the position.
At tight end, the Rams made some bold moves last offseason.. The team traded incumbent starter Brandon Manumaleuna on the second day of last year’s draft and used two first-day picks on tight ends Dominique Byrd and Joe Klopfenstein.
That duo performed well in limited opportunities, but needs work in blocking. Veteran Aaron Walker was the designated blocking tight end and contributed some in the passing game. Walker is a restricted free agent..
Still, the Rams could use a more another blocker to compete for a position and help in the running game. There are some solid blocking tight ends available. New England’s Daniel Graham is one of the better blockers available. Cincinnati’s Reggie Kelly is another solid option. Expect the Rams to pick up another veteran tight end that can help in the running attack.
As the Rams embarked on free agency a year ago, there were doubts about the future of the team’s running back position.
What would become of Marshall Faulk? Could Steven Jackson handle the load for a full season? Would they be able to find a third-down back capable of picking up key first downs?
Fast forward to now and most of those questions have been answered resoundingly. Faulk sat out last season because of a knee injury. His status for this year has yet to be determined.
Jackson proved himself to be the man the Rams hoped they had when they drafted him in the first round three seasons ago. After playing a full season, Jackson proved to be capable of carrying the load and finished first in the league in yards from scrimmage.
In addition to going over 1,500 rushing yards, Jackson added a new element to his game by becoming a premier pass catcher. All of that added up to Jackson’s first Pro Bowl invitation and has set the tone for what could be a big future in the league.
Now, Jackson is officially a fixture in the Rams’ backfield and a focal point of the offense for the long term.
The question now becomes who will land behind Jackson on the depth chart. It’s uncertain what type of time frame Faulk has put on when the make a decision about his future, but the Rams will probably move forward as if he won’t be with them.
When free agency opens on March 2, the Rams will have the task of adding a pair of running backs behind Jackson. One player the team and Jackson would like to have back is backup Stephen Davis. Davis signed a one-year deal just before the season started in 2006.
Davis was an excellent influence in the locker room and the perfect mentor for Jackson, who credits Davis with his improved performance and approach last year, saying that Davis showed him what it means to run low.
In addition Davis was a solid performer in the red zone and short yardage situations..
The Rams would like to bring Davis back and he would like to return, so it isn’t out of the question that he will return.
Even if St. Louis brings Davis back, it will likely be in the market for a third running back. Tony Fisher was a solid pickup as a third back and special teamer a year ago, but was injured early in the season. He could be brought back, but the Rams would like to find a third back with speed that is capable of returning kicks as well.
Kay Jay Harris showed some intriguing potential as a third back and special teams player and could be brought back to compete next season.
The free agent market isn’t exactly loaded with top backs, but there are some intriguing young options. San Diego’s Michael Turner is restricted, but could be this year’s Chester Taylor. He’s had plenty of success when given the chance, but won’t get much of an opportunity with the Chargers as long as LaDainian Tomlinson is there.
For the Rams, the search for a third back will probably come in the NFL Draft, but there is at least one back on the market who could be a good fit. Chicago’s Adrian Peterson is a solid runner and a better special teams player. He would make a perfect fit, but is probably going to look for an expanded role if he leaves Chicago.
At fullback, Madison Hedgecock will return and Paul Smith could also be brought back to compete. It’s possible the Rams will look for another fullback, but if Hedgecock can stay healthy he could continue in his role.
Regardless, the Rams will be actively shopping for depth in the backfield capable of carrying the ball and helping out on special teams.
For the better part of his time in St. Louis, defensive end Leonard Little has been constantly double teamed and chip blocked by opposing offenses.
More often than not, that type of approach leaves gaping holes or one-on-one opportunities for fellow defensive linemen to get to the quarterback, especially the defensive end on the opposite side.
But free agency has worked against the Rams. Grant Wistrom was the answer, but signed with Seattle three years ago. The following season, Bryce Fisher looked like he might be the man, but Fisher also left in free agency to Seattle.
With high hopes for Anthony Hargrove entering last season, the Rams thought they had the player for the position over the long haul. But Hargrove never developed into the player or person to bring stability to that spot and was traded to Buffalo for a draft pick early in the season.
Rookie Victor Adeyanju filled in admirably for the parts of the season he was healthy. Victor provided the Rams with a much needed stout presence against the run. He should continue to develop as a pass rusher.
After Adeyanju suffered an arm injury, the likes of Brandon Green and Eric Moore began to get snaps. All told, aside from Little’s 13 sacks, the Rams got just 2.5 sacks from the end position in 2006.
That number is unacceptable for a defense that needs pressure from the front four to succeed.
Taking that into account, the Rams have made improving the pass rush one of the top priorities heading into the offseason. That means when free agency begins on March 2, finding a starting-caliber end to complement Little will be at the top of the shopping list.
Fortunately for the Rams, defensive end is one of the few positions that will have a number of top-line talents available when the free agent stampede begins. At the top of the list is the Colts’ Dwight Freeney. Freeney is one of the best pass rushers in the league, but isn’t a likely target for the Rams. Chances are the Colts will likely put a “franchise” tag on Freeney and make him virtually impsossible to get. .
Additionally, Freeney isn’t terribly strong against the run and the Rams would like to have a player who can rush the passer and hold up on running downs. More likely options include New Orleans’ Charles Grant, Cincinnati’s Justin Smith and Atlanta’s Patrick Kerney. All three of those players are unrestricted free agents.
Grant could be particularly interesting because of his previous relationship with defensive coordinator Jim Haslett. Grant has 36 sacks in his five seasons, but is strong against the run and the pass. New Orleans will likely attempt to re-sign Grant, but the Saints have Will Smith to get locked up also.
Atlanta is currently trying to get Kerney signed, but he seems intent on testing the market. Kerney has plenty of experience and is a solid two-way end in the mold of Wistrom. In his eight seasons, Kerney has racked up 58 sacks and 270 tackles.
Smith, meanwhile, is the most likely to hit the open market. A strong run defender, Smith is a local product (University of Missouri) and capable of getting to the quarterback as well. Smith has 41.6 sacks in six seasons and is consistently in the six to eight sack range every season.
Other ends who could be of interest include Kansas City’s Jared Allen (restricted), Detroit’s Cory Redding and Denver’s Michael Myers.
Regardless of who it is, expect the Rams to add at least one end in the offseason either in free agency or the draft.
BEAVERTON (AP) — It was a big night for the Beavers at Sunday’s Oregon Sports Awards.
Five major awards went to people with past or present ties to Oregon State University at the 55th annual event, held at the Tiger Woods Center at the Nike World Campus and hosted by former University of Oregon and NFL great Ahmad Rashad.
The national champion Oregon State baseball team took home the George Pasero Team of the Year honor, while coach Pat Casey was named the Slats Gill Sportsperson of the Year for the second straight year.
Pitcher Jonah Nickerson, the MVP of the College World Series, won the Bill Hayward Amateur Athlete of the Year for men, and Oregon State softball pitcher Brianne McGowan, who led the Beavers to a berth in College World Series, took the Hayward Award for women.
Former Oregon State star Steven Jackson, now an All-Pro running back for the St. Louis Rams, won the Harry Glickman Professional Athlete of the Year award.
Former University of Portland striker Christine Sinclair, who helped the Canadian national soccer team qualify for the 2007 Women’s World Cup and led the Vancouver Whitecaps to W-League pro title, won the Glickman Award for women.
Lake Oswego High School basketball star Kevin Love and three-time Class 4A state champion golfer Rebecca Kim of Tigard High won the Johnny Carpenter Prep Athlete Awards for men and women.
Love, who led the Lakers to the 2006 Class 4A state title, is headed to UCLA. Kim, the first golfer to win the Carpenter Award, is a freshman at Duke University.
The Ad Rutschman Small College Athlete of the Year awards went to two Willamette University athletes. NCAA Division III cross country champion Sarah Zerzan won the award for women, while Nick Symmmonds, winner of the Division III 800- and 1,500-meter titles, won the men’s award.
The Nike-Steve Prefontaine Award given to a high school senior distance runner went to Casey Masterson of Sheldon. Darrick Yarbrough of Bend, the fastest alpine skier at the 2006 Special Olympics Oregon Winter Games, won the Lou Burge Special Olympics award, and Harvey Platt, chairman and CEO of Platt Electric Supply, was presented with the Les Schwab Friend of Sports Award.
Merit awards were given to longtime Portland Trail Blazers broadcaster Bill Schonely and Penny Knight, founder of the Corvallis Knights semipro baseball team.
