For the most part, the St. Louis Rams roster has few pressing issues beyond finding some talent. The list of free agents due to walk away from the Rams this spring is somewhat less exciting than the CVC's proposal for upgrades to the Dome. The biggest name on the list for the Rams is wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.
Acquired at the trade deadline for a measly fifth-round pick, Lloyd's positive impact with the Rams mostly went unnoticed because of quarterback injuries and an otherwise stagnant offense.
Lloyd publicly expressed a preference for continuing to play for Josh McDaniels in 2012. He later expressed an openness to stay in St. Louis after the team hired Jeff Fisher as its head coach.
The situation in New England makes it difficult to imagine the Rams having any chance of keeping Lloyd. Wide receiver Deion Branch is going to be a free agent this season. He recently said that he would like to retire as a member of the Patriots. He turns 33 in July. Lloyd is two years younger and a significant upgrade over Branch.
The Patriots have to re-sign or use the tag to keep Wes Welker. They have other needs to address as well, but they do have the cap space to give them some flexibility. Lloyd could be an easy target for the Patriots in the offseason.
Teams must use the franchise tag by Feb. 20, if they're going to use it. That isn't really an option for the Rams and Lloyd. The franchise tag will pay receivers roughly $9.5 million. The Rams, right now, have about $10 million in cap space. That's likely to change, but they'll still be fairly limited. Besides, for that kind of money, they might be better served to look at potential free agents like Vincent Jackson or Dwayne Bowe.
0 recs | 34 comments
no to bowe
Living in Kansas City, I see Dwayne Bowe just about every week. The fans there consider him the anticlutch. He amasses stats but when push comes to shove, he won’t win the game for you. I can’t count how many times he’s hotdogged a route towards the end of the game or dropped catchable passes in the endzone. He’s not a transcendent WR and we would be better served to look elsewhere for the solution.
fletcherisland - February 6, 2012
How much would Lloyd cost us next season?
jmo53 - February 6, 2012 via Android app
What happened to the cap space
One of the perks for Fisher was that we were supposed to have the 2nd most cap space in the league this year. Now all we have is 10 mill. We have to cut Brown and Smith. Wragge did a good job at center this last year. We have to free up some cap space.
MyACLisBrittle - February 6, 2012
thats next year buddy..
Ramfest - February 6, 2012
Exactly where I was headed on this..
There is too much deadweight on our roster that needs to be cut to free up space for us get the players we need. The following are players that I feel we can do without:
QB A.J. Feeley
RB Jerius Norwood
WR Brandon Gibson, Austin Pettis, Mark Clayton
OL Jason Smith, Jason Brown, Jacob Bell
DL Fred Robbens, Dorrell Scott, CJ Ah You
LB Bryan Kehl
CB Justin King
S James Butler
NachoD - February 6, 2012
You want to get rid of King?
Blasphemy! Ok, I kid.
Anyone have the official cap savings on Smith if we cut him?
81 Witness - February 6, 2012
Also
anyone have the cap savings on if we cut jason brown im pretty sure he’s like one of the highest paid offensive linemen in the league. God i hate our oline
Hibachi40 - February 6, 2012
$9mil I believe
jmo53 - February 6, 2012 via Android app
MyACLisBrittle, I was wondering the exact same thing.
I kept hearing aboout how the Rams had all this cap space for Fish to go out and get what the Rams needed and now I here it’s only $10 million? What gives with that?
Nbr1RamFan - February 6, 2012
2013
is when there will be a ton of cap space
itsvon - February 6, 2012
We have to get rid of players this year to make cap space.
Most of the players, as pointed above, are not worth the money they were paid. Next year, we will should have even more cap space, depending on who we get rid of now. This is all searchable data.
RamsFan1979 - February 7, 2012
I'd rather spend a bit more money on a younger better WR than spend a little less
on an aging WR who only does well in one offense so far in his career.
Brick Top - February 6, 2012
but Illinois!
Josh Wehrle - February 6, 2012
We still have some Illini on the team, it's okay
Brick Top - February 6, 2012
Stevie Johnson comes to mind
Josh Wehrle - February 6, 2012
Not clutch
Pass. Go big or go home.
Option 1A Lloyd
Option 1B V Jackson
Draft = Blackmon/Wright/Sanu/Floyd
81 Witness - February 6, 2012
if i remember correctly
Cutting smith would only keep us on the hook to pay $1 mil and save us about $9mil on cap space, bringing our cap close to $20mil this year
elan82 - February 6, 2012 via mobile
about the patriots...
they also have 4 picks in the first 2 rounds. they dont seem to have a whole lot of holes to fill outside of secondary help. its very likely that one of kendall wright, michael floyd, alshon jeffrey fall to them at 27. and they would certainly have a pick of some other high ceiling guys in mohamed sanu, reuben randle, dwight jones, marvin mcnutt, stephen hill or tommy streeter. all pretty big targets who will be available somewhere within their first 4 picks.
both welker and lloyd will be 31 this summer. still new england could conceivably sign both of them, i think they are a team that is always building for the future and doesnt have a huge need for a top tier #2 wr (as they have 2 studs at TE) so i think they take a chance on someone like dwight jones in the draft and plug him in immediately.
i think lloyd stays in st louis.
itsvon - February 6, 2012
Their defense was AWFUL this year...
I can see them using all 1st and 2nd round picks on defense.
jpcisco - February 6, 2012
true
there isnt a huge need for upgrading the offense, which is what my post was about. they have 4 picks in the first 64 plus free agency to plug secondary holes, and LB help.
with defense being their biggest need, they might not spend a bunch of money on someone who may end up being 4th in receptions on the team.
we are all speculating here anyway, not only random internet geeks but the “professional” guessers end up being wrong fairly often as well. id be curious to see the percentage of accuracy for all of the mock drafts put out by different people.
itsvon - February 6, 2012
Mcdaniels...
Patriots named Josh McDaniels offensive coordinator.
He succeeds Bill O’Brien, who left for Penn State. McDaniels was New England’s offensive coordinator in 2006, 2007, and 2008. In 2008, he oversaw a unit that lost Tom Brady in to a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 yet still finished fifth in the NFL in total offense. McDaniels’ 2007 offense finished first in overall offense and first in passing. McDaniels has placed an emphasis on utilizing a vertical passing game, specifically with Randy Moss and Brandon Lloyd as big-time and heavily targeted vertical threats. We suspect he will push for the addition of a true No. 1 wideout this offseason.
via rotoworld, I think Mcdaniels will try to bring Lloyd to NE.
If I had a choice, I would love to go after Stevie Johnson and Garcon in FA. Fisher would keep Johnson’s attitude in check.
jpcisco - February 6, 2012
while we are quoting rotoworld
. Patriots – Appalachian State WR Brian Quick
Quick generated mixed Senior Bowl reviews, but his 2011 regular season tape was indicative of a top-50 prospect, and his long-term upside is as high as any wideout who will be drafted. A vicious crack-back blocker with vertical tools, Quick is an unselfish player in the Patriots’ mold. New England’s offense forces defenses to leave outside receivers in constant single coverage, but they currently lack the personnel to exploit those potential mismatches. Quick could be the answer.[/quote]
so they apparently think the pats could go after a WR in the first round.
itsvon - February 6, 2012
I was posting that because of the Mcdaniel hiring not because of Brandon Lloyd...
we all knew it was coming but now it it offical. If Mcdaniels wants Lloyd in NE he would be stupid not to go. He would automatically become the number 1 option in for the Patriots. They are just coming off a Super Bowl lose and if you were Lloyd wouldnt you rather go to a team like the Patriots over the Rams?? If the Patriots have any interest at all in Lloyd I think he is as good as gone.
jpcisco - February 6, 2012
totally agree
if the pats want him, hes gone. i just dont completely agree that the pats will want him or want to pay him.
itsvon - February 7, 2012
If we are somehow able to keep Lloyd...
and we take Kalil in the 1st round I wonder if by the second round WR Michael Floyd out of Notre Dame will be available? Just think, having a wide reciever corps on the field called the Lloyd-Floyd duo. That may end up being a topic for discussion if nothing else.
Go Rams!
Nbr1RamFan - February 6, 2012
That does sound pretty good.
And it works out pretty good, by the time lloyd gets too old Floyd will just be hitting his prime. I doubt it works out this way but I would be pretty happy about it.
RamFan284 - February 6, 2012
your nuts
he wont make it out of the first, bears already said they want him
randyvannram - February 6, 2012
V.JACK
I’D sign V. Jackson trade down a no farther 12 in still draft a WR Jeffery Floyd or the kid from Baylor. You can never have to many weapons and with the rookie wage scale it can be done. In a perfect world trade with Clevland draft your WR 2nd 1st rounder take the best gaurd or center . 2 round best D tackle or middle line backer move 55 to weak side. i would assume they could a 2nd or a 3rd also with that trade corner is a big need . But what ever they do they should sign a proven NFL WR not B.Lloyd and come back in take 1 very early in the draft then see what Sam can do. They could sign the 4th best left or right tackle in plug him in and would be an upgrade. Not knocking Roger but he is better off on the right side….
SHAWN .B - February 6, 2012
why would you want to move 55? he's fine where he's at, draft an OLB instead
sergey606 - February 6, 2012
+1
jmo53 - February 6, 2012 via Android app
Bring back Clayton
StarzNBarz - February 6, 2012
WR
I still don’t understand why Braylen Edwards has not been in the mix at al so far. I think people tend to think about his failure in San-Fran and forget about his 2 solid years in NY with a average QB. The system Shotty brings is the system Braylen knows already so it wouldn’t take long for him and Brandford to sync. He would be a great pick up, and cheap. Then we could patch up that O-line and for some reason having a statement at Left tackle doesnt bother me, so I wouldnt be upset if we got Kallil with our 2nd overall. I hope we trade it but we will see.
Bukowskijr - February 7, 2012
The Braylon Edwards comment is spot on
If we can keep Lloyd and get Edwards.. Amendola in the slot.. Kalil on the line. that would be nice
MyACLisBrittle - February 7, 2012
in my opinion
braylon edwards just isnt very good. sure i like his size, but he doesnt catch many balls. in his 5 year career he has had 2 good seasons. 1. phenomenal year in cleveland with derek anderson throwing the ball deep to him. that was also with chudzinksi at OC who had a similar game plan this year with Newton-Smith in carolina. the offense was based around braylon and winslow. 2. was his second season with the nyj. where they threw the ball around to everyone. so he only had 53 receptions.
now, im not completely against him. hes a hell of an athlete and has worked with shotty before so he should be comfortable. if he can be had cheaply he would be a nice low risk, high reward option. and that is something the rams certainly need.
itsvon - February 7, 2012
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