Jeez, I think its safe to say this puts the how to cheer video the Rams came up with to shame.
via i.cdn.turner.com
Reggie Wayne is probably one of the most recognizable names in free agency, but hasn’t been mentioned much here at Turf Show Times. Besides being a pass catcher for the seeming guided missiles of Peyton Manning for the past decade plus, Reggie Wayne has been the measure of consistency for the Indianapolis Colts.
The 33 year old New Orleans Louisiana native is 6’ 0" and 198 lbs of pigskin snagging flesh and bone. Reggie Wayne is not the biggest receiver you will ever see, but he runs good routes and has those ever desired soft hands. (Insert joke of choice here.) So what has he done besides be the envy of every undersized receiver in the league?
During his 11 years in the league he has:
173 games played (If you are playing at home that is only 3 games missed due to injury) 862 receptions, 11, 708 yards, a 13.6 yard per catch average, 67.7 yards per game caught, 73 touchdowns, 156 catches of 20 or more yards, 30 catches of 40 or more yards, 618 catches that resulted in a 1st down, and only 8 fumbles. Like I said before, he is the measure of consistency. Even in a year where the Colts had two of the worst quarterbacks under center, Reggie Wayne had 76 catches for 960 yards.
As much as the Colts organization would love to have him back next year, he most likely will end up somewhere else before draft day. Why St. Louis? There is much chatter of Blackmon being the Rams number one pick, and if that is the case, why not bring in one of the most experienced and technically sound wide receivers in the NFL to mentor and counsel him? Even if the Rams go another direction in the draft, Sam Bradford needs a go to receiver opposite the hopefully re-signed Brandon Lloyd.
At the age of 33, Wayne will not command as much in the way of salary as Vincent Jackson. Granted Jackson has more upside by being 3 years younger, but this team’s rebuilding is not all about youth movement, as free agents like Tulloch, Finnegan, and others are names being bounced around at Rams headquarters.
What I’m about to do, is discuss the possibility of our new head coach - Jeff Fisher - bringing back his once-dominant - now dormant - defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth. The remedy for your madness? I’m sure that you’ll find expletives and ridicule will work just fine. See the ‘Post a New Comment’ section below for immediate relief. So find your mental happy place, hit the break aaaaand away we go!
Since the end of the 2011 season has wrapped up, attention now turns towards the combine, the draft, and free agency. Though a team cannot be built through free agency, it can be strengthen and holes can be quickly filled with proven players.
Today I wanted to focus on the best free agents on the defensive side of the ball. Though this class isn't as star studded as the offensive free agents, there are still some good young players who can help many teams tremendously.
The Rams have many needs on defense. Defensive tackle and outside linebacker are spots that must be addressed. Also, cornerback is a position that has uncertainty surrounding it. The top three corners, Bartell, Fletcher and Murphy are all coming off season ending injuries. The Rams could be interested in bringing in a more certain option.
After the jump, my defensive free agent big board.
The debate about the top receivers in the 2012 NFL Draft figures to be more of the more heated discussions leading up to this year's event. One name in the mix among first rounders is Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd. After missing the Senior Bowl last month, he needs to make a big splash at the Combine later this month. And he might be primed to according to Tony Pauline of SI.com.
Floyd missed the Senior Bowl to recover from injuries sustained late in the season. He plans to to run at the Combine, and he might impress with the results. Per Pauline, Floyd's forty time should beat expectations. Some have Floyd running a 4.54 forty right now. If he were to get that number down to the upper 4.4s, his draft stock would catch fire.
The consensus top receiver now is Justin Blackmon. The Oklahoma State product is a very good receiver, but he is not on the same level as a last year's top receivers, A.J. Green and Julio Jones. That has pushed back on the predictions that Blackmon merits at top five pick, where some want the Rams to take him.
Floyd has the size and hands to win physical battles with defensive backs. He does not explode off the line, but he does know how to use his skills to work well against the press. He also has very quick feet to work his way through defenders. Floyd would be a nice fit for Schottenheimer's offense. He can work the slot or the outside, and he does a good job picking up yards after the catch on short passes.
If the Rams trade down and Floyd looks the part, he would almost certainly have to be in play for the pick.
Posting a surprise forty time will not be Floyd's only task in boosting his draft stock. He will have to satisfy concerns stemming from his alcohol arrests in college as well as his injury history.
For a complete scouting report, check out Mocking the Draft.
Bidding for the Los Angeles Dodgers enters an important new phase this month. The second round of bids are due by Feb. 23, and those bids could go along way toward winnowing down the decision as to who will be the team's new owner. St. Louis Rams owner and all around sports mogul Stan Kroenke is still in the running.
Potential buyers will need to convince the Blackstone Group, the bank overseeing the sale of team, that they have the means to cough up the estimated $1.5 billion asking price for the team. Financial records will be thoroughly scrutinized in this phase of the process.
Kroenke should have little trouble making assurances about his finances. Both he and his wife are billionaires.
Simply having the money is only one requirement. Potential buyers will have to pass muster with Major League Baseball and win the approval of Frank McCourt.
The Fox Group, part of News Corp, is courting potential buyers with an eye on a minority stake in the team to procure a slice of the TV rights, worth billions of dollars. Television rights for the Dodgers could be among the most lucrative in pro sports. McCourt tried to keep the team by selling two decades of broadcast rights for some $20 billion. They may be worth more. Even the Padres fetched $20 million annually plus ad sales for their TV rights.
The St. Louis Rams may be close to finding their general manager. According to reports from the Post-Dispatch, Minnesota Vikings director of player personnel George Paton is leading a two-horse race with Atlanta's Les Snead.
Paton had a second interview with the Rams this last week. He will meet with Rams owner Stan Kroenke in the coming days, if he has not already. Paton has held his current position in the Vikings' front office for five years.
And what has Paton standing above the other candidates? His reputation for working with others has reportedly earned him an endorsement from new head coach and football czar in St. Louis, Jeff Fisher. His work as a personnel man in Minnesota speaks well of his ability too, despite the Vikings' miserable record.
Paton made the move to acquire Jared Allen. He also let the oft-injured, but super talented Sidney Rice walk away in free agency rather than tie up big bucks to keep him. That qualifies as making a tough decision, something he would likely have to do with the Rams as the new staff turns over some big contracts on the roster.
Arizona's Steve Keim had some inside the organization lobbying for him.
The same article also notes that Rich Snead will also join the Rams staff. TST was the first to report last week that Snead was likely to join the Rams as a pro scout.
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