JT chat, 7/28

Rams chat with Jim Thomas

http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/Rams_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_94?Page=3

Welcome back, Jim. Since I asked the question last year, I’ll ask again. How did Jim spend his summer vacation?
by \”Helen Thomas\” in Kirkwood edited by Mike Smith 2:09 PM

It’s good to be back. And we’ll start with this. How I spent my summer vacation. Visited 1st Lt. John Thomas at Fort Bragg, N.C. Saw my son Roger’s band The Few perform on tour in Atlantic City, Memphis, and Kansas City. (He’s the drummer.) Couldn’t visit oldest son (Capt. Tim Thomas) _ he’s still in Afghanistan. A couple visits to the local pony track (Fairmount), some honey dews around the house. and there you have it.
by jthomas 2:20 PM

What are your current odds of the Rams staying in St. Louis?
by Alex M 2:20 PM

I’m opening camp with the same odds I’ve had for a while 43-57.
by jthomas 2:21 PM

How rare is it to have the entire right side of your OL be rookies? Are there any recent teams that have had success with two rookies on the OL?
by Hoorah 2:21 PM

It’s pretty rare. Well, the Cowboys have had some young guys on their line, but mixed in with some highly regarded veterans. The Rams aren’t quite in that position.
by jthomas 2:23 PM

With the Rams line being questionable at this point.. i envision they will pick on the right side and use that to there advantage…. Any chance we will go after any veterans or potential trades to help us threw the season??? any chance at using talon, pead and players to find OL help or a true #1 WR???
by JO LOUIS 2:23 PM

I’m sure the Rams will continue to look around _ they always do. But for now, they’re going with the young guys.
by jthomas 2:24 PM

What player do you see making the “leap” into pro-bowl status this year?
by Ben S. 2:24 PM

Janoris Jenkins has that potential. He still needs to cut back on mistakes. Tavon Austin is always capable of making it as a returner.
by jthomas 2:26 PM

Do you think Foles remains standing the season?
by Don 2:26 PM

Now that’s THE question, isn’t it? Although he hasn’t had an injury history approaching Bradford’s, he hasn’t exactly been Cal Ripken in terms of durability.
by jthomas 2:27 PM

Jim…I have a friend that works for the LA Times. He said they have been in communication with you about following the Rams to LA…care to comment?
by S Deek 2:27 PM

That is news to me.
by jthomas 2:27 PM

Hi JT! Good to have you back in the huddle! what are your current odds on the Chargers and Raiders getting their own stadium deals done in SD and OAK respectively. Nothing but crickets coming out of those 2 cities. Grubman is in SD today talking with the Mayor and the NFL is very skeptical of the plans they are proposing for a speedy EIR, vote, etc.
by Knux 2:28 PM

Slim (San Diego) to none (Oakland).
by jthomas 2:28 PM

Do you think Stan pleasures himself to all of the angst in this town about the Rams leaving?
by S Deek 2:29 PM

Don’t think he really concerns himself with that.
by jthomas 2:29 PM

Todd Gurley passes conditioning test impressively? Good news! Can you expand on what was so impressive?
by Hoorah 2:30 PM

Can’t really expand. Media not allowed to watch these conditioning tests. It’s just what I was told. And also told the heat and humidity didn’t phase him at all. The very fact that he’s starting out camp on the active roster is a positive development, meaning it’s more likely he’ll be ready to go by opening day.
by jthomas 2:32 PM

From comments during interviews, I get the. Feeling it was not Fish that made the QB swap, agree?
by Don 2:33 PM

I don’t know definitively, but I’ve wondered about that as well.
by jthomas 2:33 PM

What position on the line is Battle best suited for? Was his drafting a sign that they’re not as high as they used to be on their other O-line picks this year?
by Gladdy 2:33 PM

I think he’ll get a look at left tackle, but I’m not certain at this point. I’m sure I’ll do another story on the guy early on in camp. I think drafting him was just a sign that the Rams were a little light at tackle on the depth chart and a chance to get a potential 1st or 2nd rounder with a 5th-round pick. Don’t think it’s a reflection of their earlier O-line draft picks.
by jthomas 2:37 PM

Jim are you going to the owners meeting on August 11 in Schaumburg Illinois?
by Funni 2:37 PM

Not sure at this point.
by jthomas 2:37 PM

Hi Jim, welcome back! So how many wins makes a great, medium or poor season? And what will it take for the Rams to be great this year?
by Jerry 2:37 PM

Making the playoffs makes it a good season. Winning the division makes it a great season. Finishing 8-8 makes it a medium season. To me, anything less than that makes it a poor season.
by jthomas 2:40 PM

Will you be attending the joint practices with the Cowboys in Oxnard. That should be interesting.
by Ben S. 2:40 PM

Yes, I’ll be in Oxnard. Booked my flight a couple of weeks ago. It should be very interesting. The Cowboys always draw several thousand a day to practice; I’m sure there will be plenty of LA Rams fans there as well.
by jthomas 2:41 PM

So JT, is “bones” Fassel your hero now? Or was he always?
by Barry Waller 2:42 PM

I mean, the guy runs marathons and does Triathlons. I’ve always been a little jealous of that.
by jthomas 2:43 PM

Has the parade meter been set for the year?
by Ben S. 2:43 PM

Yeah, we’re opening at 9-7. I reserve the right to change the numbers up till the start of the regular season.
by jthomas 2:43 PM

Did you foresee the Rams being participants in the Supplemental Draft & what did you think of their selection ?
by PlayoffsRams 2:43 PM

I did not foresee it. For a fifth-round pick, why not?
by jthomas 2:44 PM

if the Rams leave will this turn into a Chiefs chat?
by chainsaw4099 2:44 PM

Maybe it turns into a St. Louis Raiders chat.
by jthomas 2:44 PM

Janoris Jenkins pro bowl potential? Seriously? You remember that one game with 10 seconds left in the half where he got burned for a TD? Never been my favorite especially lately with the “love bleeping LA” remarks.
by Dr D 2:44 PM

I know, I know. And those kinds of plays aggravate me as well. But if he just eliminates most of those bad plays, he has the potential.
by jthomas 2:45 PM

This just in: Tom Brady suspension upheld. Your thoughts?
by Patrick Fitzmichael 2:45 PM

Really? Sounds about right.
by jthomas 2:45 PM

Rams defense top 5?
by Todd K 2:45 PM

Not willing to go that far just yet. Let’s see if they make the top 10.
by jthomas 2:46 PM

Have you been able to see the influence that Chris Weinke has had on the qb’s. I know he used to train QB’s around the league in the offseason.
by Ben S. 2:46 PM

Not really. But we’re talking about only 6 practices the media watched during the June OTAs. I haven’t had much to judge.
by jthomas 2:47 PM

St. Louis Raiders sounds good but maybe they change to St. Louis Stallons
by chainsaw4099 2:47 PM

Hah! I’ve still got my old Stallions sweatshirt tucked away in a closet at home.
by jthomas 2:48 PM

C’mon, JT….the St. Louis River Raiders Chat!
by Patrick Fitzmichael 2:48 PM

Pardon me.
by jthomas 2:48 PM

Hey Jim, are you planning to come out to Oxnard, CA when the Rams hold part of their training camp? It would be nice to finally meet you in person after reading your work for the past 20 years here from LA. Your seem like a stand up guy.
by RamTough 2:48 PM

I’ll be there. Don’t know the logistics of the Oxnard camp set up, but if you can, stop by and say hi.
by jthomas 2:49 PM

J Jenkins scored more return tds then anyone else since joining the Rams
by OzyRamsFan 2:49 PM

There’s this. . . .
by jthomas 2:50 PM

Does Battle can only attend meetings and stay on the sidelines during practice? what else? and will you bring more about his contract later?
by Luiz_BR 2:50 PM

No. He practices. He’s on the team. I’ll get the contract details at some point. I’m sure it’s a regular fifth-round deal.
by jthomas 2:51 PM

Personally, not a fan of Janoris. Hate that Rams are trying to renew his contract. He wants out of STL so bad I say good riddance. I say BOOO that man!!!
by Chris 2:51 PM

Why do you say he wants out of St. Louis?
by jthomas 2:52 PM

What’s your take on Bernie leaving the PD? A move up, down, sideways?
by Rams Fans United 2:52 PM

Well, it’s a blow to the paper. And it’s tough to see a longtime friend leave the paper. Bernie’s like a younger brother to me. I’ve known him for most of my adult life. And we’ve been through a lot of stories together. But it’s not like he’s leaving town and I’ll never see or talk to him again. I have immense respect for him as writer and journalist. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better deadline columnist in the country. I’ve felt this way for years. I don’t rate this as a move up, down, or sideways. I just say good luck to Bernie. It’s quite a coup for ESPN 101 to land a franchise player like him. But I’ve heard we’ve got some interesting candidates as potential replacements. The Post-Dispatch will go on.
by jthomas 2:58 PM

JJ made the tweet first about the new stadium being open air. Said if STL wants to keep the Rams he wants the roof because he can’t play in the cold. Then his tweets about loving LA. Booo that Man!!!
by Chris 2:59 PM

OK. Thanks for the info. I’m sure there’s a lot of young, wealthy men who might prefer LA over St. Louis.
by jthomas 3:00 PM

Personally I think Ej Gaines should be our #1 CB your thought?
by GO RAMS 3:00 PM

Possible. Really looking forward to seeing if Gaines can build on his impressive rookie success.
by jthomas 3:00 PM

Do the Rams need to go better than 3-2 in their first five games before the bye to have a shot at the playoffs ?
by Todd K 3:00 PM

Well, they have to be at least 3-2 in my opinion. A fast start is imperative. 1-3 out of the gate isn’t going to cut it.
by jthomas 3:01 PM

If you see Bernie, please let him know he will be sorely missed. Been reading him for decades. And that, sadly is not enough!
by MJ 3:01 PM

I talked to him for about a half hour on Monday night, but I’ll certainly pass along you sentiments next time we speak.
by jthomas 3:02 PM

During your vacation did you stop by the studios at espn 8 the ocho? I hear they have a new display featuring the ball Peter LaFleur used to eliminate white Goodman.
by Boon 3:02 PM

They were doing some renovations at the Ocho for much of the summer, so I couldn’t stop by.
by jthomas 3:03 PM

Jim, down deep do you really think the Pats have fairly earned their rings?
by Don 3:03 PM

That’s an interesting question. In my mind, the least talented of their Super Bowl championship teams _ maybe of all their Super Bowl participating teams _ probably was the one that beat the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. So maybe that one, based on the allegations of illegally taping the Rams’ Saturday walk-through, is the one that’s most tarnished. The foul play certainly is part of their legacy. But they’ve also been very, very good under Belichick and Brady.
by jthomas 3:07 PM

Jim, just got hear and just heard Todd Gurley is starting camp on the ACTIVE roster. True?
by ramsterpat 3:07 PM

Yes, I tweeted that out on @jthom1 just at the start of the chat. Obviously, this increases the chances of Gurley being ready for the opener.
by jthomas 3:08 PM

Glad you’re back Jim…Hope all is well with you…Any clue on the type of leg injury Cody Wichmann has? Sprain/Strain or something more?
by LA Champ 3:08 PM

I believe it’s a calf injury. Not considered serious. He’s just not quite ready to practice.
by jthomas 3:09 PM

Who has more upside to play center: Rhaney, Barnes or Jones?
by Luiz_BR 3:09 PM

It could be Rhaney, who’s athletic and quick off the ball, but needs to add strength. But don’t think he’s quite ready to take over at this point.
by jthomas 3:09 PM

Jim, will we hear from Demoff during training camp, or will he continue to hide.
by Steve 3:09 PM

Don’t think he’s hiding. This is my second day back and I think I’ve already corresponded with him about a half-dozen times via text on various matters. In terms of public comments however, he may not feel this is the right time to be out there.
by jthomas 3:11 PM

So Brady destroyed his phone…Admission of guilt in your opinion, or tragic accident that most are overreacting to? Like, oh my, somehow my phone wound up in the garbage disposal and I turned it on for 10 mins…LOL
by LA Champ 3:11 PM

Well as someone who wiped out two cell phones in an eight-month period about a year ago _ including dropping one in a cup of coffee _ I’m probably not the one to judge on this one.
by jthomas 3:12 PM

Why Nick Fairly 7 million, yet not a proven vet for the the offensive line. I think they will regret that move
by Ken Tarlow 3:12 PM

Actually, Fairley’s more like $5 million. But I do agree that they may regret not going out on a high-priced free agent this past offseason. (While recognizing that they pretty much got burned on the big contracts with Jake Long and Scott Wells.)
by jthomas 3:15 PM

Still got a sickening feeling the Raiders & Chargers are coming to LA and my beloved Rams are staying in the Lou….Just to much support for our team in the midwest….Your thoughts?
by LA Champ 3:15 PM

Nobody knows for sure at this point. But there is a lot of support for what’s been a woebegone franchise here for the last decade. And Peacock and Blitz have made amazing progress in a relatively short time. I don’t know why the league doesn’t just expand into LA, or let the Rams leave and expand into St. Louis.
by jthomas 3:18 PM

Le’Veon Bell is playing against us week 3…Does that change anything as far as win/loss prediction?
by LA Champ 3:18 PM

In my mind, no.
by jthomas 3:18 PM

Brady destroying his cell phone is akin to Arthur Andersen shredding papers in the Enron scandal. If you can’t produce the evidence in your possession that would help prove your innocence (or guilt), people will assume (legitimately) that you are guilty.
by Greg 3:18 PM

My previous joke aside, I see what you’re saying.
by jthomas 3:19 PM

If financing is in place for the Riverfront Stadium, what odds do you give St. Louis keeps the Rams?
by Steve 3:19 PM

Well, the odds approach 50-50 at that point.
by jthomas 3:19 PM

What’s the chance Malcolm Brown beats out Watts or Reynolds for a RB spot? Would he have to pass I. Pead too? I know it would be as a special teamer, but he appears to have significantly more talent in actually running the ball, would that be a correct assumption?
by LA Champ 3:19 PM

I think he’d probably have a better chance of beating out Watts or Pead as opposed to Reynolds. Reynolds has developed into one of the top special teams players on the team. Don’t underrate Watts, however. Although he lacks ideal speed, the coaches really like his instincts as a runner.
by jthomas 3:36 PM

I’m curious as to whether they will hold Gurley back for a while or let go as hard as he feels he can.
by Lou 3:36 PM

Well, the mere fact that he opens camp on the active roster increases the chances _ barring any setbacks, of course _ that he opens the season on the active roster. I’d have a hard time, however, seeing him getting 20-25 carries out of the box. I think that’s something he’ll have to build up to.
by jthomas 3:38 PM

What is going on with Joyner? No hype at all…
by mike 3:38 PM

We haven’t written anything on him since last season. I’m sure we’ll revisit during camp.
by jthomas 3:38 PM

Do you have a feel for how well the Raiders will do this year?
by Lou 3:38 PM

Not really. Maybe I should start paying more attention to them.
by jthomas 3:38 PM

When do you think we will know 100% whether the Rams stay of go?
by Vern 3:39 PM

We should have a pretty good idea by the end of the calendar year. And hey, it’s almost August.
by jthomas 3:39 PM

Story out of Philly that Foles would get down on himself and didn’t take well to tough coaching. Any thoughts?
by Carolina Ram 3:39 PM

Not really. We’ll see what happens here.
by jthomas 3:39 PM

Jim, I know it’s been stated that the league isn’t interested in expansion, but do you think if this return to LA situation continues to become more complex, they might change their tune toward expanding into potential cities damaged by this fiasco?
by Brent Staulcup 3:39 PM

Complex as LA relocation may be, I don’t think the league is looking at this as a fiasco. The problem with expansion, obviously, is it forces the teams to cut the TV pie into a couple of more slices. Plus scheduling would be a lot more difficult with 17 teams per conference as opposed to 16. I don’t sense that there will be any change in how the league feels about expansion.
by jthomas 3:42 PM

Why in the world would the St Louis want Mark Davis. We have had Bill Bidwell and Stan Kroenke. Paying another round of PSL and taking on an additional 250 million of public debt for Mark Davis is insane.
by ramsfan 3:42 PM

But what if Mark Davis wasn’t the owner of the Raiders?
by jthomas 3:43 PM

Jim, knowing that the stadium was not going to meet the lease agreement, why do you think STL waited so long to get a new stadium plan in place. This would not have even been an issue if STL would have begun a stadium plan back in 2010?
by westcoastram 3:43 PM

I don’t think the city waited very long at all. You had to let the arbitration process play itself out after that.
by jthomas 3:44 PM

Any news on the cross ownership situation with Kroenke?And,if financing is in place for the new stadium,and they still let the Rams move,is a law suit in order?
by mark 3:44 PM

Have not heard anything on cross ownership. I don’t think having the financing in place would necessarily make for a better lawsuit.
by jthomas 3:45 PM

Jim – What are the chances that the league steps in, and tells Stan and Davis to swap franchises. Stan can then move his Raiders to LA, and Davis can leave the Rams in the Loo…
by Simple.10 3:45 PM

I think there are a lot of scenarios still being contemplating.
by jthomas 3:45 PM

Hi Jim Greetings from Calgary and welcome back! Love your comments! Who do you think is the most important top 3 guys to get signed and keep long term? Thanks.
by donniewatters@rocketmail.com 3:45 PM

I’m assuming you mean of the current group of prospective free agents. Then I think you’d have to say Foles (realizing there’s not much of a sample size), McLeod (based on his improvement last year), and Zuerlein (you don’t realize how valuable a good PK is until you don’t have one.)
by jthomas 3:47 PM

Jim, great to have football and you back. I am big on Rob Havenstein, who blocked for Melvin Gordon at Wisconsin and handled Randy Gregory of Nebraska with ease. Any thoughts on what you have seen of him?
by Jim and Fran 3:48 PM

Not yet. Keep in mind, I’ve seen only 6 June practices of the post-draft Rams and none with the players in pads.
by jthomas 3:48 PM

I know Kronke’s not an endured figured, but seriously hasn’t he spent good monies on the Rams in St. L?
by Don 3:48 PM

Yes, he certainly has. The Rams have spent to the cap basically every year. He spent a lot of money hiring Fisher and his staff. And Kroenke has made millions and millions owning the Rams, dating back to when he bought 40 percent of the team for a mere $80 million in 1995. And during the early years of the team in St. Louis, the franchise was one of the league’s 2 or 3 most prosperous teams.
by jthomas 3:51 PM

I look forward to next year when your chats will just be about the St. Louis Rams team. I am so tired of hearing about LA. Anyway I wanted to get your thoughts on Bernie leaving the Post.
by KeepTheRamsinSTL 3:51 PM

You can check my earlier comments on Bernie, but I’ll just add that I didn’t see this coming. I had heard that 920AM was nibbling in Bernie’s direction but didn’t know that anything serious was going on with 101. I’ve been on my down time and hadn’t talked to Bernie in several weeks. I returned from a Kansas City show by my son’s rock band, The Few, at about 4:15 a.m. Saturday morning, picked up the paper off my front lawn, and saw the story that Bernie was leaving. Obviously, I’m very happy for Bernie and wish him nothing but the best, but am personally disappointed that he’s leaving the Post-Dispatch.
by jthomas 3:55 PM

Personally, I think the Raiders may be in play for an ownership change. There is too much money in the Bay Area where one of the tech billionaires (e.g. Larry Ellison) wouldn’t come in a buy them. I get the feeling the NFL would like nothing more than to have Mark Davis out of the owners group. Any thoughts Jim?
by Gene 3:56 PM

I don’t necessarily disagree with what your saying.
by jthomas 3:56 PM

I would love the Rams to stay in the stil however, I am concerned about the financial affects of building a new stadium would do to the city. Does an nfl team bring that much revenue to a city? If a stadium does get built, do we get a Super Bowl in the future?
by Dustin 3:57 PM

Probably don’t get a Super Bowl _ not without a roof anyway. As for financial impact, I think it’s pretty well established that having an NFL team brings in a certain amount of money just based on the payroll tax of the players. Is it a financial boon? No, but I don’t think you can say it hurts a city. And how do you financially measure the prestige with being regarded as a big-league city?
by jthomas 4:01 PM

Jim, thanks for the chats. Could you give us a timetable on Gurley?
by Brent 4:01 PM

I don’t think a precise timetable has been established yet. But since he’s on the active roster, I’m interested to see how much he does in practice Friday.
by jthomas 4:02 PM

Jim, how will Bernie leaving the PD impact the STL effort to keep the RAMS? Bernie has been a strong supporter with his insightful columns. Who will pick up the slack?
by Jman 4:02 PM

Bernie will still be a strong supporter, just on the radio and I would presume the station’s web site.
by jthomas 4:02 PM

My question is what is the most important FA we will need to sign after this season.. i think we will have upwards of 15 rams available for FA next season… seems as if this is the burden of having all of those draft picks..
by JO LOUIS 4:03 PM

It’s exactly that _ the burden of having all those picks. Although I think we can expect a couple members of the group will be signed before the start of the regular season, the vast majority will play out the season. To a large degree, it depends on how a lot of those guys perform this season. But I would think Foles, Jenkins, McLeod, Zuerlein would be at or near the top of the list. I’d think in an ideal world you’d want to bring at least one of your backup ends back (Hayes and Sims). If Quick picks up where he left off before the 2014 injury, you’d certainly want him back. So there’s a lot to mull through.
by jthomas 4:07 PM

Hi Jim, We’ve missed you! And hope you had a great, restful vacation! Two things, if I may: the first is, can you tell us any more about the Rams lack of interest in Stefen Wisniewski at this point? I remember you saying you had some insight into that but couldn’t divulge it as of a few months ago. And where are you now on the chances the Rams stay in STL? Thanks!
by Tom 4:07 PM

Still can’t divulge at this point.
by jthomas 4:08 PM

How many td passes for nick foles?
by golden mo 4:08 PM

26
by jthomas 4:08 PM

Report coming out of Philly said that Foles would get down on himself and didn’t like being coached hard. Any information on your end that would either refute or confirm?
by Carolina Ram 4:08 PM

Can’t really add to it at this point.
by jthomas 4:08 PM

Saw that Josh Freeman was released. What happened to him? Always seemed to have some upside, for sure. Not going to ask anything stupid like if the Rams would be interested, but he sure looked the part for a while.
by steve r 4:09 PM

Freeman signed with Miami, the Dolphins announced today. He certainly hasn’t followed up on his early success.
by jthomas 4:10 PM

Love these chats and glad they are back. Has anything transpired in the last month or so to give you more hope that the Rams stay here? My feeling is that Kroenke is too conservative to alienate the fans base am much as he has without assurances that he is going to get his way. Thoughts Sir
by Verminator 4:10 PM

I’ve heard good things about the Rams’ chances to stay in St. Louis and bad things, based on conversations I’ve had with NFL types during my down time. (And I haven’t had a ton of such conversations in that past month.) So I’m not sure much has changed. The basic dynamics of the situation, I think, remain the same: the St. Louis stadium task force people need to do everything they can to have the land acquisition sewed up as well as the strongest financing plan possible. Otherwise, there’s not much of a chance of the NFL staying in St. L.
by jthomas 4:14 PM

Hi Jim, hope your vacation went well. Is there any more information about the stadium area land acquisition or any word about when we could hear about the resolution to the outstanding lawsuits?
by STLMike 4:14 PM

I’m no legal expert, but I would think there would be something on the lawsuits fairly soon.
by jthomas 4:15 PM

Do you think Fairley will become the starter over Brockers as the season progresses?
by Tom 4:15 PM

Don’t think so. But undoubtedly Fairley will push both Brockers and Donald.
by jthomas 4:15 PM

Two questions, will they get a new stadium and will it have a team to play? Odds?
by Don 4:16 PM

As I mentioned earlier, still 43-57. There will be no new stadium without a new team.
by jthomas 4:16 PM

Hi Jim, I’m confused with Fishers approach to the offensive line. Past years he was reluctant to play rookies even if they were drafted high. Now, it appears he is ready to start 2 rookies next to each other with a first-year center to boot. Why the change in philosophy? Surely a #2 overall draft pick could have played guard from day one last year, but didn’t (even though the replacement wasn’t very good). So why rush these guys in there?
by WxGuy 4:16 PM

Yeah, it is kind of odd. Certainly seems like an about-face. About the only thing I can say is that they’ve been burned by big-money free agent signings on the O-line for the most part. Also, I think they feel Havenstein and Brown will be NFL ready quicker than say Robinson
by jthomas 4:18 PM

Jim Is the O-line your biggest concern going into the season.
by Ben S. 4:18 PM

Yes. Without a doubt.
by jthomas 4:18 PM

Will the rams make any moves before the season starts…. safe to say we do not have a true #1 WR with AJ Green most likely resigning or getting Franchised
by JO LOUIS 4:18 PM

Obviously, injury or poor performance can lead to some roster shuffling. And yes, I don’t think you can say the Rams have a true No. 1 WR, but I think they feel good about who they have.
by jthomas 4:20 PM

Per “The Fast Lane” the NFL’s preference is to have Oakland and San Diego occupy Carson and the STL stay put. I forget who reported this, but do you believe there could be any validity to this? Thanks and welcome back!
by steve r 4:20 PM

I think people have speculated that this is the case; don’t think any one has reported on it as fact.
by jthomas 4:21 PM

Pead has been subpar to the rams since drafting any chance in us moving him and players like Tavon to attempt to gain a true #1 wr….?
by JO LOUIS 4:21 PM

Pead would bring next to nothing in a trade.
by jthomas 4:21 PM

Other than O line, what do you see as the Rams most pressing needs?
by JPM 4:21 PM

Is Foles the answer at QB? Do the Rams have any real playmakers/difference makers on offense? Can the secondary in general and the cornerbacks in particular show enough improvement and cut down on the number of big plays allowed?
by jthomas 4:23 PM

Do you think the NFL will announce the owners meeting to vote on LA 1st or will the Rams come out and say “we are moving to LA”. If there is still no statement from SK before the vote then is it a tell he doesn’t have the votes?
by Timbo 4:23 PM

I think the Rams will file for relocation to LA (along with Chargers and Raiders) and then there will be a vote.
by jthomas 4:24 PM

Jim I’m fairly optimistic about the Rams WR corps this year. I think Foles can provide better passes to our group. Even though the run will be clearly featured, I feel that Britt can get 1000 yards and maybe close to 10 TDs. Remember – Fisher’s best Titans teams got solid production out of Derrick Mason, even famous FA bust Drew Bennett had afew solid seasons with the Titans. Bailey/Austin will also do well coming out of the slot. Cook and Kendricks can also offer opportunities in the passing game.
by Shawn McGrail 4:24 PM

I liked what was happening early last season with the big receivers (Quick/Cook). It would be nice to see Bailey involved in the offense from the start. Perhaps things will go smoother for Austin in his third NFL season. That’s kind of the optimistic view. We’ll see.
by jthomas 4:26 PM

Headed into camp, aside from the O-Line youth, what is your area of greatest concern/questions for this team?
by Tackleberry 4:27 PM

Cornerbacks in particular; big plays allowed by the secondary in general.
by jthomas 4:27 PM

To answer Hoorah’s question, the 2014 Jaguars had two rookies start on the OL and a third with only a few games experience. Just look at how well that turned out! Umm…nevermind.
by Patrick Fitzmichael 4:28 PM

Thanks for the info on this Patrick.
by jthomas 4:28 PM

Good Day Jim, and welcome back from vacation. Is it OK with all turmoil around the Rams, just to want see some football, and enjoy a winning season ?
by OzyRamsFan 4:28 PM

Yeah, I think we’ll give you a pass on that one.
by jthomas 4:29 PM

Would you say Gaines may have been one of the biggest steals of last years draft?
by Don 4:29 PM

Looks that way.
by jthomas 4:29 PM

I heard a rumor that Peacock & Blitz have a group interested in buying the Rams if Enos were to sell. A simple yes or no off the record is fine. By chance have you heard that too? Glad your back love your chats!
by STLRamMan 4:29 PM

Peacock knows a lot of people.
by jthomas 4:29 PM

Are the Rams at a disadvantage with signing their players whose contracts are up? If I was a player, I wouldn’t want to sign until I knew what city I would be playing in.
by Uncle Leo 4:30 PM

Not sure that’s really a factor.
by jthomas 4:30 PM

do you think that brown will be like Watkins? I hope not.
by steven 4:30 PM

Jamon Brown? No, I don’t think he’ll be the next Rok Watkins.
by jthomas 4:31 PM

Does the 4th QB at the end of training camp get cut or is there a trade value? We need more picks for next year.
by Uncle Leo 4:31 PM

Doubt if they’ll be any trade value for the No. 4 QB.
by jthomas 4:31 PM

I now work out by Rams Park and I get off early Friday. Is it worth going to the first day of practice? What actually goes on?
by Trevor 4:31 PM

Come on by. There’s blocking and kicking, throwing and catching. The 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills can be entertaining. The one-on-one pass blocking drills between the o-line and d-line are fun to watch. You can sip a cold beer on the lawn while watching, and get as close to the players as you can in any professional sports setting.
by jthomas 4:34 PM