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January 6, 2015 at 12:06 pm #15609
znModeratorPrioritizing Rams free agents
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/15222/prioritizing-rams-free-agents
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Asked about his desire to keep his pending free agents this offseason, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher gave the standard answer at this time of year.
“We have a number of unrestricted free agents that, as a general statement, we’d like to have all back,” Fisher said. “We’re going to see if we can get that done.”
Realistically, there’s almost no chance that all of the Rams free agents will be back, either because the team chooses to move on, the players finds a better deal, or some combination therein. On Monday, we provided the list of the Rams’ 14 unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights free agents.
Now, it’s time to take a look at where the Rams’ priorities should lie when it comes to retaining those players. Over the next couple of months, we’ll take a closer look at some of the key names here but for now, here’s how I view the group.
Top priorities:
Kenny Britt
Kenny Britt had the best season for a Rams receiver since 2008.
WR Kenny Britt (UFA): Britt’s 748 receiving yards were the most by a Rams wide receiver since Torry Holt posted 796 in 2008 and the first time any Rams pass catcher has surpassed 700 receiving yards since that same season. Not that 700 yards should be some benchmark that warrants millions for Britt on a new contract but he was a pleasant surprise and steadying influence for the team’s young receivers in 2014. He likely won’t be too expensive and there’s a clear sense from Britt’s side that he knows St. Louis and Fisher are his best bets for more success in the long term. It’s unlikely the Rams will have to break the bank for Britt, and the sides should be able to come to a fair agreement.OT Joe Barksdale (UFA) — Barksdale didn’t play as well in 2014 as he did in 2013 but the Rams have invested plenty of time and effort into turning him into a solid starting right tackle. Barksdale feels loyalty to the Rams, who gave him a chance after Oakland released him unceremoniously in 2012, but that will only go so far, and the Rams figure to only go so far as well. Even average tackles get overpaid in this league. The Rams have interest in bringing Barksdale back but there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to pay him like others might.
Next up:
S Rodney McLeod (RFA) — McLeod improved in 2014 but many would agree that free safety is still a position that could use an upgrade. However, considering the Rams’ many needs on offense, it would make sense for the Rams to bring McLeod back for another season. Plus, Fisher and staff like McLeod and they still have a fair bit of control over his future since he’s restricted. It’s a safe bet he’ll be back in 2015.
TE Lance Kendricks (UFA) — Fellow tight end/fullback Cory Harkey is also up for free agency. Harkey is not unrestricted, so it seems all but certain he will return. Even with that, Kendricks is a solid, if unspectacular piece who brings versatility to the table. I’d expect Kendricks to explore the market, but he could be back if the price is right. The Rams also have high hopes for rookie Alex Bayer, who might be able to take on an expanded role next season.
Make a choice:
QBs Shaun Hill (UFA) and Austin Davis (RFA) — The Rams could theoretically bring both back but it seems unlikely that both would make the roster if the Rams follow through on their plans to retain Sam Bradford and bring in a quarterback from the outside. Hill has the experience and Davis has the youth and upside but neither proved capable of being the consistent starter the Rams would need in event of injury. Technically, Davis is cheaper and easier to retain since he’s restricted but either way, this is only a really important decision if the Rams don’t follow through on their plan to bolster the position.
Others such as young offensive linemen Tim Barnes, Mike Person and Brandon Washington are probably worth bringing back if only because the Rams have invested so much time in them and they need depth on the line. Players such as guard Davin Joseph and defensive tackle Alex Carrington who came to St. Louis on one-year free agent deals last year are unlikely to return.
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2015 St. Louis Rams free agents
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/15145/2015-st-louis-rams-free-agents
The St. Louis Rams have 14 free agents as they enter the 2015 offseason. The new league year opens at 4 p.m. ET March 10, when unrestricted free agents can sign with any team.
Here’s a list of the Rams’ restricted, unrestricted and exclusive rights free agents:
Unrestricted:
Joe Barksdale, offensive tackle
Alex Carrington, defensive tackle
Davin Joseph, guard
Shaun Hill, quarterback
Kenny Britt, wide receiver
Lance Kendricks, tight end
Mike Person, offensive lineman
Will Herring, linebackerRestricted:
Austin Davis, quarterback
Rodney McLeod, safety
Tim Barnes, centerExclusive rights:
Cory Harkey, tight end/fullback
Chase Reynolds, special teams
Brandon Washington, offensive lineJanuary 6, 2015 at 12:10 pm #15610znModeratorBritt, Barksdale, Kendricks head list of Rams’ free agents
By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot…cle_741e8721-6870-5d2d-8dcf-122dc97c011d.html
During the just completed season, the Rams addressed the contract status of their two Pro Bowlers from 2013, defensive end Robert Quinn and punter Johnny Hekker.
Both signed long-term extensions. Quinn, who repeated as a Pro Bowler this season, is now under contract through 2019; Hekker is under contract through 2020.
Those are two important pieces of the puzzle to have in place, but work remains to be done in terms of deciding what to do about pending free agents. The Rams have 14 players scheduled for various forms of free agency this offseason, including eight players scheduled for unrestricted free agency.
The unrestricted group includes three starters in wide receiver Kenny Britt, tight end Lance Kendricks and right tackle Joe Barksdale. The unrestricted list also includes backup quarterback Shaun Hill, who started eight games as a result of Sam Bradford’s season-ending knee injury.
The free agency period begins March 10, and at that time unrestricted players can sign elsewhere with no strings attached. Until then, only the Rams can legally negotiate with their unrestricted free agents, although it’s safe to assume the agents for those players will get a feel for the outside market between now and March.
Currently there is nothing resembling serious negotiations taking place with any of those players, but that’s not unusual. If a pending free agent isn’t re-signed by the end of the season, the process normally plays out until late February or early March.
Obviously, if Britt, Kendricks or Barksdale leaves, that creates more holes for the Rams to fill besides the obvious needs at quarterback and the interior of the offensive line. The same holds true for Hill in terms of piecing together the quarterback picture.
Britt, Kendricks and Barksdale would all seem to be priorities for the Rams, particularly if the price is right. Britt revived his career by grabbing a career-high 48 passes this season for a team-high 748 yards and a team-high 15.6 yards per catch.
“I definitely want to come back here,” Britt said. “This is a young team. It’s a great young team. They’ve just scratched the surface on what their abilities could be. They’re growing each day, and they’re growing each year.
“I’ve only been here one year, so to see how they’ve grown from OTAs to now is just amazing. So I want to see ’em grow even more. I hope I can be a part of that.”
Of all the Rams’ free agents, Britt may be the least likely to bolt to the highest bidder because of his relationship with coach Jeff Fisher.
As a Ram, Britt has avoided the off-field issues that plagued his career at Tennessee. And in the three seasons he played for the Titans without Fisher, his career nose-dived, in part because of injury.
With the uncertainty of when Brian Quick will return following shoulder surgery — and it may not be until training camp — wide receiver becomes a much more prominent need if Britt signs elsewhere.
At tight end, Kendricks is 1A at the position because of the presence of Jared Cook. But Kendricks has a different style of game than Cook as an all-around player who can catch passes, block on the line and line up in the backfield. Cook is more of a pass-catching specialist. And with Cook around, that means fewer passes in general thrown at Kendricks.
“I like the team,” Kendricks said. “I like the coaches. I like the players. So for me, there’s no hurry to leave. There’s no, you know, ‘I have to get out of here.’ I don’t dread being here. I love being here.
“Obviously, I would want more of a passing role, but that comes with time and just kinda getting everybody in sync. We’ve gotta figure out where everybody fits (on offense). I think once we figure that out, we’ll be a really, really hard team to beat.”
But if another team comes along and promises Kendricks more of a passing role, he could be tempted to leave.
As for Barksdale, after being released by Oakland in 2012, he has flourished in St. Louis as a starting right tackle in 2013 and ’14. He wasn’t as consistent this season, but if the money’s right it’s hard to see the Rams just letting him walk after investing three seasons in his development.
Among the team’s restricted free agents, the two names that stand out are starting free safety Rodney McLeod and fullback and tight end Cory Harkey. Both entered the league as undrafted rookies, meaning the Rams get no draft-pick compensation if they make a minimum qualifying offer and McLeod or Harkey gets an outside offer that the Rams decide not to match.
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