Free agency season is far from over, and the Rams seem to be a little more active lately, at least in terms of their visits with free agents, in an attempt to shore up team depth at certain positions. Given the lull, I thought this was a good time to take another look at the specific team needs for the St. Louis Rams. 

1. Quarterback

The Rams averaged slightly more than 10 points a game last season. There were lots of reasons for that. Not even halfway through the season calls for Keith Null to start turned into demands. When die-hard fans start clamoring for a rookie QB who threw played his last game at the Division II level, it can be said that the team needs a QB. Marc Bulger gave the team some solid seasons, but the overall decay around him proved to be too much. No position has the impact on a team that the QB does, and the franchise can't continue the rebuilding process much longer without addressing that need. Where the Rams next QB comes from is subject to some debate, but the glaring need the team has at this position is not. 

2. Defensive end

The Rams need a pass rusher...an every down pass rusher to play opposite Chris Long. Leonard Little and James Hall, hardly locks to come back to the team in 2010, can have success in limited duty, but they're role players at this stage. The addition of Fred Robbins gives the Rams a competent group of defensive tackles, not that they still couldn't use another, but the need for a defensive end is much greater...think about the old days with Wistrom and Little starting at DE. It would be great to see the team able to nab a guy like DE Corey Wotten would be a score in the second round, and give Spagnuolo the kind of DL who can lineup on the inside when the matchup is right. Or do the coaches think they can get Carlos Dunlap, should he fall to the 33rd pick, focused on the game? Is it too much to ask for Derrick Morgan to be available when the second round starts? Probably. 

3. Weakside linebacker

Personally, I think the run defense lacks as much here as it does at defensive tackle. A good WLB playing alongside James Laurinaitis would vastly improve the Rams defense, both against the run and in covering tight ends or running backs. Na'il Diggs, if the Rams end up signing him, gives the team better depth than Paris Lenon, but he's not the answer. 

4. Tight end

The need for a speedy pass catcher has been evident for some time, and could be especially useful if the Rams end up having a rookie QB. A threat at TE would help Rams receivers too. It's tough to rank the needs at DE, WLB and TE for me because I can easily see why each one is of critical need.

5. Backup running back

We can argue about what exactly what kind of running back we want to see here, but the need is obvious. A better offense all around will help reduce the workload on Steven Jackson, but the right backup running back could not only save tread on his tires but give the offense another dimension entirely. 

6. Right tackle

The Rams probably don't have a need here immediately, assuming they don't trade Alex Barron. Eventually, they will have a need here...like next season. Finding that player now would be of benefit because it would give the Rams quality depth at OT.

7. Cornerback

If the Rams sign Kevin Dockery, they will have immediately improved their depth at this position, a weakness that was really exposed last season. Bradley Fletcher Bradley came on strong as a rookie, and we're hopeful that his rather serious leg injury won't stunt his growth. Playing with Ron Bartell gives the Rams a decent pair of starting CBs.

8. Wide receiver

Yes, the Rams could use a true blue number one WR, a real playmaker type guy. However, they have some intriguing young talent at this position that could complement each other quite well with Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery and Brandon Gibson. Give these guys a season with a better QB situation and pass catching TE. However, there are big injury questions among that group, making another WR a useful component.

Alright, there is plenty of room for argument here, so weigh in with your thoughts. 

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  The mock drops Monday; the arguments begin shortly after.  But to get your juices flowing, here's 7 picks that changed the course of the mock to tide you over until Monday.

8 - Oakland- Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland

  Not an incredibly original pick post-combine, but one that makes sense, given the Raiders' needs, their options with their 1st pick, and the 400-year-old robotdemonzombie named Al Davis.  Of course, nobody values Campbell in the top 10, so stretching this deep to take a workout warrior has reverberating effects on the rest of the 1st.  Seven more preview picks after the jump.

16 - Tennessee - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

  Along with the offensive tackles, their face-to-face opponents (DEs) make up another tough to mock group.  JPP might have the highest upside along with Derrick Morgan (DE, Ga. Tech), but playing on the same line as George Selvie (DE, S. Florida) and not showing a repertoire as deep as Morgan puts him damn near anywhere in the first.  

20 - Houston - CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson

  Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson formed, arguably, the most potent passing duo in football last year.  The Texans' aerial successes glossed over a pretty dismal running game, though, largely due to Steve Slaton who, to damn near everyone's surprise, sucked.  Bad.  And then got hurt.  Spiller puts Houston in a better position in the running and return facets and would be a great back-by-committee choice to pair with Slaton in 2011.

32 - New Orleans - Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri

  Not a controversial pick, but it means he won't be there for the Rams.  Who do we grab at 33 if he's not there?

15 (47) - New England (via Tennessee) - Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona

  Talented, hard-nosed and oft-injured.  With Ben Watson gone, the need is there for the Pats.  Despite the injuries (which cannot be overlooked, underestimated, brushed aside, etc.), I can see the Pats bringing him on as their #1 TE.

31 (63) - Indianapolis - Daryl Washington, OLB, TCU

  Another OLB (and thus a possible Ram target) gone at the end of a round.  Third round options -1.

3 (67) - Tampa Bay - Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU

  The big drop from the WR prospects will be Brandon LaFell whose performance in his last year in college and subsequent efforts in the offseason have gone to suggest he's a big body and not much more.  Tampa could use one, and would get solid value for him here...unless someone thinks they can get more out of him in the 2nd round.

29 (93) - Minnesota - Jevan Snead, QB, Ole Miss

  Favre's understudy would have traveled a long road since arriving on campus at Texas, being beat out by Colt McCoy to follow in Vince Young's footsteps, shooting up draft boards his junior year only to nose dive his senior year.  Are the Vikings getting a rocket arm that can make every throw or an unsettled head that makes poor decisions and sees throwing lanes that don't exist in college, let alone the NFL?

  On Monday, these and 87 other picks make up my next to last mock before the draft.  Stop by and drop your 2¢.

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For Hank Fraley, being with Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is like the good old days.

"A comfort level," he said.

Fraley went to the Philadelphia Eagles on waivers in his rookie season of 2000 after being cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He didn't play any games that season, but became the starting center the next year and kept the job until being traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2006.

Spagnuolo coached several defensive positions in the time Fraley was there, while Shurmur was first the tight ends coach until becoming the quarterbacks coach in 2002,

When Fraley visited the Rams last Friday, he said, "It was just like old times with those guys.
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OFFSEASON UPDATE The Rams spent the first two weeks of the new league year adding veterans for depth with shorter contracts because of the absence of younger impact players in the unrestricted free-agent market. In an odd irony, the three players they signed are all 32 years old, and each turns 33 in the next few months. It wasn't coincidence that each player has a past connection with coach Steve Spagnuolo and two were on offense in Philadelphia when offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was the Eagles' quarterbacks coach. Quarterback A.J. Feeley (33 in May, two-year contract) played six seasons in Philadelphia and knows the West Coast offense well. He would be instrumental in mentoring a potential rookie quarterback. Center Hank Fraley (33 in September, three-year contract) was also with the Eagles for six seasons, and was the starting center for five. The Rams didn't have a true backup for center Jason Brown last season, but Fraley could be in the mix to start at right guard where the Rams had four different starters last season. Fraley has started 123 games in the NFL, but three were at right guard last season with the Cleveland Browns. Defensive tackle Fred Robbins (33 this Thursday, March 25, three-year contract) was a starter on the Giants' 2007 Super Bowl team and 2008 playoff team when Spagnuolo was the defensive coordinator. Spagnuolo was with the Giants for just those two seasons before becoming the Rams' head coach last year. Said Sapgnuolo, "It does help that those players are familiar with our systems. Adding veteran leadership, knowing how we do things; that will be helpful." TEAM NEEDS 1. Wide receiver: The returning group has a bunch of complementary receivers, but no proven standout. The Rams have to find a way to score points and take the defensive pressure away from running back Steven Jackson. 2. Quarterback: Will Marc Bulger return? Will the first few rounds bring another young quarterback to develop? Those questions will dominate the next few weeks leading up to the draft. 3. Defensive lineman: There is a need for both a presence inside and on the edge where the futures of ends Leonard Little and James Hall are unknown. Both Little and Hall were making free-agent visits, but the Rams are hoping to re-sign one or both. A consistent pass rush from both spots is needed. MEDICAL WATCH: No updates. FRANCHISE PLAYER: None. TRANSITION PLAYER: None. UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS --QB Kyle Boller was inconsistent when he played in 2009 and had injury issues. After the signing of A.J. Feeley, he won't be back. --DE James Hall was a leader in the locker room and a solid contributor. His age works against him, but there's not a lot of depth at the position. Hall visited New Orleans, but left without signing a contract. --S Clinton Hart was with the team in the last half of the season and didn't play much. A one-year deal would be a possibility. --DE Leonard Little ended the season with a knee injury, but remains the team's best pass rusher when healthy. He canceled a scheduled visit to New Orleans. --TE Randy McMichael was a huge disappointment as a receiver because of drops and is unlikely to be offered a new contract. UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers) --S Eric Bassey (not tendered as RFA) missed the 2009 season because of a knee injury. --*RB Samkon Gado (not tendered as RFA) is versatile and solid on special teams. --*DT Gary Gibson (not tendered as RFA) was solid in the rotation, but ended the season on injured reserve with a broken ankle. Could be back for league minimum. --LS Ryan Neill (not tendered as RFA) did a good job as Chris Massey's replacement, but now looking elsewhere after Massey was re-signed. RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (*indicates restricted because of uncapped year) --*DE Victor Adeyanju (tendered at $1.176M with fourth-round pick as compensation was inactive for a large part of the first half of the season, then played because of injuries. --*S Oshiomogho Atogwe (tendered at $1.226M with no compensation) was the franchise player last season, but the low tender gives him the chance to test the market. He did notr report for the start of the team's offseason conditioning program. --*OT Alex Barron (tendered at $2.73M with second-round pick as compensation) has had penalty issues, but is durable and has never missed a start because of injury. --NT Clifton Ryan (tendered at $1.684M with second-round pick as compensation) isn't outstanding, but is a consistent hard worker whose ability is needed at a position lacking depth. EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS --DE C.J. Ah You (tendered at $395,000) missed the second half of the season with a knee injury, but prior to that he was contributing in the line rotation and on special teams. --CB Quincy Butler (tendered at $470,000) made some plays in the preseason, but not as many in the games that counted. He did start some games before suffering a knee injury late in the season. --LB Larry Grant (tendered at $470,000) didn't progress as coaches hoped, but he did contribute on special teams. --WR Jordan Kent (tendered at $470,000) quickly became one of the team's best special-teams players in coverage. --OT Ryan McKee (tendered at $395,000) joined the team late in the season, but could compete at right tackle. --S David Roach (tendered at $395,000) was decent on special teams, but not much else. Will at least compete for a roster spot again. --LB David Vobora (tendered at $470,000) started on the strong side except for the four games he missed for a suspension regarding performance-enhancing drugs. He still has a lot to learn, but was solid in the first year of a new system. PLAYERS RE-SIGNED --S Craig Dahl: RFA (had been tendered at $1.01M with no compensation); $3.6M/3 yrs, $755,000 RB 2010. --RB Kenneth Darby: ERFA; $470,000/1 yr. --TE Daniel Fells: Not tendered as RFA; $770,000/1 yr. --LS Chris Massey: UFA; $4.4M/4 yrs. --*OG Mark Setterstrom: Not tendered as RFA; 1 yr, terms unknown. PLAYERS ACQUIRED --QB A.J. Feeley: UFA Panthers; $6M/2 yrs, $2.25M RB 2010/$500,000 RB 2011. --C Hank Fraley: FA Browns; 3 yrs, terms unknown. --DT Fred Robbins: UFA Giants; $11.25M/3 yrs, $3.395M RB 2010. PLAYERS LOST --LB Paris Lenon: UFA Cardinals; 3 yrs, terms unknown. --*WR Ruvell Martin: Not tendered as RFA/Seahawks; 1 yr, terms unknown. --DT LaJuan Ramsey (released). --CB Jonathan Wade: Not tendered as RFA/Lions; terms unknown.


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--In the press release sent out by the Rams after the signing of Hank Fraley, it mentioned that offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was Fraley's position coach for two seasons with the Eagles. The chart in Shurmur's bio says he was the tight ends/offensive line coach for Philadelphia from 1999-2001, but the bio refers to him only coaching the tight ends. Juan Castillo has been the Eagles' line coach since 1998. When asked in a conference call about Shurmur being his line coach, Fraley said, "He wasn't really the line coach. He was the QB coach. We had a good relationship with me being the center in Philly and always working with the quarterbacks all the time, we just had that relationship and it was really good. We were friends on and off the field. We kind of remain that it seems like. "He was the QB's coach, but don't worry. You're a coach somewhere ... you can get yelled at by any of the coaches. It didn't matter what he was coaching, he could be on you." So, what did Shurmur actually coach those three years with the Eagles? A check with the Eagles' public relations office brought this response: "It (offensive line) was a part of his title for a short time, but he never coached the linemen. It was all Juan." --The Rams started their offseason conditioning program March 15, and quarterback Marc Bulger attended. Most believe Bulger won't return this season, but the team has continually said he remains on the roster. As for the attitude of the team, defensive end Chris Long said, "Every day has got to be a new day, no matter what. Coach Spags talks about erasing the past so that's what we as players kind of have to do whether it was good or bad we have to erase it and go forward. Certainly we can reflect on some of the things we learned but as far as we are concerned we are 0-0 just like every other team." Said Spagnuolo, "Getting up this morning was a little bit easier. I am ready to get up every morning when the alarm goes off anyway but I had the Christmas Day feel to see all those faces again. I like it when the players are around. That's when you feel like a football team. There is no team without the players. They need their time away but it's great to have them around." Said second-year linebacker James Laurinaitis, "I think you're anxious, excited to get going. It's exciting to see what these guys are going to do. I think we have a lot of good players on our team and I think that we are a young squad overall so the most important thing for us is that the young guys we have get better. That's the thing. Each individual has to make himself that much better. It's fun to be back in a team setting working with them, challenging and competing. That's what it's all about." QUOTE TO NOTE: "I had this same interest a long time ago. I was a draftnik when I don't even (think) draftniks existed. I could talk about this stuff every day of the week, and these guys that follow it, they've got a passion about it. You can tell they're up on this stuff." -- GM Billy Devaney after his second get-together with fans at a St. Louis restaurant to talk football and the draft.


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For Hank Fraley, being with Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is like the good old days. "A comfort level," he said. Fraley went to the Philadelphia Eagles on waivers in his rookie season of 2000 after being cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He didn't play any games that season, but became the starting center the next year and kept the job until being traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2006. Spagnuolo coached several defensive positions in the time Fraley was there, while Shurmur was first the tight ends coach until becoming the quarterbacks coach in 2002, When Fraley visited the Rams last Friday, he said, "It was just like old times with those guys. They were great to me when I was with Philly and what they had to say and what they had to offer, I think it was best for me. I'm excited just to join those guys and be a Ram. It's fun. It's going to be exciting this year." Fans might not be so optimistic, but Fraley has seen both sides of the NFL and he insists quick improvement can happen with the Rams. He said, "Being a team that's on the bottom, to be the best team in the league, it's really not that far removed. I know it's weird to say that, but sometimes it's just a couple plays here or there. It could be the mental game. A couple mental mistakes, if you're not making those mistakes you win the game. "It's really not that far to actually turn the season around. It's just a lot of hard work in the offseason, in mini-camps and training camp. This season can be exciting. This is the second year these guys get to coach us down there and actually establish their system." Asked what he was told his role would be, Fraley said, "I think the role is just coming in and competing wherever it is and helping out the team however it is, helping us win. I really don't know what would be the role. It could be a backup or it could be a starter. I just want to come in and just be competitive and help the team win in any way I can. "Really we haven't gotten into details where it's going to be, on the starting line or not. You've just got to go out and compete and play hard and let that stuff work itself out. I just want to help this team win and get back into the playoffs." Fraley played center his entire career until starting three games at right guard last season with the Browns. Three players that started at right guard for the Rams last season -- Adam Goldberg, John Greco and Mark Setterstrom -- will all be in training camp, so there could be an intense competition there. Said general manager Billy Devaney of Fraley and Setterstrom (who re-signed on a one-year contract), "I think both of those guys provide real solid depth. But you know what? There's a spot on the offensive line that can potentially open, and they're going to be in (the mix)." Said Fraley, "Wherever it is, I'm just going to help out. If it is the right guard spot, I'm just going to go in there and show that I can play and just keep playing at a high level. "In my heart, I always feel like I can start. But if I'm not the guy and the coaches feel like I'm not the starter, hopefully I can be there as a backup role player and just do my part and fit in with the team. I wouldn't be bitter if I wasn't the starter. I think it's always been a team game and that's how you win team sports and support each other."


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Sam Bradford's projected number in the NFL? No, that is the total number of wins the St.

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Unlike some players, he has no idea when or where he might go in NFL draft.
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Notebook • But free agents await contract offers.
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The agent for San Francisco 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan said Thursday night his client is still employed by the team — for now, anyway. Peter Schaffer, the GM's representative, told The Associated Press that he has "not heard any diffe...
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Mizzou star worked out for the team Wednesday.
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Officials visit potential No. 1 pick in Florida.
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Rams re-sign Chris Massey

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How to Succeed...by Pacman Jones

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