Following an improved 7-9 finish in 2011, the St. Louis Rams have some decisions to make on both sides of the ball. Here are some key free agents the team will need to decide on.
A Look at the top 2011 Free Agents:
LB Chris Chamberlain
PRO: special teams force; led team last 2 seasons in special teams tackles
CON: awful outside linebacker: missed tackles
WR Mark Clayon
PRO: 23 receptions with 2 TD’s prior to breaking leg in week 6; good hands
CON: injuries have plagued career; can he be a legit #1 wideout?
TE Daniel Fells
PRO: 24 of his 41 receptions in 2011 were for a first down; average blocker
CON: inconsistent hands; fumbles; lacks the big play threat
DT Gary Gibson
PRO: played all 16 games in 2011; entire defensive line was stellar
CON: only 18 tackles in 2011; injuries in past; not known for his pass rush (0 sacks in 2011)
OL Adam Goldberg
PRO: super utility man-can play both guard and tackle; good leader
CON: struggles with run blocking and getting into the second level defenders
OG John Greco
PRO: 6’4 315lb; some scouts questioned why he was not utilized more instead of Goldberg
CON: hand injuries; can he handle the right guard position for 16 games?
The Rams clearly need to upgrade their offensive line and in particular the interior positions (guards). Center Jason Brown was not as effective in 2011 as he was in his first season with St. Louis. The Rams really struggled to run the football consistently…and most noticeably in short yardage situations. Somehow the Rams will need to build on their 7-9 season by bolstering their offensive line and adding playmakers to aid the Offensive Rookie of the Year QB Sam Bradford.