CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -

- So, you think you want to be a NFL scout? Coming tomorrow on stlouisrams.com, I will give you an inside look at just one of the parts of that job in the form of a pre-draft pro day.

- I attended my first pro day Wednesday, accompanying one of the Rams' talented scouts here to the University of Illinois for a "day in the life." Along the way, I learned all about the process and took part in the process first hand. I even got to put my stopwatch skills to the test when the assembled players ran the 40-yard dash.

- Illinois' pro day featured about 10 players who played for the Fighting Illini and four others with various ties to the region or the university. For the scouts, a pro day is really an opportunity to check in on guys they already know. They aren't likely to learn something brand new unless a guy is coming off an injury and working out for the first time in front of them.

- And it can be a cruel world. Before the workouts started, a couple of players from smaller schools were turned away because they had no ties to the university and NFL rules dictated they didn't fall in the "jurisdictional" rules of how you can qualify to work out at a specific university.

- In setting the scene, there was probably a scout there from every team though maybe a few were missing. A contingent from the Cincinnati Bengals including their tight ends coach, offensive coordinator and others took part in putting the players through the paces.

- In a nice surprise, Jets receivers coach and former Ram Henry Ellard put the wideouts through their paces. On a personal note, it was great to see him. Great coach, better man. Will always root for his success.

- Miami receivers coach Karl Dorrell, the former head man at UCLA, was also in attendance.

- After measurements, the players went through the bench press, the vertical jump and the broad jump. That sets the stage for the most well-known part of the workout, the 40-yard dash.

- The star of the show, as expected, was Illinois receiver Arrelious Benn. And Benn lived up to the hype. I've always wondered how noticeable the difference would be from a player who is highly regarded and one who is not even deemed draftable. Well, the answer is as big as the Grand Canyon. While Illinois has a couple of other players slated to go in the second or third round, Benn was clearly the best player there. That doesn't necessarily mean he's the next big thing but in relative terms, he stood out like a sore thumb. After what he called a disappointing performance at the scouting combine, he improved his times in the 40-yard dash and his vertical jump in what the consensus of the assembled scouts called a very good workout.

- Tight end Michael Hoomanawanui also had a solid workout and appears to be primed to go in the first four rounds or so. Guard Jon Asamoah, who some believe is one of the better interior linemen in the draft, did not participate because of a right shoulder injury he suffered at the Senior Bowl.

- All told, it was an educational experience. These scouts work extremely hard all year and if you think about it, the payoff is you get to draft about seven guys every year. Sometimes, your team might not even take a player you watched, making you wonder what all that legwork was for. But it's a labor of love and there's no question that the guys who do it love it. If they didn't, there's no way they'd continue to do it.

- The Rams bolstered the interior of their offensive line on Tuesday afternoon, signing veteran Hank Fraley and bringing back Mark Setterstrom.

- The Fraley signing had been close but was officially sealed on Tuesday. Fraley is quite familiar with Pat Shurmur's offense and figures to slot in right away in the competition for one of the guard jobs. He also should serve as the backup to Jason Brown in the middle.

- Setterstrom finally got a starting opportunity again in 2009 before another knee injury ended his season prematurely. Setterstrom worked as the backup center and played guard last year.

- The Rams now have a lot of options on the interior of the line. Brown and Jacob Bell are almost certain to start but there could be quite a competition at right guard among Fraley, Setterstrom, John Greco and Roger Allen III.

- Upon his return to St. Louis for the start of today's offseason conditioning program, Rams receiver Donnie Avery is noticeably bigger. That's by design.

- Avery spent the past two months in Houstin training with a variety of NFL players and he did so with the hope that he'd be able to add weight the right way so that he would be more durable.

- Avery told me Monday afternoon that he checked in at 198 pounds after playing last season at 184. And he did it the right way.

- Avery says he gave up beef - yeah, no more of his beloved hamburgers or steak - and has been eating a lot of chicken and fish. At his training facility in Houston, Avery said much of the work done was on plyometrics but with added weight work mixed in.

- Back in St. Louis, Avery knows that strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson will mix it up and have him working on a variety of lifts and methods to get bigger.

- Avery says this is an important year for him and he is hoping to set an example for the young wideouts around him.

- A number of Rams returned to St. Louis on Monday as the team started its annual offseason strength and conditioning program.

- The players are divided into groups and workout with their deisgnated groups. The programs vary based on the groups and the positions.

- The program will last for the next month or two as organized team activities begin on March 18. There is no football activities allowed until that time so the offseason program is limited to weight lifting, running and other things sprinkled in to change it up.

- Rams legend Merlin Olsen passed away in the early morning hours Thursday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 69.

- Olsen will forever be known as one of the Rams' greatest players on and off the field. In a 15-year career, there wasn't much that the Hall of Fame defensive tackle didn't accomplish. To wit...

- Olsen wasted no time making an impact, going to the Pro Bowl in his first season after the Rams used the No. 3 overall pick on him in the 1962 NFL Draft.

- From there, Olsen went on to finish his career with 14 Pro Bowl appearances, made the all decade team for the 1960s and 1970s and was selected first or second team all pro on 10 occasions.

- While Deacon Jones was perhaps the most gregarious and outgoing member of the Fearsome Foursome, it was Olsen's quiet yet dominant presence on the inside that perfectly complemented Jones' work on the edge.

- Olsen was elected to the Hall of Fame on Jan. 23, 1982 and was enshrined on Aug. 7 of the same year.

- Olsen's No. 74 has long been retired by the Rams.

- I didn't have the pleasure of getting to know Mr. Olsen very well but I did get to speak with him in a phone interview for a story I did on Deacon Jones last year. Although he said he was dealing with his illness, Olsen could not have been more gracious and patient in recounting story after story about the Fearsome Foursome.

- By all accounts from those who knew him well, Olsen was a class act and one of the kindest human beings you could ever meet. He will be missed.

- Rams chief operating office/vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff revealed in his live chat right here at stlouisrams.com that the team has tendered safety Oshiomogho Atogwe at a right of first refusal level.

- Demoff in the chat: "We have tendered Oshiomogho Atogwe at the Right of First Refusal level, which allows us the chance to match any offer sheet he signs between now and the week before the Draft. Should OJ not sign an offer sheet, his rights would revert back to the Rams. On June 1st, we have the option to either increase his salary to nearly $7m or to release him and let him be an unrestricted free agent. We could not have asked for OJ to handle his situation better than he did last year. I remain optimistic that we will be able to work out a long-term deal with OJ, and this is the first step in that process."

- That offer would pay Atogwe $1.226 million because he has five accrued seasons should he sign it. However, the idea is not to sign him to that deal but to a long term contract that would keep him in St. Louis beyond just the 2010 season.

- The offer allows the Rams to match any contract offer that might come from an outside source during the team's negotiations with Atogwe.

- Decisions are still pending on a few of the team's restricted free agents and will come before tonight's 10:59 deadline.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Every year at the NFL Scouting Combine, a player strolls into the media room, steps to the podium and increases his stock in the eyes of the public simply because of charisma and charm. Not that his stock needed any boosts but that player this year was Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy.

- The stud DT and possible No. 1 pick of the Rams won everybody over with his quick wit and outgoing personality. See below for evidence and if you find yourself wondering if he was saying something jokingly, it's probably safe to assume that he was.

What are your thoughts about possibly being the No. 1 pick and how do you separate yourself from Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh?
"It's an honor, a dream. I'm just happy to be considered to even play in the NFL. It's a life dream; I've always wanted to play. Years of hard work have been paying off. It's great. To be considered to be a possible No. 1 pick is a great honor."

Is it important to you to be the No. 1 pick?
"It would be an honor. It's not very important to me, but it would be an honor. I just wanted to be drafted as high as I can."

After being named the National High School Player of the Year, did it occur to you that you might someday be the No. 1 draft pick?
"To come from where I come from, it was just exciting to even see something like that; to be considered an All-American. At this point, I just continue my hard work and it's paying off."

What did you talk about?
"Just football stuff, nothing draft-related. Just football stuff."

Describe where you came from …
"Southside Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City Public Schools, where I come from, we weren't provided with the best. We didn't have the most money. I always get teased, 'You came out of Southeast High School.' That's all right; I dealt with it. Like I said, we didn't have the best facilities; we had a dirt track, our goalpost was leaning and stuff like that.
To even see something like this is amazing. I'm loving it."

What have your talks been like with the St. Louis Rams?
"Same thing as the Lions; basic interviews, seeing how much I really know, how I fit in. Both of those teams, the interviews have been similar; they sit me down, we watch tape and see what I thinking those certain plays, things like that."

Which defensive system do you fit best - the Rams or Lions?
"Both of them attack. I've seen tape on both teams and either one would be fine with me. A one or two pick, a third pick, a 15th pick, a pick is good for me. I just want to get picked."

What are your strengths and assets?
"I have a strong work ethic. I try to outwork the opponent that I'm going against. The thing with me is - I hate giving the person I'm going against an opportunity to say, 'I won.' That's anything I do. If we're playing cards, I don't want to give you the opportunity to say, 'Oh yeah, I beat you.' That's just the mentality I have, my father instilled that in me. I just continue. It's what I do."

Would you be comfortable playing in a 3-4 defense?
"I would; we did a lot of it at OU. I would be used to it, not as much as I can play the three-technique, but I think I can manage."

What makes you so a good at penetrating the line of scrimmage?
"It's just what I was coached. Coach Jackie Shipp has coached me real hard for a number of years. I went to the Oklahoma football camp in high school and a lot of it came from there too. It's just continued, especially after National Signing Day when I said I was going to OU. It started right then. That's just the defense and how he coaches, the
technique he coaches, I just picked up on it."

Have you noticed a buzz forming about you going No. 1 and would that be exciting?
"It would be. I would love it; I really would, to be considered No. 1 at anything. I'm sure if they had the best interviewers and they said your name first, you would love it. Right? I'd love to be picked first too."

Do you know Tommie Harris and how you feel about the comparisons to him?
"Don't compare me to Tommie. He's a great player. I just try to get by. I just try to manage and play as hard as I can. Tommie's an amazing player. I watched him a lot, watched his tape. At first, I used to try to imitate things he did, but now I just put me own little spin on them and go out there and play hard."

Why does Nebraska's defensive scheme allow Suh to make so many tackles, whereas Oklahoma's scheme limited your tackle totals?
"The thing is, with us penetrating, we're more disruptors. We disrupt the play and make sure it doesn't get past the line of scrimmage. So if we get in the backfield and mess up the handoff, the guy has to bounce it and makes it easy on the linebackers to get where it needs to be. We're not holding guys off for the linebackers, we penetrate and if you make
the play, you make the play. Whereas the thing they do is they two-gap. They punch the man and if he comes here, you throw him off. If he comes here, you throw him off, whereas I'm getting up field. So I can get up field and disrupt and make (the running back) bounce all the way out. (Suh) just lets him come to him and there it is. They play the run with five people, six people. We've got everybody moving. It's just two different defenses."

Why did Suh have higher sack numbers than you?
"In the Texas game (Suh was) great. The guy had like five sacks in one game. That helps. Up until then, the sack number was pretty much neck and neck. He wanted to win the Big 12 Championship. He went out there and dominated."

On if he and DT Ndamukong Suh have a rivalry:
No rivalry. Me and him are real good friends. The thing about us is everybody is expecting us to be bumping heads. "Oh man I hope you don't do good or I hope he don't do good" it's not like that. The day we met, we met on the field we play them this year he said "go out there and ball out, go get that money", and I said the same thing to him. And it's been like that ever since. We text each other back and forth, wishing each other the best here and everyday.

On if there is competition:
Definitely. I am not saying I am not competing to be number one so it is a competition just like with him, but there are no hard feelings. It's like I want to be number one, he does. We're just competing. He wants to be the best and so do I. It's just competitive nature.

On if he and Suh have a relationship like QB Colt McCoy and QB Sam Bradford:
It is, with Sam actually there was kind of little hostility towards them until you meet the person. At first it's just like you respect them as a player, but you really don't know much about them. Once Sam met Colt and they were just friends, it's the same thing with me and Suh.

On his relationship with Sam Bradford
I love Sam. Sam gets it. Since we were kids. Sam I hope you watch this interview. His little league team ran from mine. We were number one, and we wanted to play Sam but he ran from us. It's okay we're teammates.

On if he played Defensive End:
I did. I did, it depended on the scheme we were in.

On if he has a favorite disruptive moment:
One time in little league I tackled three people. They ran and I came through and the quarterback he didn't know who to give it to so I just grabbed everybody. They were all right there and 'I was like how do I play this'. Everybody looks at you like 'did you just grab three people?'. That should let you know how big of a kid I was. I might have been, lets see, I might have been 11 maybe. When I was 12 years old I was 238 pounds. When I weighed in, because you always had to weigh in, I wanted to be a running back. I knew I had some moves I just wasn't as fast as everybody else. We weighed in and I got in the car and my sister said 'how much do you weigh', I said 'just 238', she said "G you 12".

On if people believed his age:
Yeah but the thing is with me, nobody asked about my age because I played up first. And then once they saw I was still playing, they saw I went down to my actual age. So I played little league a long time.

On private workouts:
If anybody wants to do a private workout with me I would.

On why teams should choose him over Sam Bradford:
You know what I don't know. That always depends on the teams needs. I don't know, but if you pick Gerald McCoy I am going to give you my best. I am going to give you 100% all the time. If I am not at a hundred, whatever I am at, I am going to give you a hundred of that. My mentality is I am going to outwork anybody that's around me. That's just what I plan to do. I plan to be a great player at the next level. I've had a pretty good career to this point and so I don't plan to disappoint if anyone picks me.

On being the face of a franchise:
I don't think I'll be the face of a franchise. I'll just be a new incoming player. I don't think I'll be the face. I do have a good smile though.

On if he would be happy if Suh went number one:
Of course I would. Being the number one pick or just being a pick in the NFL draft in the first round, that's a dream for somebody. Just earlier when I was watching film of the Combine earlier I was clapping I didn't even know like 'come on man catch the ball' because I love athletes. I support all athletes because I am one and I know how hard
I worked to get here so I am pretty sure other people worked just as hard. So for him, being the number one pick, he's living his dream and all his hard work has paid off. Yeah I'd be happy for him.

On being a leader
Being a leader has just always come natural to me. People follow me just because, I don't know why, it's probably my smile. It is great I know. It's just always come natural to me. Like I said, I was raised to be a leader not a follow, and it's just in me it's just natural. I was picked as a captain my sophomore year. When Coach Stoops called out the captains and he called my name last, I said 'what for', I don't know.

On if he was the president of Christian Leadership Council:
I was. I was president of FCA the same way, same way. FCA comes over and said we're going to need a new president and it was like a consensus point to me. There was no vote, everybody just pointed and it's always been like that.

On his Pro Day
No, my Pro Day is the 9th. Sam has, I mean he's King Sam. It's at Oklahoma.

On why he is working out at the Combine:
Because I am practicing. I am a competitor. This is a chance to come compete in front of all the scouts, all the coaches, all the teams, everybody's here. Everybody won't be at your Pro Day, but everybody will be here. The best of the best compete here. This is my opportunity to come compete. I am going to do everything. I am a competitor I am an athlete; I am going to give you my best. Whatever my numbers are that's what they are, that's just how I've been.

On where he is training
At Athletic Performance in Phoenix Arizona.

On when he realized the goals he could reach:
You know when I got to college and I red shirted and I didn't know what to think then. After my freshmen year, I red shirted and going into the year my mother passed away, and then I pulled a hamstring the first day of practice and then I sprained my AC joint. But then I still started the first game and I was Big 12 Defensive Freshmen of the year, probably then.

On intimidating quarterbacks:
I don't try to intimidate quarterbacks. Should they be afraid? Probably. I just go out there and play. My plan is to kill them, it is.

On possibly playing against Sam Bradford in the NFL:
I'm going to kill Sam. I kid you not. You get in practice, you get a clean move and a linemen's dream is a clean move and a clean path to the quarterback. In practice, that happened a lot. But I'd go to Sam and they'd blow the whistle. I'm going to kill him.

On if his mother ether saw him play at Oklahoma:
No sir. She had to see me play all the way up until then.

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- I promised to post a couple of transcripts that I didn't get to while in Indy so these are interviews from Indy. Up first, DE Jason Pierre-Paul from South Florida. Many consider him to be the "freak" of this draft, the guy who is a better athlete than everyone and just scratching the surface on his potential.

- Pierre-Paul has drawn some exposure for a YouTube video that depicts him ripping off 14 consecutive back flips. He's a fast riser and could end up in the top five.

On the back flip:
The most I ever did was 23. I try to do 14 and if Kion Wilson had done 15, I would have done 23. I can do 23 no matter what. Without stopping.

On coming out early.
At first I didn’t know what to do because everything happened so fast, so I asked Coach Leavitt what to do and they said it would be selfish of them to say I should stay.
So I prayed about it and thought real hard about it and went back to Coach Leavitt and we decided to send in the petition to the NFL and when it came back it had a first and second round grade on it so Coach Leavitt said I told you that if it was a first or second round grade, you have to come out. So I wound up coming out because I had a great year at South Florid and may family wound up having financial problems.

On JuCo:
Played at College of the Canyons in California and Fort Scott Community College. Coming out high school they make you take an FCAT and you have to get a 300 or better and I got over 300 on the math, but on the reading I couldn’t comprehend the vocabulary, so I wound up going to Junior College in Kansas and then I went to South Florida.

Why South Florida:
The reason I chose South Florida was even though I didn’t make it out of high school,
Coach Leavitt came to my All-Star game and said he would be with me 100 percent of the way, and he really did. Even when I went left the College of the Canyons, he stayed by my side. That’s the main reason I chose South Florida.

Are you the best pass rusher in this draft?
I think so, yeah. I’m going to get to the quarterback no matter what. I’m going to get there.

What do you have to do to get better?
I want to get faster. I watch football, I see all these great D-ends on TV. But I want to be greater. My first year in the NFL I want to break records. That’s my goal. To break records.

Why were you late arriving at football practice this year?
I arrived two days before two-a-days ended, so I wound up not playing the first three games, but my coach just kind of threw me in there to see what I could do and by the
fourth game I started, and that was the Florida State game, and that was like my breakout game. I was late because I was getting my AA degree at home. My sister and my daddy paid for me to go to an out-of-state college but I didn’t go there. They wound up sending me the course on tape, so I took that and passed the courses. That’s why it took me so long to get there.

Did you surprise yourself in that FSU game?
I knew I was going to do that. I knew I was going to have a great game.

On being in a 3-4 scheme:
A couple of teams have asked me about being a 3-4 outside linebacker and I don’t feel
like that would be hard for me to adjust to. I feel I can be a stand up end or a linebacker, because I’m still going to rush the passer the same way. I haven’t done any work in a 3-4, but I think I could adjust to it real quick.

Would you consider yourself a raw talent?
I’m just god-gifted, I have a talent. Even when I played basketball, no one ever taught me the game, I just played it. And with football, I just converted basketball to football and just played.

How are you as a run stopper?
People say that’s my weakness but me, myself, I don’t feel like that’s my weakness. The reason they say that is because if you look at a film, not every film, against the run, I’m probably stopping my feet and I don’t get any separation. The tackle and the end they all twist my body. So if I keep my feet running like I do against the pass, I’ll be all right.

On double teams:
I started to see a lot of double teams after a while. My coach and my teammates would tell me they’re double-teaming you, but when I’m playing I don’t really see the double team. If a running back comes outside and tries to help, I try to run over the running back, because I’m just trying to get to the quarterback. When I play football I just play football. I don’t think about anything else.

Are you surprised by where you are rated in this draft?
When I first started the process, then I had that breakout game against Florida State, I looked at it like I was just a regular person. I never had any TV time coming from
junior college before, and when I was first on TV I was like, hey I’m on TV. But then I wound up being in the top 10 and I just try to stay humble. I’m out of nowhere. I just play football.

On who recruited him out of high school?
Verbally committed to Central Florida coming out of high school, but I didn’t have that FCAT score and I never heard from them again. I was 6-4, 170 then.

How would you describe your game?
I go 110-percnet and try to make big hits on the quarterback. That’s it.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- The media portion of the NFL Scouting Combine has come to an end and it's certainly been an interesting, informative and busy week here at Lucas Oil Stadium.

- The defensive backs took to the podium today as well as Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy, who was unable to come in as scheduled on Saturday.

- The unanimous opinion on McCoy was that he was gregarious, charming and funny. While Ndamukong Suh was very confident and intense, McCoy seemed a bit more laid back. Both made very strong first impressions and neither necessarily stood above the rest of the players in terms of interviews with the media. McCoy was probably the most entertaining, though, it would seem.

- As any good DB should, Florida CB Joe Haden and Tennessee CB Eric Berry were bursting with confidence in their interviews. No surprise there, you come from the SEC and play at major programs and still stand out, you probably have good reason to be wildly self assured.

- The skill position players worked out today and there were few surprises coming from inside. Clemson RB C.J. Spiller ran a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash which was about as expected. He's got the top end speed to be a star in the NFL. But it was Cal RB Jahvid Best who probably did the most for himself with his 40 time, clocking a 4.35 which was the swiftest among running backs.

- Stanford's Toby Gerhart ran in the 4.5 range which for a supposedly powerful, plodding back, won over a lot of talent evaluators. Gerhart has really helped himself in Indianapolis by answering questions about what type of athlete he is.

- Auburn's Ben Tate ran a 4.43 which was the best among the bigger backs. He also helped himself.

- Told that Mississippi QB Jevan Snead did well for himself in throwing the ball and proved more accurate than expected. Snead really needs to do a lot to regain the stock that at one time had him ranked among the top signal callers in this class (before the college season).

- As for what we learned from a Rams' perspective this weekend, not much has changed. GM Billy Devaney made it clear that the team is strongly considering four prospects for that No. 1 spot. He also made it clear what is going to go in to the ultimate decision.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo also made it known that his defensive leanings will not come into play in the final decision. He says the Rams will take the best player for the franchise when all is said and done. He's always been a man of his word and that won't change.

- Now, as we head into this new week, there are a couple more days of workouts for the players in Indianapolis and then it will be time to turn your attention to Friday and the beginning of the league year. In other words, it's almost free agent time.

- It doesn't look like there will be a new labor agreement in place by then so we'll try to lay out the land for you as we head toward Friday by getting you as much information as possible on what an uncapped year is and how it affects free agency and team business.

- It's been fun bringing you as much information as possible here in Indianapolis and I hope you've enjoyed all the updates. But stay tuned. We'll be all over free agency and we're planning on some special surprises from some pro days in the coming weeks.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- The past decade proved one thing that may not have been widely believed before: that safeties hold major value to the NFL. The rise of Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu as true difference makers altered perceptions of the position.

- Now, if you are game changing safety, you can't be ignored. Enter Tennessee safety Eric Berry, considered by some the best player in the draft whether he plays safety or corner.

- And if you don't believe Berry is good enough to be considered the best player in the draft, just ask him and he'll tell you otherwise. Yeah, Berry has the confidence of a great defensive back. Here's the playmaking safety's thoughts on a number of topics.

Q: Is it your goal to slip into that number 1 spot?
A: It is a goal but at the end of the day it's on the GMs and the guys that make the decisions. I really do feel that I'm supposed to be up there with those guys. I don't think something like a position should keep you from (being) up there. If you want to get into positions, I played every position in the defensive backfield in coach Kiffin's scheme. You could also say I played a little linebacker also. Free safety, strong safety, nickel corner for three years. Also I played true corner. I feel I bring a lot to the table and have a lot to offer to any team that picks me up.

Q: Are you the best player in this draft?
A: I would believe that.

Q: You decision to leave school early?
A: It was a very tough decision. I really did enjoy my time at Tennessee. It's a very good university, a great university. The fans were very supportive. When I sat down and made the decision, I had to put my family pretty much before my school. Ever since I can remember, my mom and dad were always working. My dad worked two jobs. My dad just recently had heart surgery and I really just wanted him to be able to sit down and just enjoy life for a little bit. I felt I could do that by entering the draft and making that situation better.

Q: What did Monte tell you?
A: Monte told me I'd be a fool to come back.

Q: How much better of a player did he make you?
A: He made me so much of a better player just from the mental part of the game. He told us exactly why he was calling plays. He just didn't call plays and make us run it. He would say, 'OK, it's third and short and this is why we're calling this play against this team' or 'This is what you can expect from them.' So you kind of got into the mind of a defensive coordinator and kind of understood his philosophy of what he was doing.

Q: Player you model your game after?
A: I've watched a lot of film on Ed Reed. I think a lot of my game is somewhat (like his). I've also watched film on Troy Polamalu and also Sean Taylor and Bob Sanders. I like to take different things from different players because my role on defense has been so multiple. I've played every position in the defensive backfield so I would have to look at different guys that played those positions and kind of put it into one and make it kind of my own defensive player.

Q: Who have you talked to?
A: Really I haven't had any formal meetings yet. They all start tonight.

Q: Cornerback? Safety? Are you expecting teams to have different ideas on how to use you?
A: It just depends on the team and how they want to use me. I feel like I could do either one well. I have experience at both of them. I have tons of experience at both of them. I also played nickel. It just depends on what a team wants to do with me. It's just like coach Kiffin did with me this year. Coach Chambers, who's now the d-coordinator at LSU, had me back deep as a true safety a little more and playing less at the line of scrimmage.

Q: Could have you accomplished anything else at the college level?
A: The only thing that was left was that I really wanted to win an SEC championship. I definitely wanted to win a national championship. That record was still out there. I had seven more yards to break (it). I just felt like teams were looking at me like I had the plague. There wasn't nobody throwing my way. I would always have to run across the field to make the tackle. I definitely got to the ball and that was the plus side of last year. And we did win so I was excited about that.

Q: Prefer to make a big hit or get an interception?
A: I would prefer to get an interception. A lot of people probably would holler about the big hit but you make the big hit and you're still on the field. That's another few snaps you're going to have to play. I'd rather get the interception and get the offense on the field so they can have a chance to score.

Q: What separates you from a guy like Taylor Mays?
A: I really haven't watched too much film on Taylor Mays. My understanding is he is a great athlete. I can only say about myself and what I bring to the table.

Q: How much are you motivated by negative things that are said and how much do you pay attention?
A: The thing I do before every season is pretty much go find the worst thing that's said about me. Whenever someone has something negative to say about me, I post it up in my bathroom. I look at it every day when I brush my teeth. I see things like I lack ball skills and things like that. You can look at my film and see (his ball skills). 14 picks in 3 years, 12 in 2 years. Last year I only had two just because teams were going away from me. I almost broke the NCAA return yards record. I was only 7 yards away from that. So I really just wanted to come here and leave no doubt. That's pretty much my whole goal coming to the combine for everybody that has that little percentage of doubt in their minds that I'm not good enough to be number one. I'm trying to clear that up right now.'

Q: Worst thing said about you?
A: The worst thing is probably that I'm too small. I weighed 211 today,

Q: How tall?
A: 5-11 ½. Some things are saying I can't cover, which I don't understand also. A lot of people don't even have me in the top 10, which is very motivating to me. Some don't have me early first round. Some have me mid to late first round. I just look at that as motivation.

Q: Kind of work you were doing for dad?
A: We painted houses. It was very hard, especially outside during the summertime and it was like 96 degrees and you could see yourself on the ladder at 12 o'clock noon and the sun was beating down on you.

Q: What did you dad say?
A: He said I was a hard worker. I kind of made his job easier. He said I was cheap labor.

Q: How much you make an hour?
A: I think it was somewhere around 5, 5.50 an hour. I worked for that 5.50.

Q: Could you have made it as a major college QB?
A: Yes, I could have. It would have taken me a little longer. DB come a lot more natural to me. It was a choice for me to play defensive back. I could have played offense. I really waned to play defensive back. I wanted to be on this side of the football and make plays on this side of the ball.

Q: Do you miss not having the ball in your hands every play?
A: I do miss it. I think that gives me the drive to go get the ball. I want to have the ball in my hands every play. That's why I try to attack it and go get it when it's up in the air.

Q: did you do a lot of blitzing last year?
A: I did a lot of blitzing. I did a lot of blitzing the year before when I played nickel corner. It was kind of a weird position he had me in last year because I played John Lynch's position and Ronde Barber's. It was kind of like a mix of both of them. He had me blitzing a lot on third downs in man to man on the slot.

Q: You're standing there brushing your teeth. Are you getting angry? You have very white teeth?
A: A little bit. It just kind of motivates me throughout the day to try to prove to everybody why I should be up there.

Q: Reed and Polamalu are game changers. Are you?
A: I definitely can. If you look at the game film and see the type of plays I've made in the past, I know that's college and we're going to the NFL, I feel like my work ethic can carry me on to the NFL and I'll be able to produce those same plays.

Q: What did Monte tell you about the NFL?
A: The thing he hold me was that it's pretty much easier than college, which shocked me. He said the reason was is that all your time is football. You don't have classes to go to and you don't have to worry about study hall so you have more time to be in the film room and go over different adjustments and things like that. Really he just told me not to change anything and just make sure I keep working hard and I'll be ready for the NFL.

Q: Thoughts on Lane Kiffin leaving Tennessee after one year?
A: I really can't say anything about coach Kiffin because if you were at that school, you'd know that was his dream job. He's a California guy. He loves California. He really wanted that job just like I wanted this job, to go to the NFL. I left after my junior year to come do this and he left after one year to go do his dream job. It was kind of crazy how quick it happened that the job opening opened up but it's his dream. You've only got one shot at it and you've got to take advantage of it.

Q: Ed Reed a fair comparison?
A: It's a fair comparison off potential. Obviously, Ed Reed has done a lot more in the NFL but I feel I can do some of the same things he has done. If you look at our track records and compare them, you can see that.

Q: In your interviews with teams, how will you sell yourself?
A: Pretty much the same way I did here. If you want a complete defensive back, a complete player as far as special teams. I played on kick return, kickoff, punt, punt return, all of those things. I definitely played free safety, strong safety, nickel corner, left and right corner. The list goes on. If you look at my resume, you see who I played against. I played against Percy Harvin. Picked off the number one pick last year, Matthew Stafford. Keep going down the list. Knowshon Moreno. So many things you could keep saying. I really want to sell myself as a good character guy off the field. I was a sophomore captain voted on by my teammates and my coaches. I was also a junior captain under a whole new coaching staff. That tells you a little bit about my character.

Q: Why are you the best defensive player in this draft?
A: I feel like I'm the best player in the draft because I bring a lot to the table. I can do pretty much anything the coaches ask me to. I can play free or strong, like I said, or nickel corner. You don't have to bring in the nickel package for me because I can cover up the slot based on regular personnel. There's pretty much a lot I bring to the table. I had three TDs in college. I also broke the SEC record for return yards that hadn't been broken I don't think for 30 years, 40 years. Also I almost broke the NCAA record for return yards after interceptions. I was only seven yards away from that. If you want to compare the big playmaking ability, I did it all throughout my college career. As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I was a starter for three years. Never missed a game due to injury. Never missed a snap.

Q: Would opponents tell you before a game you're not seeing any balls today?
A: Some guys did. You could see quarterbacks as soon as they walked up to the line, they pointed out 14, 14. It kind of got frustrating during the season. If they're not coming my way, somebody else is making the play and that's a good thing because we were winning games.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Considering that when he got to Florida, he intended to be the team's quarterback someday, it's quite a surprise even to him that Joe Haden is now the consensus top cornerback in this year's draft.

- In fact, some believe that Haden has the potential to be one of the best corners to come out in years. He was a shutdown player for the Gators after moving to corner and figures to make a strong impression at the combine.

- Here's Haden's thoughts on a bunch of topics including his background as a QB.

Why did you decide to come out?

I spoke with my parents, that’s basically what I do with any big decision, and we talked about what I felt like I needed to accomplish when I was at Florida and I felt like I accomplished everything I came to accomplish. We won the national championship, the SEC championship. Then I was an unanimous consensus All- American, that’s what I wanted to do. My dad asked me if I thought I was ready for the next level and I told him I was.

What did Urban Meyer say?

Urban feels like if you’re mature enough and you send your paperwork in and it comes back first round, then you should definitely leave.

That what it came back?

Yeah.

Playing cornerback at Florida how that happen?

When I first got to Florida I had a little dream, I was going to play quarterback, but they had somebody named Tebow there, so that kind of went out then window. Then I changed to receiver and I was second-string behind Percy, I just couldn’t get right. After that coach Meyer asked me if I felt like going to the defensive side of the ball. At first I just wanted to play. I came in spring, so I had a lot of time to adjust. He moved me to corner, something I never did before. But I had coach Heater, he said, ‘As long as you go hard, as long as you run as fast as you can, just tackle, toughness, you’ll be able to play.’ That’s what I did and they let me start as a freshman.

Surprised you start on opening day after going to 3 different positions?

I was surprised at first, but I knew what they wanted on the field and I take coaching really well. Coach Heater would tell me what to do and I’d go out there and try to do it every day.

Could you have been a major college quarterback?

Yeah, I definitely could have been a college quarterback. I wasn’t too bad of a quarterback in high school. I set the Maryland pasing record for yards and touchdowns, so I was pretty good.

Miss not having the ball in your hands for every play?

Sometimes I do, but I try to get the ball on defense with some picks so I can back on the offensive side.

What like to go from being tackled to tackling?

It’s a lot easier. You don’t have to watch your blind side and guys like Spikes and Majors trying to take your head off. It’s a whole lot easier, you can see what’s going on. I like defense now. It grew on me.

What other schools recruited you as a quarterback?

I was going to commit to the University of Virginia as a quarterback, but they don’t take early graduates, so that was out the window. Georgia, Boston (College), North Carolina, LSU, Michigan, Rutgers, those were the top schools I probably looked at. I went to Florida first thinking I was going to be a quarterback. Not really thinking I was going to start at quarterback, but thinking I was going to play.

What you need to improve?

Just the whole concept of the offense, that’s one thing I need to do more, just knowing what’s going on from the whole offensive perspective. I met with the Falcons and the Texans so far. Today I have 14 meetings, yesterday I had two.

What like to go against Tebow in practice?

It helped a whole lot. When I was a freshman my first day we had Bubba and Percy. Those two dudes, just jumping over the corner, having to guard them every day, it was bad for us. We were getting beat down every practice. But it made me stronger, it made us a whole lot better. Sophomore year, we had Percy, Cooper, Dionte, it started getting a little bit more competitive. Then this year it was kind of my way a little bit.

Where you rank overall in the draft?

If somebody needs a corner, I feel I could fill in that spot for them. Not just as being a cornerback, I can do a lot of other things. I can definitely do punts, I can do any kind of special teams. I was a gunner at Florida, I was a hold-up guy for Florida. Wherever they need someone, I can do it.

Give up any touchdown passes last year?
I gave up two. One to a receiver from Cincinnati, I forgot his name. Then the 6-8 tight end from South Carolina.

Who’s best receiver played against in college career?

Percy (Harvin). After him I’d say A.J. Green.

Run here?

Yes, I’m going to do everything. I hope to run between 4.37 and a 4.42.

Think that’s a question in teams’ minds?

I don’t know. I hope so, so they can see it was fast.

Ties to Maryland?

My dad has a gym in Forestville, Md., that’s where I was training for the combine.

Redskins fan?

No. I just like individual players.

Some guys you watched?

Definitely this year Revis, Charles Woodson. Then offense I just like Steve Smith.

High school who was your offensive guy?

Steve Smith was my dude. I make sure I watched him all the time.

What about quarterbacks?

I didn’t really get too down with the quarterbacks, just Vick, that was about it. I thought I was going to be like him.

Pretty good point guard, too?

Oh, yeah, I played basketball a lot. I was a point guard, we won the state championship my freshman year. Sophomore year we didn’t do too good. Junior year we were all right.

Take a while to adjust the run support?

That was the easiest part. I was always a hitter. When I played Little League I was a linebacker. When I got to high school I played safety. I was always a hitter, I liked to hit a lot.

What relationship like with dad?

Real close. I talk to my dad before any decision, my mom and dad. He started training me for the shuttles, broad jump, verticals when I was in the seventh grade. He used to run track at Morgan, then he was a professional body builder. He knows what he’s doing. He had me lifting out of the eighth grade, so when I got to Florida I wasn’t too weak at all.

What do you think of Tebow criticism?

I think they’re definitely sleeping on him. Some stuff you can’t teach, like his will to win, his love for the game, his passion for the game, how much he studies the game and his leadership ability. The ball might come down a little bit or something like that, but it still gets there at the end of the day. If I had a team, I’d definitely want him to be my leader because you’re not going to find anybody who works harder than.

Did you like it when dad started training you in 7th grade?

I wasn’t all in until probably the 10th grade. I used to cry sometimes. He’d say, ‘It’s going to help you in the long run.’ It wasn’t military stuff, but sometimes I wouldn’t want to go work out. It definitely helped me out in the long run.

You cried because it was hard?

I cried because I didn’t feel like doing it sometimes. I was like, ‘C’mon, are you serious?’

What your friends doing while you lifting?

Sometimes they would come and watch. They were like, ‘You really have to go lift?’ We would go lift, then we’d go back home and play video games or something. They didn’t want to get too much involved. I definitely get it now. When I first got there, I already had the physical build to play, that’s one thing that you definitely need because you’d have people just running all over you then. Once I had the physical ability, all I needed to know was just give me some guidance, just give me some coaching and I’ll be able to do it for you.

Basketball background help cover tight ends?

Basketball helps a lot, my vertical, too. Being able to jump high and just move around.

New to corner position, is there a high ceiling for you?
Definitely. I feel like there’s so much … I haven’t nearly reached my peak at all. I just feel like whatever team I go to, they’re going to get a person they can mold into a way better corner than I was in college. I’ve been doing this for three years and I feel like I’m getting pretty good at it. But I want to learn more. You’re getting someone who really wants to learn the game and really wants to be the best they can be at corner.

Press coverage?
I played it a lot. I like press coverage a little bit more than off because I can get my hands on them and try to throw them off routes. Once you do that, the quarterback will look the opposite sometimes. Getting your hands on them, disrupting them, being really physical with the receivers, that’s what I like to do.

40 inch vertical?
Yes. That’s no exaggeration. That’s what I want to jump when I jump.

How that 6-8 tight end beat you?
‘Cause he was probably 6-8 with a 30-inch, 35-inch vertical.

What grade where you when you could dunk?

I could dunk freshman year in high school.

Look at draft board?
You can’t help but look at the draft boards, they’re everywhere. I like looking at the draft boards, it’s just some of my friends can look at it and say, ‘You’re probably going to go here,’ ‘You’re probably going to go there.’ At the end of the day it’s up to the coaches. My boys Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, I wish they could pick because they’ve got me
up there. But it’s not their choice.

Have an inkling where you might go?

No, I have no idea right now.

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been the consensus top player in the draft since the end of the college season. Now, he's here working to maintain that top spot.

- On Saturday, Suh dropped into the media room and took the podium in front of a large crowd. And Suh acquitted himself very well. While he was plenty outgoing and gregarious, he had that intensity you look for in a defensive player and the confidence of a guy who knows he is a destruction machine on the field.

- Here's the transcript of that discussion with Suh hitting on topics ranging from why a defensive tackle should be the top pick to his soccer background...

Suh said he was 307 pounds and just under 6-4

(relationship with Gerald McCoy)
 I don’t think it’s a rivalry. We’re definitely competitive with each other. But no, we’re definitely good friends off the field. Met him for the first time after we beat OU at home and kind of grew from there, more or less got to know each other on kind of the awards circuit and so forth. So good relationship with each other. Texted each other before we came down here. Talked to each other when we obviously had dinner last night at our orientation. For the most part, obviously when it comes to the combine and getting ready for Monday, obviously we’re going to kind of go our separate ways and focus and be … at least for myself be focused and ready to perform.

(would be happy for McCoy if he goes first)
I’d definitely be happy for him. But I’d definitely be disappointed with myself not getting it. I’m a competitor. I want to be No. 1. So that’s what I’m going to strive for.

(how do you feel about people who say Gerald McCoy is a more penetrating rusher)
We played two different defenses, in my opinion. His defense was more or less, he had the freedom to penetrate. Me, I was more or less in the scheme of reading and playing through my man and then getting to the ball and disengaging. If I were to be in that same scheme as him or vice versa, I think it would be total opposites as it is right now.

(do sacks and tackles for loss speak for themselves to show you can penetrate)
If you want to say that, yeah, why not?

(did you think before the season a player like yourself would get Heisman Trophy consideration)
Uh, not really. It wasn’t a focus of mine. I really didn’t think of it much. But when it came along, embraced it and really just took joy to it. But it wasn’t my main focus. My focus at Nebraska or this past season was to help my team win, and I think I helped them a fair amount, but not enough because we weren’t 14-0.

(most surprising part of process)
Kind of the media attention and just the limelight of everybody kind of knowing who I am, especially when I go home. Obviously going home in Nebraska, it’s a little more easier. But being down in McKinnie, Texas, 20 minutes outside of Dallas, people recognize you. That’s kind of a little scary.

(how aware are teams aware of scheme and what you might be able to do) Detroit, definitely. That was the first team I’ve talked to and the only team I’ve talked to so far. I have four meetings tonight. But they definitely recognized that and understood that. So their question was am I comfortable enough to be able to adjust to that, and I think I’m definitely comfortable with that. I think whatever the team needs me to do I’ll be able to do.

(is that the only question teams need to answer)
Those are the biggest questions that have been brought up to me. Can I adjust and pretty much play the run on the way to the pass rush, and I think I can do that. I just haven’t had the opportunity just yet to do that because of the scheme that we were in. I’m not saying that was a problem because there’s opportunities in our scheme when I had a chance to do that, but it wasn’t as much as some of the teams did, for instance at Oklahoma, because you guys want to make that comparison. Gerald had that opportunity a little bit more.

(as a competitor, how important to go No. 1)
For me, I just like being No. 1 and striving for No. 1. As long as I put in the work, which I feel I have, and come here and perform and do everything that I’m asked of, that’s what I want to do. And then at that point in time, if I’m to be decided to be No. 1, I’d be happy. If I’m not, then get ready for that next team who wants me and make the most of it.

(what separates you from Gerald McCoy, what makes you different) I don’t know. That’s the coaches to make that decision. I think we’re both great players. I think I’m a great player myself. I think we definitely have similarities but differences in each other. So that’s not my decision. I think we’re two great players and definitely
worthy of the positions that we’re in.

(you played a lot of soccer as a kid)
Yeah, I played since I was 3.

(how good were you)
I think I was fairly good. I could play every position but midfield. More or less, I didn’t like to play midfield because it was a little bit too much running for me.

(complaints from parents of opposing players)
Not at all. I got a lot of fouls. That’s kind of the reason I moved away from soccer, because I got too many red cards.

(mom wasn’t too sure about football, what did you tell her)
She figured I’d be the one kind of getting hit and so forth. I had to kind of let her realize that I was the one attacking people and getting after the smaller guys.

(why want to work out)
I don’t feel like I have anything to hide. I’ve been working hard these last six weeks, ever since I took my two days off after our bowl game and let my body recuperate and so forth and went down to McKinnie. Well, started in Lincoln and went down to McKinnie and just been working for everything. There’s no point in working out and then not coming up and showing up here. You’re just kind of wasting time. You might as well put in the work, showcase it, then go back to work, showcase it again at pro day, and then move on.

(where has soccer best translated in football)
The footwork. Being able to get around an offensive lineman a lot easier just because it’s more natural. Obviously you’ve got to be more fine-tuned being able to do that and go through those drills with your defensive line coach and so forth. But it came a little bit more easier to me because I started at a young age with that.

(if asked by team why worthy of No. 1 pick, what would you say)
I think I laid a great foundation with the way I played and the way I helped Nebraska. I wasn’t the only one, and I won’t take full credit for helping Nebraska get back. But I will take some credit because I think I was a big piece of that and I definitely feel that I laid it all on the line and put everything out there, and that’s what I plan to do. So if that’s the type of guy that you want, then why not take me?

(how big do you think you can get and still be quick, could play bigger in NFL)
I definitely think I can if that’s what they want me to do. But would I prefer? I don’t know. I’ve been as big as 330. I’ve been as small as 290 pounds coming in as a freshman and playing at 295 this season. So I have been in both areas. Which one do I prefer? I like to be between 295 and 300. But if my team wants me to be heavier or where I’m at right now, I’m 307, I think I can play at a heavier weight but put on good weight to be that heavy.

(when were you 330)
I was 330 at the end of my freshman year.

(did you feel slow)
 It was a lot of bad weight.

(best game in college, Texas)
Stat-wise, definitely. I think that was my best game. But I look at it, a game like that and a game like at Arizona. I had so many tackles and so many sacks that Texas game, but then I turned around at the bowl game I had three tackles and one for loss, and we killed that team, 33-0. Which would I prefer? 33-0, of course, because we’re winning. We almost set an NCAA record. It’s things like that. That’s what I look at. That’s how I judge my game, how well I did. I did everything I was supposed to do in that game, and we won, 33-0. Our offense did their part. Our defense did their part. Our special teams did their part. We’re at where we wanted to be.

(ready to be face of franchise as No. 1 pick) Definitely. I’ve felt I’ve kind of been the face of Nebraska these last two seasons, especially this last season. I understood that and embraced that.

(if Rams deciding between quarterback and defensive tackle, how would you lobby for DT)
How would I lobby? You take what would best help your team win. If you feel a quarterback is your best opportunity to help you win or if you feel like a defensive lineman is best to help you win and turn around your program, you take either or.

(Spagnuolo’s reputation as defensive coach)
Not a whole lot. I talked to Coach Bo briefly about him. I just know he’s a great coach and somebody I would definitely want to coach me.

(how much did soccer help with conditioning, stamina)
It’s funny you ask that. I think it helped me out tremendously. At a young age, being more of a heavy-set type of kid and being big all my life, being able to run and get up and down that field all the time and doing that at a young age and kind of training my body, running comes easy to me. I don’t get as tired as I see some other people on my team, when I see other people get winded that are my similar size and so forth.

(do you expect to do private workouts for the Lions, Rams or anyone else)
I have no clue. I haven’t talked to my agent about it. I’m assuming, kind of looking at the Adam Carriker situation, who left in 2006, kind of in a similar situation with the Rams up there with a top pick and he went out to different places and so forth and he was a highly rated guy, so watching his progression and being a top guy like that, I assume I’ll have to take a couple tripsand do a couple private workouts, which I don’t have a problem doing at all.

I just want to play within my scheme. I obviously know when I can take my shots in getting after the quarterback, and I took my chances. I feel that for the most part, I could have done more, but you never know what could happen.

(as a former soccer player, can you kick field goals)
I did it in high school. Why not?

 

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Clemson RB C.J. Spiller is the pretty unanimous choice as the top running back in the draft. He has an electrifying combination of speed and agility that many believe make him a Reggie Bush clone.

- Spiller doesn't mind that comparison but does take offense when people say he can't run between the tackles because of his relative lack of size. Spiller is determined to prove he can follow in the scintillating footsteps of Chris Johnson and become the next big thing carrying the ball at the NFL level.

(measurements): 5-11 ½, 196.

(dream of playing in NFL):
As a little kid, it’s something that you always dreamed about, playing in the NFL. You just to do whatever it takes to get to that level. Now that I’m here, I haven’t stopped working, haven’t gotten complacent, continue to work hard because I have not yet arrived at the potential I want to be at.

(what do you say to people who question whether you have the size and weight to be a top performer?):
Everyone can voice their own opinion. The only thing I can do is just go out there and perform. I can’t worry about that. I know I play the game with a lot of passion, and I’m going to go out there and compete at the highest level, no matter my size or my height. I know what I can do as a football player.

(running inside):
That’s pretty much what we did at Clemson. We ran inside, did a lot of zone blocking inside, did a lot of power downhill running. I think by me doing that, hopefully I showed people I can also be an inside runner as well as a good outside runner.

(how fast are you?):
I don’t know. I’m just going go out tomorrow and execute what I’ve been practicing while I was training and just wait for the results.

(will you be disappointed if you don’t run a certain time?):
 No, I won’t be disappointed at all. I’m just going to go out there and have fun, and just go out there and compete, and just execute what I’ve been practicing. If I do that, everything else will take care of itself. I haven’t set a goal. I’m not worried about a time.

(why did you decide to run?):
I just wanted to run. People haven’t really seen me run in shorts and have mostly seen me on the football field. So I just want to go out and just run and just have fun.

(any idea how fast you can run?):
Hopefully, it’s fast. But my main thing is not to worry about a time or try to add any more pressure on me. I’m just going to go out there and execute and hopefully the results will be good for me and the strength coach I worked with.

(are you doing everything tomorrow?):
No. I did the 225 today and I’ll be doing the 40 tomorrow. I’ll do everything (else) at my pro day.

(how much of a thrill was it to get a standing ovation from the Board of Trustees at Clemson when you graduated in December?):
I wasn’t expecting that at all. That’s why people say you never know who’s watching. You have to always know how to carry yourself both on and off the field. To get that, something I’d never been a part of, was a humbling experience and an exciting time. Hopefully, my younger teammates were able to see that so they can see what it takes to grab those guys’ attention, because those are the guys who really run the university.

(how did you graduate in 3 ½ years?):
Hard work, doing a lot of late-night studies, just going to the classroom and doing everything the teacher asks me to do. I took a whole lot of classes my freshman year and didn’t hardly go home that much. It just took a lot of hard work and it paid off for me in the end. That was my main goal for going back (for his senior year instead of turning pro) – to graduate. I wanted to be an example to younger guys and to my younger sister as well. You’ve got to look at everything. Education can take you a long way, so I wanted to be an example to younger kids.

(sometimes it’s hard to quantify what makes someone a good return man. Why do you think you’ve been so good as both a kickoff and punt returner?):
 I’ve just been blessed by the Man upstairs. You’ve got to be a man to get back there on those punt returns. You’ve got to have faith in your teammates and you’ve got to have faith that they’re going to hold up. And kickoff returns is all about reading the blocks and then just exploding through the hole. Hopefully, you can give your offense good field position and hopefully it’ll turn into a big play. I take a whole lot of pride in playing on those special teams, especially kickoff return and punt return.

(a lot of guys don’t want to return kicks in the nfl after their first year or so. Is that something you want to do your entire career?):
That’s something I love to do. Special teams can win or lose a game for you. That’s something I enjoy doing. I think I’m pretty good at doing it. Hopefully, I can help an organization by doing it so teams can’t just key on me as being a slot guy or just running the ball from the backfield, and I can go in and help that team out in any way.

(can you be an every down back in the nfl and do you want to be?):
 I think I can. I went back and I proved that I can carry the ball 20 to 22 times a game and still last. I think I get stronger as the game goes on and get a better feel. But that’s not my decision to make. That’s going to be up to the coaches, what they think and how they use me.

(what was the acc championship game like?
It seemed like you were out of gas but every time you got the ball, you seemed to make something happen.): It was fun. That’s why you play the game, to play in championship games. … To get there and (have) the experience we did, it was just awesome. I was just trying to put my team in position to win and I was just having fun. It was a game going back and forth, back and forth.

(talk about your 92-yard kickoff return for a TD against Maryland last season. Some of your teammates here have said it was their favorite play of yours):
Oh yeah, that was a great return. I wasn’t really looking for them to kick me the ball deep. We went into the game with them not really kicking it. Once they did, I just read my blocks. I ended up, lucky for me, running into one of my teammates, Casey Nobles, I kind of bounced off him. That’s one thing one of my coaches told me when he first got there, to just keep your feet moving. I did that. My shoe came off, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from running. My teammates did a great job of holding guys up. I trusted them.

(how far did you run without a shoe?):
When I pushed the guy down, he pushed my shoe off as well. I didn’t let that stop me from running.

(NOTE: he ran about 60 yards without one of his shoes on the play).

(where will you watch the draft?):
I’ll be home, hopefully, with my parents, my mom, my daughter, just waiting for my name to be called.

(do you agree with the comparison of you to reggie bush because you’re a multi-dimensional player?):
Everybody’s going to compare me to whoever. Like I tell people all the time, every running back is different. I can’t go to an organization and try to be Reggie Bush. It’s just not going to happen. The only thing I can do is just try to go be C.J. Spiller. It’s great to be in that company. Reggie Bush has done a phenomenal job while he’s been in the NFL. Even to be mentioned in that company is a humbling experience for me.

(with so much passing in today’s NFL, how much of a plus is it that you’re a 100-catch back?):
I take great pride in catching. That’s something I grew up enjoying doing. Baseball kind of got my catching really good. That helps a running back. The more a running back can add to his game, I think the more dangerous he can become to defenses. … It’s just another opportunity of helping the offense.

(reggie bush gets a little offended when people question his ability to run between the tackles. Does that bother you?):
It doesn’t bother me at all. I don’t get caught up into what people say. Everyone is going to voice their own opinion. The only thing I do is go out there and try to help my team win and just enjoy competing at the highest level. I don’t sit home and worry about what people like about my durability or what my style is. I just try to go out there and have fun.

(blitz pickup and blocking is a big adjustment for backs coming into the nfl. How much of that did you have to do at Clemson and are you confident you can deal with that?):
It all comes down to a guy (who has) the will that you want to do it. You can have great technique and all, but the ultimate goal is you’ve got to have to do it. I did a great job. The coaches put me in a great position the past two years of pass protection. It’s all about recognizing the blitz. If you know where the blitz is coming from, you’ll have an advantage and just use your technique. Sometimes the guy’s going to get you and sometimes you’re going to get him, but if you know where it’s coming from, that’ll help you out a whole lot the whole way.

(with the year you had, were you disappointed you didn’t get to go to New York for the Heisman presentation?):
They voted who they thought was the best. I’ll let everybody else in Clemson be disappointed, but to me, they voted who they thought was the best. I didn’t let that distract me. I still had a bowl game to play, so I was just really (focused)
on trying to get us a bowl win.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Today is the final day of the combine in terms of media access and there's no doubt it's been a busy week. Fortunately, things will slow a bit today. There's a couple of guys I want to catch up with that were no shows yesterday but beyond that, it should be a pretty quick and simple day.

- Today is a big day in terms of the workouts as the skill position guys go. That said, it will be a bit disappointing because a lot of the top players aren't working out. Among QB's, Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy aren't throwing. Dez Bryant, the top receiver isn't working out. The top running back, CJ Spiller is running the 40 and benching but nothing else. Watch for Spiller to run a blazing time.

- The defensive backs will be joining the media today. I'm expecting Eric Berry and Joe Haden to draw the most attention.

- For the site today, I'll have interview transcripts from the two players mentioned above as well as Suh, Spiller and Gerald McCoy (hopefully). McCoy and Jason Pierre-Paul are the players that didn't make it to media time yesterday that I'm hoping to catch. Assuming I do, I will be writing about the defensive tackles for the front page with an emphasis on assessing the risk of taking a DT with the No. 1 pick. I'll also get those transcripts up online.

- And later today, I'll be taking your questions in the live chat. Check out @OneRamsWay for instant updates and thoughts. On Tuesday, I'll be wrapping up this combine and at some point this week, I'll rank my top 25 players coming out of the combine.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Well, it was a busy and informative day here at Lucas Oil Stadium.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo made it clear he won't be relying on his defensive leanings to make a choice No. 1 overall and that he wants to get the best player regardless of position.

- Spagnuolo said he will attend all of the important pro days in the coming weeks so he can have a good idea of what each of the top players brings to the table.

- Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen and Ndamukong Suh all spoke to the media. All made a positive impression with Bradford and Suh seemingly winning over the room. Suh was confident but imposing. Bradford was poised and charming. Clausen didn't come off as arrogant despite what the knocks on him are publicly. All should be good interviews for the Rams.

- Speaking of which, the Rams are scheduled to sit down with the quarterbacks this evening and get to know them. That includes Bradford, McCoy and Clausen.

- Presumably, Suh will be on the docket, maybe tomorrow night based on the way the Rams seem to arrange their interviews.

- That's all for tonight. Back to wrap it all up tomorrow and hopefully hear from Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy and Tennessee safety Eric Berry.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Texas QB Colt McCoy spent most of his college career as part of a holy trinity of signal callers alongside Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford. Both of those players are getting plenty of interest as the draft buildup begins but for some unknown reason, McCoy isn't getting much attention.

- McCoy is OK with that but it doesn't mean he believes he doesn't measure up even if he's a few inches shorter. He shared his thoughts on being shorter than the top quarterbacks, how his nerve injury is doing and where he stacks up in this draft.

(How is the shoulder doing?)
Yeah, my shoulder is doing great. I’m way ahead of schedule. It’s unfortunate I’m not going to throw here, I’m bummed out, I would love to get out there and compete, I’d love to get out there and throw. But I sat down with Dr. Andrews and the physical therapist and it was in my best interests to just wait to my Pro Day to throw. Not that I can’t get out there and throw, but we don’t want to do anything that’s going to set it back. But it’s healing up great, I’m throwing every day. I’m on a strict routine, but I’m confident that everything is going well and I’ll be 100 percent ready to go in a couple weeks.

(When is your pro day?
March 31, in Austin

(What was the injury exactly?)
I just had a nerve injury in my deltoid. It’s not even actually my shoulder. And just weird injury. Hard to describe, hard to explain. Only thing I can say is, there was no pain, there was never pain involved in the whole injury, the whole situation. It was just completely dead. My arm was dead, my fingers were dead, I couldn’t grip anything, really couldn’t throw anything at all to raise up my arm. During the game was tough. Couple days later, regained all my feeling in my fingers and in my arm. Just been battling the weakness part of it ever since.

(Is the arm getting stronger?)
It’s a lot stronger. In the weight room, in the activities that I do, I can’t tell a difference. My arm is coming along great, it’s healed great, so I’m very excited about that.

(Was that the hardest hit you’ve taken?
I’ve taken a lot of hits in my career in the last four years, I’ve been hit a lot harder than that. It seemed (Marcel Dareus) just caught me the right way and I was very disappointed. You gotta take a positive out of every situation and there’s nothing structurally wrong with my shoulder. It’s going to be completely
healed up, completely fine. It’s not something that’s more likely to happen now than any other injury. Everything’s fine.

(What’d you measure in at?)
6-1 and a quarter. 217. I’d like to say I was 6-4, but this is what God gave me.

(What kind of lifting can you do now?)
It’s a lot of shoulder rehab. Work with my physical therapist every day, getting sick of it at this point. I work hard. The last four years, I’ve had to physically get my body ready to go each game, so I’m not going to get away from that by any means. But I’m doing everything I can.

(You are often compared to Drew Brees, do you embrace that?)
That’s great. Drew’s a tremendous quarterback, one of the best in the league. If my name’s mentioned in the same sentence as his, that’s an honor to me.

(Why are compared to Brees in your opinion?)
Well, I think they compare us because we’re not the typical 6-4 guys standing back there at quarterback, but I work very hard, I’m determined, I have a lot of intangibles that I can’t measure. But I’m excited about this process and my shoulder’s going to be completely fine.

(You talk to Vince Young much?)
I’ve talked to Vince a lot. He’s always there for support, always there for any questions I have through this whole process. He’s awesome. He had a tremendous year this year, once he came in. I was definitely pulling for him. The next year, it’s crazy to think we might be playing against each other.

(Do you think it’s worse to have the injury when you did or at the beginning of the year like Bradford?
I think getting hurt period is…. As the quarterback, you can’t think about that at all. As a football player, you’re going to get hit, it’s a physical sport. You can’t think about that at all. When it happens, it’s one of those things that’s not that fun. I talked to Sam a lot through this process, Shoulder injury, I know he was extremely bummed out about what happened, obviously. For me, it was tough. You work for something you’re whole career; you dedicate yourself for four years to reach a certain point. There’s no hire place that you can get to than playing in the National Championship in the Rose Bowl your
senior year… and five plays into it, it’s taken away. So you can imagine how tough it was.

(You competed with Sam Bradford all through college for stuff but aren’t now. Why is that?)
Sam and I are great friends. We’re pulling for each other in this whole deal. We talked about our shoulders, we’ve talked about our rehab, and the process and how it’s
not that fun. But at the same time, he’s a guy I’ll be playing with in the NFL for the next 10 years. Definitely pulling for him, I know he’s pulling for me, you just gotta compete through this whole process. I’m excited about my pro day. Ready to go out there and show my shoulder’s fine. I can make every throw and I’ll be 100 percent ready to go.

(Why do you think you are not in the conversation for the top pick with Bradford and Clausen?)
I set huge expectations for myself. I definitely see myself up there. For me, I’m not worried about what people say, what people think about me. I did my absolute best in college. I played for four years, I started 53 games in a row and so I don’t know what more anybody can ask of me. My height’s a knock. It is. 6-1 and a quarter. That’s what God gave me. I’m going to use it the best I can.

(How many teams have you met with?)
I can’t even tell you. They walk you around everywhere.

(Shoulder nerve injury)
"It was tough because you work for something your whole career , you dedicate yourself for four years to reach a certain point and there's no higher place you can get to than playing in the national championship in the Rose Bowl your senior year. And five plays into it, it's taken away. You can imagine how tough it was.

(how hard is it now to be compared to Sam Bradford)
"Sam and I are great friends. We're pulling for each other in this whole deal. We've talked about our shoulders. We've talked about our rehab and the process and how it's not that much fun. But at the same time, he's a guy I'll be playing in the NFL with for the next 10 years. So I'm definitely pulling for him. I know he's pulling for me. So you just have to compete through this whole process. I'm excited about my pro day (March 31 Austin). I'm ready to go out and show that my shoulder is fine and I can make every throw.
And I'll be 100% ready to go.

(Why aren't you up there in the conversation for 1st pick with Bradford and Clausen)
I've set huge expectations for myself. I definitely see myself up there. For me, I'm not worried about what people say and about what people think about me. I did my absolute best in college. I played for four years. I started 53 games in a row. So I don't
know what more anybody can ask from me. My height's a knock. It is. 6-11/4. This is what God gave me. I'm going to use it the best I can.

(You were the winningest QB in college football?)
Absolutely. I feel one of my greatest strengths is being a winner, finding a way to win.
We won more games in college than anybody else.

(What people look for in a QB is leadership skills, as far as your skills?)
"Leadership is a tough word. It's hard to talk about. A lot of guys can say things about it, but can't back it up. I was fortunate enough, God gave me the ability and opportunity to play for four years at the U. of Texas which was a dream for me. I learned a lot of lessons on leadership through those four years. My freshman year, I stood in the huddle with five guys who had just won the national championship and just played with Vince Young. You can imagine what that's like in spring ball trying to call a play in front of them.
And they're like, I'm not listening to you, dude. You're a freshman.' Overcoming that and where I am today, a lot of leadership lessons learned and a lot of lessons that will carry on into the NFL.

(The lesson of the BCS championship game?)
"That'll stick with me for a long time. The memory of not being able to compete, not being able to play. Not being able to lead your team in the national championship. You've got to find a positive. Move on from it. Continue to fight. For me, it made me step back and realize, 'Hey, how hard are you working? Do you want to play this game anymore? That's fueled me. I can't wait to get back on the field. I'm working my tail off to get my shoulder back. And that's a positive I took for that. My best football is ahead of me and I'm going to work for that.

(What is a team getting in you?)
I'm a hard worker, I'm the first one to get there the last one to leave, you can ask my teammates, my coaches. I'm committed to winning, finding a way to win, whatever it takes. One of my greatest strengths is, when it's uncomfortable in the pocket, when you have to make a play and sling the ball, throw it around, when you're just in shorts and t-shirts and look pretty. When it's uncomfortable, when we have to make a play, I feel like that's one of my greatest strengths.

(If you're Rams GM Billy Devaney and you're good friends with Sam Bradford and seeing how good Ndamukong Suh is who would you take first overall)
I've played against both guys. I've also played against Gerald McCoy. I've played against a lot of guys who are here. I have a meeting with the Rams today. If they'r asking a question, I'll give them an answer.

(Hindrance of the shotgun)
If you go back and look at my freshman and sophomore years, we were about 30% under center so it's not foreign to me at all. I realize that's something I really need to work on because the last two years we didn't spend that much time underneath center. We probably were three, four, five times a game underneath. We ran some play action out of it, but that's about it. We played to our personnel, we played with what we had and we won a lot of games. But playing underneath the center is not foreign to me. The good thing with my shoulder after the game for about three weeks I wasn't able to throw, so I committed myself to working on my feet, working on my drops, my play-action drops. My feet are going to be perfectly fine.

(Competition with you and Sam Bradford)
You have to compete if you want to play this game. There's great players going through this process as rookies. There's great players in the NFL they've all done it. We're all going to compete with each other, but we're all pulling for each other at the same time.
I know some people think the idea of Texas and OU guys getting along is pretty strange, but it is what it is.

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen has plenty of people wondering how he fits in the NFL because of the prominent perception that he isn't a capable leader. He faced plenty of questions about that on Saturday and held up well to the scrutiny.

- Clausen also discussed his recovery from toe surgery and the ways that coming from Charlie Weis' pro style offense should help him adjust to the NFL.

(What kind of quarterback coach is Charlie Weis?)
"He's a great quarterback coach, one of the best I've ever had. He's probably the smartest coach I've ever been around. Coach Weiss definitely knows what he's doing. He puts me in a great position to go out there and just play football and make plays."

(What is the update on your injury?)
"I hurt it the third game of the season in the second quarter against Michigan State. I tore two ligaments in that game and I played the rest of the season taking painkillers for every single game. At the end of the season I got another MRI. From playing on the two torn tendons, my sesamoid bones in my toe retracted about one centimeter. So Dr. Mark Myerson out of Baltimore had to reattach the tendons and put two pins in there to hold those tendons and he also had to move those sesamoid bones back up.

(Which foot?)
"It's my right big toe."

(Do you have any regrets playing through the season with that injury?)
"All they told me was that it was turf toe. So I just had to gut it out for my team and went out there each and every game and tried to give it my best."

(How much do you think you've matured at Notre Dame and how do you respond to your critics?)
"I've grown tremendously since I came into Notre Dame. I came in early as a senior. I came out early to Notre Dame, got in there in January, and tried to get a head start on my college career. There have been some ups and downs, a lot of lessons I've learned through that time. I overcame a lot of adversity during my past three years at Notre Dame. It's just been the greatest time of my life and I've learned some of the greatest experiences that I could. Just being away from my home and family in California has definitely changed me as a person."

(Do you think you're ready to lead an NFL team?)
"I think I'm ready. That's one of the reasons why I went to Notre Dame; to best replicate what it was going to be like playing big-time football in the NFL as a rookie. There's obviously been history shown that a lot of quarterbacks that come into their rookie season in the NFL have struggled. I kind of went through that at Notre Dame. I struggled my first year, got a little better my second year and made a drastic change my junior year in college."

(What kind of feedback have you gotten about your injury?)
"I went through that process yesterday and it took quite a bit of time. They said, 'It looks really good and it's healing.' They told me just to take my time and not push it too much."

(Are you on schedule to workout in South Bend, Ind. the first week of April?)
"Yeah, that's what I'm shooting for and that's when the doctor said I'll be ready. My scheduled date is April 9 at Notre Dame, to have my pro day."

(Will you be able to fully workout at the point?)
"Yes."

(How do you react to people who doubt your abilities to be a leader?)
"You know, to be honest, some of the people that say those things just don't know me as a person. A lot of people don't really know me as a person. That's why I was so excited to come here, talk to all the coaches and the GM and owners - so they get a feel for me as a person. Being at Notre Dame, the quarterback and the head coach get all the credit when things go right and get a lot of blame when things go wrong. It's a tough situation being in a fishbowl at Notre Dame. Like I said, I was so excited to come out here and just to meet a bunch of the guys, I know a lot of the guys that are out here working out, just to meet those coaches and for them to get a feel for me as a person."

(Do you feel capable of being the No. 1 overall pick and is that a goal?)
"If that's the team that wants to pick me. I just want to go somewhere where they want me as a person and a player, to go to that organization and help them win games. That's all I'm about. I'm about going there and trying to make my team better. Whether it's being on the practice squad, helping the defense, whether it's being the staring quarterback - that's a coach's decision. My goal is just to go in, whoever drafts me, go in there and learn the playbook as quick as I can and get out there and do everything I can to help the team win."

(How much does being in that fish bowl at Notre Dame prepare you for what’s ahead in the NFL?)
That’s why I went to Notre Dome was because it could best replicate what it would be like as a NFL rookie in the National Football League. That progression went from freshman year to sophomore year to my junior year this past season what it’s going to be like and I just want to jump from whatever I was this year to wherever I am going to be and help my team win games.

(What are the inaccurate perceptions about you out there?)
Some people say I am cocky, I am arrogant, I am not a good leader, I am not a good teammate. I think the people out there saying those things really don’t know me as a person. I am a humble kid. I love my teammates, have guys over to my house. During days off, I watch a lot of film with the receivers. During the offseason, have a bunch of my guys come back to work out with me and stay at my house with my family. Those are just some of the things I like to do. I am a fun kid and I have had to overcome adversity at notre Dame and it has made me a better person and a better player.

(Do you think you need to overcome those perceptions in the eyes of NFL decision makers?)
I think they just want to see me up close and personal, get a feel for me as a person. I think that’s the biggest thing they want to see.

(Do you think that leadership issue will come up when you talk to teams or do you think they are cognizant of the perceptions that are out there?)
I think they are cognizant of the perceptions out there and to be honest, I am just going in there and talking to them about some of the questions they have for me and just getting to know them and for them to get to know me as well.

(Do you think it’s unfair that the leadership issue is a question?)
That comes with the territory of being the quarterback at Notre Dame. That’s just the way it is. Just going in to the meetings with the coaches and GM’s I like it. I like for them to get to know me as a person just one on one.

(You play general manager: Who do you take Jimmy Clausen or Sam Bradford?)
You’d have to ask a general manager that question.

(What do you think you bring to the table as a quarterback?)
I would say some of my strengths are taking care of the football, my accuracy, playing under center in a pro style offense under coach Weis for the past three years, my durability, playing when I’m hurt and bringing my team back in the fourth quarter. I think those are some of the things that are my biggest things.

(What about your weaknesses?)
The biggest thing I want to do is become more of a gym rat in the film room. Being in college you only have a certain amount of hours to watch tape and go in there with your team and watch tape with them. You always hear guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are always in the film room watching tape. That’s what I want to do. It’s my profession now and that’s what I want to be. I want to be a gym rat in the film room and do everything I can to help the team win.

(How have you dealt with the outside perceptions?)
I knew Notre Dame was really big but until I got there and had to deal with it a little bit it was a lot bigger than I thought. There was ups and downs like I thought but I have definitely learned from some of the mistakes I made and had to overcome adversity. I am a better person and player for that.

(What was your support system to help through that?)
I talked to my family. My family is very supportive of me. Coach Weis was also a big influence. That’s the reason I went to Notre Dame. He’s a great guy. Not a lot of people really know him but he loves his family to death and loves his players to death and he treats me like his son Charlie Jr. He’s a family guy and that’s what I love about him.

(How much do you think your experience at Notre Dame will help you with a rebuilding team?)
It’s definitely going to help me. Going through adversity, being 3-9 my first year at Notre Dame, going 6-6 or 7-6 the next year and just progressively getting better as a quarterback and as a team. We were really young my freshman season and we got better and I think we made drastic changes this last season.

(Do you think those misconceptions were misconceptions or did you change?)
I think the misperceptions in a sense that people talked about my leadership skills and different things like that. But there have also been adverse times that I have had to overcome, different situations I have been through that I realized being in the fish bowl at Notre Dame and being the quarterback at Notre Dame, you have to act in a certain way and it has helped me. I’m going to become the face of the franchise somewhere and being at Notre Dame will definitely help me do that.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford addressed the media today and took on all questions about his surgically-repaired shoulder, his potential draft status and where he fits at the NFL level.

- Bradford is set to meet with the Rams tonight in the first of what figures to be a long getting-to-know-you process. I'll have a story on the Bradford vs. Clausen debate later tonight but for now, here's the bulk of Bradford's interview...

(What are you hearing about your health status?)
Obviously there are a lot of questions about my shoulder. I think it checked out really well yesterday when I went to all of the team physicals. No one found anything they weren’t expecting to find. I am in a great rehab program right now. My throwing sessions are really starting to pick up in intensity. My last throwing session was over 100 throws. My arm feels great after I throw, it hasn’t been sore yet. So it feels really good and I am really happy with where it’s at.

(Are they testing your range of motion or stretching out the arm at all?)
A little bit of both. They are looking for strength and for how much range of motion I have.

(How long were you at hospital yesterday?)
I was there for a while, a couple hours.

(What exactly was surgery on the shoulder?)
It was a reconstruction of the AC joint. They just went in with like a nylon braid and put the clavicle back in place and pretty much re-secured the joint.

(Do you second guess yourself at all for trying to come back after the first injury?)
No. I don’t second guess that decision at all. If I wouldn’t have tried to come back, there’s no way I could have lived with that decision. Everyone we talked to at the time said that I could come back and play. No one thought I needed surgery after the first injury so I don’t think I made a wrong decision at all with that.

(When is your pro day?)
March 25. Yes.

(How important will that be?)
It’s extremely important. Obviously it will be the first time that I have been with pro scouts since they have seen me play when I got injured. I think everyone is really anxious to see my arm and how it looks after surgery.

(How bad was the shoulder and did you really need the surgery?)
It was a grade three separation and from what I have heard from doctors after the second time, for my long term health if I wanted to continue playing football and get stronger in the weight room I needed to have the surgery.

(How important is it to you to be No. 1?)
I think everyone dreams about being No. 1. I think through this process I have been preparing myself and show those teams everything I have. It’s not up to me at the end of the day, it’s up to them. I am really not worried about what I can’t control.

(Do you feel like you’re the best quarterback in the draft?)
To be honest, I haven’t seen all the quarterbacks play. I am not going to compare myself to them. I know that I am a good player. I have confidence in my ability and I feel like when teams see me throw on the 25th they will really see what they are getting.

(Was it important for you to put some weight on before coming here?)
Definitely. That’s something, especially coming back from the injury I wanted to get in the weight room and put some weight on. I came in at a good weight yesterday. There were some questions about my weight last year. People thought I was too small to come out so I won’t have to answer any of those questions this year and it’s something I have put a lot of work into.

(How much weight have you put on?)
Since the last time I played, I have probably put on about 12 pounds.

(what was your height and weight?)
Yesterday I was 6’4, 236.

(What have teams told you about what they like about you or your strengths?)
They usually don’t tell you. They ask you those questions. So, I am still trying to get a feel for it. I’m sure once I get picked, they will tell me what they feel like I do well and what I need to improve on.

(How often are you throwing right now?)
I throw every other day. That’s the schedule I am on right now. When I get back from the combine I am hoping to finish my rehab schedule and get to throw every day.

(What kind of throwing have you been doing?)
They are 20-40 yards and I am putting as much as I can on it. I feel like if you want to get your arm stronger that’s what you have got to do. It’s gotten stronger every time I have thrown and it really feels good right now. No discomfort.

(What do you think you bring to the table in terms of leadership?)
I think I am a great leader. I think if you ask any of my teammates that played with me at Oklahoma, they would tell you I was one of the leaders on our team. I can be vocal, I think a lot of people question that. But they don’t see our practices, they don’t see what I do in our locker room. I am vocal, I will get after guys when I need to. I also like to lead by example and that’s something I believe in. If you don’t practice what you preach, no one is going to follow you. I believe I have all the different leadership styles you need to be a good leader.

(How do you think you’d fit in a West Coast offense?)
I feel like my style can adapt to any system. I think people will look at what we did last year at Oklahoma and just see a spread offense but if you look at my first year at Oklahoma we were under center a lot. I believe it was 50/50 that we were in a two-back pro style set. I feel like I have the skills to really adapt to any system.

(What do you expect in meeting with Rams tonight?)
I expect it to be like all the other meetings. I am sure they will ask me some questions about myself, my background. I am sure they will turn on the tape, watch some of the things I have done at Oklahoma and try to figure out how I process things. I don’t think it will be any different than any of my meetings with other teams.

(Will you tell them the Peyton Manning line about making them pay if they don’t draft you?)
I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead yet.

(When you got hurt, it seemed like you might have lost your chance to be the No. 1 pick, did you think about that at all?)
I never really felt that way. I know a lot of people thought that but nothing changed the player I was. Just because I got hurt doesn’t change anything I have done in the past. It doesn’t change my work ethic. I know I had to work that much harder to get myself back in the position to have that opportunity but I feel like I have worked extremely hard. but it’s not up to me, I don’t get to pick, I know I am going to get stronger, put on a good show and show everyone what I have.

(What are the characteristics of being a quarterback that you have that makes you a contender for this top pick?)
I think if you look at everything I have done at Oklahoma not only on the field but off the field, the things I am involved with, I think a lot of times people look at what you say, how you handle press conferences and obviously that’s a big part but I think if you really take a look and see how I interact with people on a daily basis, the things I do in my personal life, I think you will see that I put the effort in to everything. Academics is something I put a lot of effort into. I really think everything I do, I give my best and I think I am going to do my best for whatever team takes me.

(Have you reached out to Matt Ryan or Matthew Stafford to help you through this process?)
I haven’t reached out to those guys yet. I think it’s something I definitely will do when I get farther along in the process, especially the closer the draft comes and the closer I get to entering rookie camp just to understand what it’s going to be like. I can learn a lot from them just because they have been through this process before.

(What are your thoughts on Ndamukong Suh?)
He’s a great player. We saw him this year. I was on the sideline for that game so I got to watch him. He’s a great player but I think we have a great defensive tackle at Oklahoma as well. I think Gerald McCoy is a great player too so I wouldn’t rule that out.

(Do you talk to McCoy about being the top pick?)
No. I just saw Gerald for the first time last night. We don’t talk about that stuff. I wish Gerald the best, he wishes me the best. We are going to be happy for each other no matter what happens.

(How much do you work on taking snaps under center in the offseason?)
Yeah. I think people have this misconception if you play in the spread, you play in the shotgun that you don’t know how to take a drop. It’s just a shorter drop. When you are in the gun, you still take a three step drop. At Oklahoma at practice every day, our first drops were under center. Our coach made us take drops under center. We threw two out routes, the first was under center, the second was in the gun. I am very comfortable with being under center. It’s something I have done since I have been in college going back to high school. It’s nothing new to me.

(What do you tell teams are your greatest assets?)
I think I am extremely accurate. I think you have to be to be successful as a quarterback. You can be smart, make all the right reads but if you can’t deliver the ball you are not going to be successful. I think I have great feet. I make a lot of athletic throws. I am able to throw on the run really well. I have a great presence in the pocket. I am able to stand in there and deliver the ball under pressure while taking the hit. I am a competitor. I love to compete, I love to win. I have loved to win since I was little and that’s not going to change.

(How do you feel about being a face of the franchise wherever you go?)
I really don’t think I would necessarily be the face of the franchise. It’s still a team game. There are a bunch of guys who people look to when they think of that franchise. If people want to put that on me, it’s something I will embrace and I’m sure I will have to grow into it but I will learn the ropes just like I did when I was at Oklahoma.

(Can you take us through the play you were hurt on against BYU?)
Yeah, they brought pressure from the backside and I tried to roll out and the guy just wrapped me up and unfortunately he landed on me and I landed on my right shoulder and I ended up separating my shoulder.

(Have you talked to Alex Smith about that surgery?)
Yeah, I actually talked to him before I had surgery. I know he has the same procedure by Dr. Andrews. He just told me what to expect from the rehab standpoint and what he went through so I knew what to expect.

(What do you think you gained by coming back?)
Mentally, I think I made leaps and bounds. Just another year in school, it was another year to mature on and off the field. When I got hurt, you step away from the game, you look at the offense from a different perspective and I think I was able to do that. Sometimes when you are on the field you are going so fast that when a coach calls a play you just run it then afterwards look back on it and wonder why did we run that? But when you are on the sideline and you see the call come in, you are really able to slow things down and really understand why we are calling that on certain defensive looks. SO I think mentally I gained a lot from this year.

(Does your arm feel strong right now?)
Yes. I think Dr. Andrews is extremely happy with it. He feels like I am ahead of schedule right now.  The velocity I am putting on the ball and some of the throws I am able to make right now, I feel like with another month’s work, I will be able to make all the throws I was able to make before with probably some more arm strength than I had before.

(the Rams have said they’d like you to see an independent doctor in addition to their doctors and Dr. Andrews. Are you OK with that?)
Yeah, that’s fine. I have nothing to hide. My shoulder is fine. They can get whoever they want to to look at it. I don’t think it’s going to change. They are going to see that it’s strong, it’s healthy, it’s better than ever.

(Would you be OK with going to a rebuilding team?)
I think it’s a great opportunity. To have the opportunity to play for a team in the NFL whether it’s rebuilding or successful, to be part of an organization and getting to play on Sundays is something I really look forward to.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo took his turn at the podium a day after general manager Billy Devaney and he discussed a wide variety of topics from keeping Oshiomogho Atogwe to lightening the load for Steven Jackson to all things draft. Here's a big chunk of what Spagnuolo had to say.

- I'll flesh this out in story form a bit later. For now, enjoy...


(Opening statement)
It’s always exciting to be here. It’s great to see all the coaches, scouts, people you don’t get to see during the year. This is very important with the combine and the draft coming up. We are sitting in an important spot, looking forward to it. We don’t want to be there next year but looking forward to it this year.

(Can you compare Suh and McCoy)
I have (watched the tapes). I am always the type of person to say I haven’t watched enough. I don’t have a full evaluation in my mind but they are two great football players that are going to be great in this league. They are dominant defensive tackles, somebody that changes a game, changes schemes, change how you would block it and give offensive coordinators a little bit of a headache. I think that’s the type of guys they are. Both of those guys are good football players.

(Can you compare them?)
I wouldn’t do that. They are both good football players and will be good in this league. They have a couple of different styles but both of those styles will work.

(Is one more of an attacker and the other a run stuffer? How do you view that?)
No, they both do those phases of the game very well. We don’t get too wrapped up in that. Right now you are looking at the skill of the player and size and character and all those things you look to make an evaluation of a football player.

(Why hasn’t a DT been the top pick in the draft in so long?)
A lot of that is timing. Sometimes there is not somebody worthy of that particular spot at that point in the draft, maybe the team picking there decides to go with another position need wise. There’s a lot of different reasons for that. But typically there are usually some good defensive tackles in the draft somewhere in the first round.

(Any reservations about using that high of a pick or spending the money on a DT?)
I don’t look at it that way. You take the player that is best for the football team. Ownership takes care of that.

(How hard will it be for you to not push for the defensive player?)
I know we all get labeled as head coaches, defensive guy, offensive guy but when you sit in this particular seat that I am blessed to be in, you don’t have a problem one way or the other. You go with the best player.

(What do you like about TEs Jermaine Gresham and Rob Gronkowski?)
Both of those guys can catch the football, block. You look for a tight end that can do all of the components so I think both of those guys bring that one way or the other, at least in our opinion.

(How do you view what Billy Devaney said about Sam Bradford’s shoulder?)
Well, I agree with Billy. I don’t know exactly what he said but I will agree with what he said 100 percent. You are talking about a guy who throws the football so obviously the shoulder is a concern. Nowadays with medicine the way it is and what they are doing medically, I think every player that gets hurt is hopeful that they will bounce back and be OK. I am sure he’s banking on that.

(How do you compare the value of the defensive tackle spot to quarterback?)
We go about the draft evaluation process like everybody else does. You evaluate each player, you rank them, put them where you think they would fall or where value would be round wise and try not to get into comparing him to another position. You stick with your draft board. I think that’s the best way to go about it.

(How do you view the NFC West right now?)
We are all 0-0 so we are all even right now. It’s a competitive division, good coaches, some new coaches but a number of teams surfaced last year. I think it’s a competitive division. I think the division is on its way up and I look forward to playing those three teams twice a year.

(How much does Kurt Warner’s retirement affect the division?)
Well certainly we all know what type of player Kurt was. He was a quality quarterback so it probably makes Arizona a little different but I know they have another good one there waiting in the wings so it will probably be about the same.

(Is it hard to resist the wow factor of drafting a quarterback?)
I don’t think we will get wrapped up in that. We will do what’s best for the football team. We haven’t got to that point yet but that comes as we go forward and when it’s time to make that pick we will.

(Is there also a risk factor that plays into that?)
I think anyone you take is a risk. You take a defensive lineman, a corner, they are all a risk. And I say that, none of us know for sure. It’s a calculated risk I guess is the best way to put it. You do all your homework and hope when it’s all said and done, the pick you make is what’s best for your football team.

(How important is it to you to keep OJ Atogwe?)
You know how I am. I have gotten really close to OJ. He certainly means a lot to me personally. He’s a great football player. We have a number of those (restricted) guys scattered around on the team. We will do what’s best for the football team and OJ will do what’s best for him. I certainly think a lot of him and he’s a quality player in this league.

(What qualities do you look for in a QB?)
I think what you do is you assess the team that have been successful lately it seems to me those leadership type of guys, the guys who can get the job done in a pinch and certainly all the other things that go along with it. A guy that can throw the football and has all the physical qualities. But leadership to me is really important at that particular position, just like we value it on defense at MIC linebacker.

(How do you define that leadership?)
I don’t think you can define it in words. I think it’s kind of like the old ‘It’ factor that you hear people talk about. You kind of see guys interact in certain situations and take as much information as you can from coaches that have been around that particular person. Hopefully you are getting good information and hopefully you make the right decision.

(Can you get to know these guys well enough before the draft to feel comfortable with that?)
Anybody can fool anybody in 15 minutes. But it’s more than that. It’s digging deeper. This is the beginning part of it. Here is the beginning. You put a face with a name and have a little interaction but it’s really about digging deep with the people that have been around that particular prospect for a long period of time. That’s what is really, really important.

(Are you optimistic about keeping OJ?)
I am always optimistic about the players we would like to keep and certainly we feel that way about OJ.

(Have you talked to Steven Jackson recently?)
I did. Last week he was in town. He seems to be doing fine. Backs, you know how they are one day but he’s been fine. I don’t even put him in the rehab category because it’s really just a rest thing. He’s been resting so he told me he’s doing fine right now.

(Have you given much consideration to limiting his touches some next season?)
That’s a hard one. You want that guy having the football. We will assess that as we go forward here. I don’t anticipate having to tweak at all but if we had to, he has earned the right in this league, you know what he is, it’s not like he needs 1,000 reps in training camp. We will be smart with it.

(Is Darren Sproles someone you could see as a complement to Jackson?)
There are a lot of different ways to look at that. I think Billy talked about it the other day and even last year we were looking for a running back. We have a couple guys that can back up now that give us some options pass protection wise. It goes to what we were saying about lessening the load for Steven. But the one thing is Steven doesn’t want to lessen the load. That’s the great thing about having a great player like that. He wants the football and he wants to help his team win. We will look at all guys like that.

(Would you feel comfortable playing a young QB right away?)
Every quarterback is different. I wouldn’t have a problem doing that but I don’t know that unless you are really forced into that, it’s kind of smart to ease those guys in a little. There’s a lot of different ways to do it. Some guys have been thrown in the fire and had some success. I’m sure you can go back in the history of this league and have the same situation and it’s gone the other way.

(Can you afford to use a second or third round pick on a “complementary” running back over a position where you might need starting help?)
That’s what you have to look at. He answered it for me. You have to sit there and say ‘Is there more value here or more value there?’

(So how do you weigh that?)
When you are on the clock and making the decision, you stick with the board. I know that’s a cop out answer but that’s what you do. If you start reaching for needs…if the best player available happens to be a backup running back, then you do it. Another value of a backup running back is special teams which we think is very important.

(How do you view the offensive line going forward?)
I’d agree with you on the up arrow with that particular position. I thought Steve Loney did a great job with that offensive line. We had a lot of injuries there late but there was a time there in the season where they were really jelling together and it was when Jason Smith was playing. He has been fine. I have talked to Jason. The last week of the season he did practice in that week so that was encouraging. All of those symptoms have cleared and we are very optimistic that he will be OK going forward. I thought they jelled together and the arrow was up.

(How important is it to add playmakers to the offense?)
No matter how you bring them in, you’d like that to be the situation. Let’s face it, we didn’t win a lot of games last year so the natural tendency is to say that we need to bring guys in that are going to be impact players. We don’t have the luxury right now of being a team that has established 22 starters, etc, etc and you can have luxury picks and kind of fill in some backups. We have to get some guys who are going to play some football. We were young last year but I think that will be advantageous for us this year. Those guys got a lot of reps so we look at the silver lining in all of that.

(Thoughts on trading down?)
If it’s the right thing to do. Nobody is stuck on saying we wouldn’t trade down so that’s always a possibility.

(On adding a veteran presence to a young team)
That has been a thought. One of the things and it was probably more so in New York when I was there, we had some youth there but we had some vets that were kind of the work ethic guys that taught the younger guys how to do it. I really think you have to have a little bit of that mixture. In my opinion, you can’t just go out plucking guys out of the sky, you almost have to know that person and how they study film. I think that’s huge. We have a great coaching staff in my opinion and we’ll get the guys ready and feed them all the things we need to on how to be a pro but nothing is better for a young pro than to see another guy doing it.

(Anything further with Antonio Pierce?)
I spoke to him really quick, just a social conversation. He’s a long way away from all the things he has to do with his health and everything. I like Antonio. He’s a good man, good player.

(How much thought goes into what the adjustment is for a DT to NFL level?)
I’m going back in my memory. I believe my second year in Philadelphia we drafted Corey Simon. Believe it or not, Corey Simon was a holdout for the first two or three weeks and he practiced one week and started the first game and the very first play he got a sack. Now that doesn’t always happen. But I think it would come back to the person physically and mentally. I guess I would venture to say that tackle might be a position where you can get in there as a rookie and get thrown in the fire maybe a little bit sooner because there are only so many blocking schemes you can see as opposed to a linebacker say with all the reads.

(Would you actually take a QB? Hard to believe with your defensive background.)
Why does that keep coming up? You see me venturing over that way a little bit. I am broadening my spectrum, my thought process. If that’s the right thing to do, we would certainly do that. There’s a bunch of good quarterbacks out there. The nice thing about being in this position is there are a bunch of options, really. The powers that be, the experts feel like there are some legitimate choices there. We have the trade situations. That’s a good thing. Everybody thinks there are a lot of options.

(What do you need to know about a player to satisfy what you are looking for with that top pick?)
I have dug deeper into the film part of it. Right after this combine, I will hit all of those, the ones they talk about, I plan on being at all of those workouts. Certainly, I will make a lot of phone calls to people that have touched those guys in the past and then it will just be digging and digging and digging for as much information as possible. Then we will come up with a smart decision. That’s probably no different than anyone else. We will do it as a group and a team looking at all these people.

(Did Bradford’s added weight make an impression on you?)
I heard all of the people around me say ‘Ooooooooh,’ but I didn’t have a pre-conceived weight. I stayed strictly with film right now and I wanted to get an early assessment of just seeing him. I think we visit with him tonight. I left it wide open so I wasn’t really aware that it was that much more. It didn’t have the same impact to me. He is a good looking kid to walk through there though.

(How much thought to going DT in the first round and going QB in the second?)
I haven’t watched enough of those other quarterbacks to know in my mind where they would fall. If you do that, it’s a calculation and you are hoping somebody will be there so you can get a quarterback. That’s one way to go.

(You compared what you want in a QB to your MLB on defense, since you just grabbed your MLB last year, can you use that as a baseline for what you look for at QB in terms of leadership?)
It’s probably different animals there, to be honest with you. What you would tag as leadership at quarterback and leadership at MIC linebacker, some of them would be similar but I don’t think I would do that.

(Do you agree with the assessment that McCoy is more of a penetrator and Suh is more of a run stopper?)
I think McCoy’s defense is structured that way. You’d have to talk to those coaches that he is a gap penetrating tackle. Nebraska’s defense is more of a reading tackle. To me, that’s about the only difference, just the techniques that they were taught. But they are both quality players that can learn anything.

(Is there a danger to the thought of drafting a QB because it’s more of a wow factor?)
I think it’s a danger if you fall into that. That conversation doesn’t really come up when you are sitting there evaluating players and who is the best player for us to take. I think you have to remove that and I think the support is there from ownership and the powers above to do the right thing for the football team.

 

- California running back Jahvid Best was widely regarded as a Heisman candidate and one of the top backs in the country before a concussion derailed his season. Still, Best is considered a borderline first round prospect and Rams fans have already begun stumping for Best to be in the mix for their second round pick. 

- Best had plenty to say about a lot of topics including what it would be like to work as a complement to Steven Jackson.

 (How bad was the fall you took?)
It was a pretty bad fall, but I’ve been blessed. It could have wound up being a lot worse
than it was. Thank God I’m able to bounce right back, and I’m healthy now.

(Do you remember it?)
I remember it all the way up until the point where I was asleep. I remember the play,
I remember jumping in the air, and the next thing I remember was being in the hospital.

(Have you watched it?)
I've seen it a couple of times.

(Do you have a history of concussions?)
Well, there is obviously a lot of concern about it. So we went to the best to get some answers. We went to Mickey Collins in Pittsburgh. I've seen him twice and he cleared me. He's known as the best so his words mean a lot.

(Did you take a concussion test here?)
Yes I did.

(Did they tell you at all how you did on it?)
No they did not.

(Are you worried about it at all?)
No I'm not worried about it. Mickey Collins said I am fine and any other concussion that I may get in the future would have nothing to do with the one I've had in the past. So from now on it's just a clean slate. Two.

(You are an aggressive player. Is there anything you can do in the NFL to do to avoid those types of injuries?)
The biggest thing maybe just getting a new helmet. At Cal I wore one of the older style helmets. It looks the best but it wasn't the best protection, so maybe I should go with the new school of new Revolutions or something like that to give me the best protection.

(What about jumping at the goal line?)
That's not going to be a part of my game anymore.

(Have you had talks with the Rams throughout this whole process?)
So far it has been kind of general. Teams are just trying to get to know me, seeing where my head is at, how much of a game I know. I believe I have an interview with them one of these nights where it's a more intimate one-on-one kind of interview and I'll get some more information then.

(What kind of complement would you be alongside Steven Jackson?)
I think I'd be a great complement personally. He honestly has a big physical part of the game, and I can bring in the lightning if you will. That part of the game. I mean I could just make big plays. It's going to be an adjustment for me, and it's going to be an adjustment for any of the guys here, but I feel like I'm ready for the next level.

(Are you comfortable sharing the load at the next level?)
I feel like I'm ready to do it. Whatever team picks me up and whatever the role they want me to play him going to do it because I feel like I'm coming in with a chip on my shoulder. Everything that I've done in the past is kind of like it's arranged. It's almost like it doesn't matter anymore. I've got to make a new name for myself. So whatever role I get I'm going to take it and do it to the fullest, and hopefully my roles will expand from there.

(How comfortable are you in the return game?)
Very comfortable. I didn't take any part returns in college, but I did in practice. I'm capable of doing it. And kickoff return I did that in college and I'm capable of doing it.

(Did you ever do punts in high school?)
Yeah I did punts in high school. It was no problem.

(Have you and your agent sat down and talked about teams that need running backs?)
There's a bunch of teams like the Eagles, the Bills are in the picture now, the Saints might be in the picture. There's a lot of teams because there are a lot of running backs whose contracts are coming up. And then there's a lot of teams that just need running backs, because running backs come in and out of the league every year now.

(Which teams have you met with?)
I met with almost every team now.

(What are you going to run the 40 in?)
I don't know. But I'm going to run fast. I can tell you it's going to be a fast time but I can't put a number on it.

(What kind of feedback have you gotten on your pass blocking?)
I've gotten a lot of feedback. Some people say I do it good, some people say I need work on my technique. But as far as I'm concerned I need to work on every part of my game coming in the next level so I need to focus on every facet of my game and get a little bit better.

(Smaller backs?)
It just helps me out when guys come into the league like Chris Johnson and they go out and make an impact on teams. That just makes my kind of player more valuable.

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- I suppose if there's a day that figures to have more action than the rest in terms of in this media room at Lucas Oil Stadium today is the day. One thing about not getting the players you expect to get one day means they are pushed back a day. So, assuming everyone shows up, here's the schedule for the day.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo is in the room at 10:15. He'll be discussing the draft options and following up I'm sure on a lot of what GM Billy Devaney said yesterday. I'll have the transcript here on the blog and flesh out some of what he says in a feature story for the site later in the day.

- I'm told the top three quarterbacks: Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy will be in today after missing out yesterday. Supposedly, that will happen around 1:00 EST. I'll have their interview transcripts as well as a feature on the QB's for the front of the site.

- Aother missing person from yesterday, Clemson RB C.J. Spiller, is also expected to come by. Will post his thoughts here but might not have a chance to expound on him in story form until closer to the draft.

- Then, the big boys start coming in. Today is the day for linebackers and defensive linemen. That means Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Jason Pierre-Paul and more. I'll be posting their thoughts as well as writing further about them, probably tomorrow.

- Some quick injury scuttlebutt before I go. I'm told that a couple of players have serious injury concerns coming out of the medical evaluations. Alabama TE Colin Peek apparently has myriad issues and could have trouble landing a decent spot in the draft because of it. And, it's no surprise considering his past injury issues but Missouri WR Danario Alexander just can't catch a break. He recently had another knee surgery and the problems apparently run deep.

- Hoping to get to the heart of Bradford's shoulder issue when he comes in to chat today.

- As always, keep checking back in this space, sending questions to the mailbag, watching Twitter @OneRamsWay and checking out the features on the front of the site.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- The second day of the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine has come to a close and it was actually a bit disappointing, at least from a writing standpoint.

- Don't get me wrong, GM Billy Devaney was in fine form and gave us some great stuff to get the day going but apparently the medical testing at the hospital took longer than expected and we missed out on a lot of the anticipated players coming through.

- Quarterbacks Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy never made it to the dais and are expected to come tomorrow. Ditto for Clemson RB C.J. Spiller.

- So, as any writer must, I have to call an audible and will find something else to add to the front page here.

- Of course, this also means tomorrow could potentially be unbelievably hectic as all four of the top candidates for the No. 1 pick could be in one day. So, expect this page to get more updates than any of the other days tomorrow. I'll be periodically adding some more stuff here as time goes on too as some others stopped by that you all have said you'd like to hear from. If nothing else, I'll have the transcript from Cal RB Jahvid Best later this evening.

- So long for just a bit.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant is widely regarded as the best at his position in this draft. But it's hard to project his skills because he comes to the league after being suspended for the majority of the 2009 season.

- So Bryant came to Lucas Oil Stadium hat in hand, ready to answer any and all questions about his suspension. What he apparently isn't ready to do is workout at the combine. He says he tweaked a hamstring and will wait until his pro day for that.


How do you answer questions about the NCAA suspension?
“Whatever’s asked, I’m going to answer it.”

How excited are you to talk about football and not the NCAA stuff?
“Very excited. Just to know I’m about to get drafted to an NFL team, I’ll be able to
get back in a uniform and do what God gave me to do.”

Was it difficult to answer those questions today?
“I haven’t heard it much. But it’s not difficult at all.”

It’s been tough talking to the NCAA. Why is it easier today?
“I accepted the fact, I heard it so many times, I just got better at it.”

What do you tell NFL teams about what you did?
“I just tell them I misled the NCAA about going out to Deion Sanders’ house. I apologized for it and I’m back on track and ready to go.

Will that affect how high you are drafted?
“No sir. I don’t think so at all. But it’s not my call.”

Do they ask you why you did it?
“Yes sir they did.”

What’s your answer?
“I was nervous, the way they came in. Going out to Deion Sanders’ house wasn’t a violation, but lying was a violation, so I got the punishment.”

How is your relationship with Deion Sanders?
“It hasn’t changed. His intention wasn’t to hurt me. He’ll always be one of my favorite
football players. It’ll stay that way.”

What did Deion say after the suspension?
“Just keep my head up. Don’t get down. He said, ‘I’ve been through worse things than that.’ Just keep my head high and keep moving.”

What’s your biggest regret?
“My biggest regret was not telling the truth.”

Do you worry that people will think you’re a bad person?
“It was a bad mistake. But I’m a great person. I enjoy the opportunity to make people smile. I’m good at making people smile. People that know me, they know it was a mistake. They know I’m a fun type of person and I love to have fun.”

Was the NCAA punishment too harsh?
“I felt it was kind of harsh, but at the same time, I took it as a man. There’s nothing I can do about it. Just keep going.”

Are you looking forward to getting back on the field?
“That’s what I’m looking forward to. I’m ready to put back on those pads. Do what I do best.

You have the same agent, Eugene Parker, as Michael Crabtree. Any teams ask about that?
“No teams are asking about none of that. That situation, Mike’s his own man, I’m my own man.”

Was it hard to watch Oklahoma State after the suspension?
“It was kind of hard to watch, but I still watched it. Kept my same routine. Prayed every Saturday for the opponent and our team. Sat on my couch and watched the game.”

Was it hard training by yourself?
“It was kind of hard training by myself. I didn’t do much. I caught footballs. That’s about it.”

What’s your relationship with Deion Sanders?
“Deion is my mentor. Deion never talked to me about football. It was more of my personal life. Seeing was my mom OK. Was my brother OK? Was my sister OK? He checked up on me every now and then.”

What was it like having Deion as a mentor?
“Made me feel good. Just like any kid, it’s Deion Sanders. He taught me the right things, not the wrong things.”

What NFL receiver do you compare yourself to?
“I would compare myself to Larry Fitzgerald. As far as going up for the football, tackling the ball.”

What teams are most interested in you?
“To be honest, I really can’t tell. Hopefully, someone will show interest.”

What did you learn from your mom through all this?
“The decisions my mom made, that was for my sister, my brother, for us to have things. She made those decisions, but it doesn’t change how I feel about her. I felt like everything I have accomplished and the success I have, I owe it all to her.”

How high do you expect to go?
“I really don’t know. To tell the truth, I really don’t care. Whoever drafts me.”
Are you looking forward to just football and fun after all you’ve been through?
“Yes sir. The best thing that ever happened to me was coming to Oklahoma State. I felt whenever I got there, that’s all I needed. I knew if I do all the things I’m supposed to do right, I’d be able to care of my mom and we wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore. I feel like God blessed me to accomplish all these things.”

After missing so much football, are you prepared to go be a No. 1 receiver as a rookie?
“Yes. I feel like I’m going to go to wherever and do my best. I’m anxious to get back on the field. I feel like when I do get back on the field, I’m going to come out and make plays the best way I can.”

Did you feel like you had blown your chance to solidify your draft status?
“It did at the time. But when I sat down and thought about it, I know what went on through that situation. I just talked to my mom, and my best friend. My best friend told me, you gotta take time.”

Do you hope to change people’s perception about you?
“Yes sir. I felt teams that watched me, they can see I am a great player. Like I said, I get along real well with people. I love being around people. I love being around kids. I just love making people smile.”

Did you talk to Eugene Parker about his holdout reputation?
“I really didn’t look at it. I looked at Eugene, what type of person he was. Checking his background. Everything was great. He also had the best player in the NFL as one of his players. Larry Fitzgerald.

How important is it to get to camp on time?
“It will be real important. To be honest, I can’t wait to get back in pads. Most likely I will be there in camp.”

Will you work out here?
No sir. I’ll go at my pro days. March 10. In Stillwater.

What’s your relationship with Mike Gundy?
“I haven’t talked to coach Gundy in awhile. But me and Coach Gundy’s relationship, it’s real good.”

You seem to be an attacking receiver. How does that benefit the rest of your game?
“I see myself as a person on the field just trying to make something happen. I feel in my mind, I can make a play anywhere on the field. Kick return, punt return, anywhere the coach puts me, wherever.”

Why aren’t you working out here?
“Last week I tweaked my hamstring a little bit. I tweaked it a little in one of the games I played in.”

Is Brandon Pettigrew sort of like a big brother?
“Yes sir. He talked to me every now and then. It’s not much. But when I talked to him, he give me the right advice.

What kind of advice did he give on the draft process?
“He didn’t really give me advice about the draft process. Just stay focused.”

Will the layoff affect you?
“I feel like it hasn’t affected my game any. Before I started my training, my conditioning had to come back, but as far as the game of football, didn’t affect me at all.”

Are you worried that it will damage your OSU legacy?
“It don’t. Because I feel, the people at Oklahoma State, they know who I am. They know I love to have fun with ‘em. I talk to ‘em. I just made a mistake and I feel like they forgave me for it.”

But what about the receiving records you could have broken?
“Not that important. I’m just out there playing football.”

What did you get from Deion Sanders?
“You always get good advice. His intention wasn’t to hurt me. He always gave me the right information. I still thank him to this day for it.”

What’s the best advice he gave?
“Just stay focused. Stay hungry. Don’t give up.

What do you want teams to know about you this week?
“Dez Bryant’s a great person to be around. He loves the game of football. He can’t wait to get back on the field and do whatever to help the team.”

What’s your favorite college memory?
“It would have to be my sophomore year, we played U of H, second game of the season. I had a great game. I had 236 yards and three touchdowns.”

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate isn't a real big guy, checking in at around 5'10 but he has a knack for big plays. On Friday afternoon, he dropped by the media room and discussed his NFL aspirations and his quarterback, Jimmy Clausen, among other things.

(On his experience playing baseball and football)
The whole point is I played both sports because I love both sports. I just didn’t know which one I loved the most. I think after this year and the success I had, my passion was greater in football than it was baseball. So I decided to pursue my dream, which was always to play a professional sport, and the NFL is the right one for me I think.

(On expected 40 time)
I’m not sure what the scouts are looking for. I’m hoping my film speaks for itself. But as far as the 40, I expect to run a sub-4.5. That’s not too great of a time, but not too bad I think.

(On playing under Charlie Weis)
I think that’s one of the reasons I accepted a scholarship to Notre Dame. I knew that the situation I was going into that Coach Weis was a professional-caliber coach. The system’s got to be similar. So I knew that I would have a head start when I decided to pursue my dream and play professional football. That was one of the things going into college that I understood. He came from the Patriots, won championships, and I knew
that I’m going to get better and learn the game.

(On Clausen’s leadership)
I think he was a great leader. He’s really consistent. Everyday he showed up to work. Sick, hurt, we got the same Jimmy. He did a great job keeping the team together. So I’m very pleased with what he did for the program. Obviously we wish we would have won more games. But you can’t blame it all on the quarterback. I should have made more plays to put the team in a better situation. But overall I think Jimmy did a great job. You knew he was there. He’s a leader. When he entered the huddle, we were quiet listening to the play. He made great speeches to help us out and motivate us.

(Should Clausen be the first QB drafted?)
I think so. I don’t know anything about the other quarterbacks in the draft. I think he is a great quarterback. I think Coach Weis did prepare him for the NFL. So I think he has all the tools to be successful. I do think he should be.

(On combine experience)
It’s great. I’m kind of just embracing it and enjoying it while I can before things really speed up and I’m actually on a team in minicamp and OTAs. Right now I’m just kind of enjoying it. This is my last little go of college, per se, I guess. So I’m going to just enjoy it and make the best of it.

(On decision to leave after junior season)
Funny story. I spoke with Coach (Charlie) Weis before the season, before we played a down before camp. He said “Unless you have around 1,500 yards and around 16 or 17 touchdowns I would not leave early." I had 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. Another thing before I made any decisions, we sat down and spoke. The pros were better than the cons, we thought. So we made the decision to enter the draft early.

(On Clausen helping Tate’s development)
Absolutely, I think having a good quarterback is definitely helpful. I think Jimmy and his personality and his work ethic motivated a lot of guys. A couple guys last year went out to California to train with him: Mike Floyd, Rudy (Kyle Rudolph), myself and Jimmy. I think we came back a lot better, which may or may not have put me in a position that I’m in now. So I’m very thankful to have him on the team throwing it to me.

(On NFL WR comparison)
Steve Smith. A lot of ya’ll probably think the same thing. Similar size, similar build, very physical, not afraid to go over the middle. I model my game after him. I’m not afraid to go over the middle and catch a ball or throw a block. Also a newcomer to the game in Percy Harvin. I like what Minnesota has done with him this year, moving him all around--in the backfield, in motion, the Wildcat. Hopefully a team will see that in me and hopefully draft me

(On coming to the next level)
Absolutely. I’m coming to the NFL working. I’m trying to make a name for myself and be successful. One of the wristbands that I wear, I actually broke it this morning, (says) “Don’t be satisfied.” That’s kind of my motto: Don’t be satisfied. Don’t be satisfied with just getting invited to the combine. Don’t be satisfied with just getting drafted. Don’t be satisfied with just playing. I want to be great. I want to win Super Bowls. I want to go to Pro Bowls. I want to be in the Hall of Fame. I think my mindset is on the right path to don’t be satisfied.

(On his name)
I don’t where it came from. I don’t know what they were thinking. But it worked out. I’m actually a third, so there’s two other Goldens running around here somewhere. It worked out. I guess you can say it fits me. A lot of people say “Golden Dome” or it was destined. I guess I just lucked out.

(On dad’s NFL career)
The funny thing is my father and I, we don’t talk football very much. I knew he went to Tennessee State and I knew he got drafted. But we’re two different players. He’s a taller guy. I’m a smaller guy with a big heart. So we’re two different players. He’s kind of a possession receiver, and I’m kind of a guy who’s going to go out there and make plays. I try my best to catch it and turn a 3-yard gain into a first down or a 20-yad gain or maybe even a touchdown. As far as talking to him, I don’t talk to him much about football.

(On education and college decision)
She was proud of me. She thought I made a mature decision at age 18. I don’t know how I made that decision. I kind of just evaluated the pros and cons once again. What I figured is Notre Dame has a great education. There’s life after football. The situation I was going into, I knew Jeff [Samardzija] was graduating and the opportunity to come in and make an impact early. And Coach Weis’ pro-style offense. This guy is a guru and won championships at New England. So I knew that this was a good situation. Now, I wish we won more games and accomplished more as a team. But I thought those were all pros.
The only con I can find was the snow.

(On mom’s support on decision to go pro)
Absolutely. My mother is very supportive of what I decide to do. I didn’t make the decision on my own. We all talked about it and thought it was the best thing to do. The good thing about it is my degree is always going to be there. It’s up to me to go back and get it. So my education will still be there now, 10 years from now, or whenever I decide to go back.

(On which team he favors)
I like them all. I just want to be drafted by whoever thinks I can play, and whoever thinks I can make an impact and help their team. I don’t really have a favorite team, per se, at this point. I just want to get there and actually show what I have and impress some people.

(On favorite part of workout)
I think I work out on Sunday. But I’d say the 40. Running straight is my thing. I can do that. So I’m excited to see how my times come out. But that’s probably the event I’m most looking forward to is the 40.

(On 40 time)
I think I’m going to run a sub-4.5. It’s a decent time. Obviously I have a lot of work to do with that. But I think to be realistic that’s probably what I’m going to run around.

(On worries about the next level)
I’ve spoken with a bunch of guys who’ve played in the league like coach Roy Green, Rob Moore. Those guys told me it’s about your offseason. It’s how you prepare yourself in the offseason, how strong you get, and fast and endurance. I think if my work ethic goes as planned, I’m going to enter the season prepared and that will limit my injuries. I want to beat the average life span and do great things there, but I think it starts with my offseason. So I’m going to hit that hard.

(More on Clausen)
One of my favorite guys. Offseason I always hung out with him. I went to his house, he has a great family. I think he was brought up the right way. So I really enjoy being around Jimmy. He’s one of my better friends. He’s been very, very helpful in my career obviously. He’s definitely a guy that I can walk away saying ‘That’s my friend.’

(On the best cornerback he faced)
I’d say Aaron Berry from Pittsburgh. Quick feet, he got out of his break really, really quick. Two other guys, (Josh) Pinkard and Kevin Thomas from USC. If you go back and watch some film, they gave me trouble. I figured it out eventually but those guys are tough and very physical. I think those three guys are probably as close to the NFL as I’m going to get.

(On strengths)
I’d say my biggest strength is being able to break tackles. If you go back and watch film, it’s kind of tough for guys to tackle me. My speed has always been one of my strengths. Also my hands. I think I have a decent grip on the ball. Once it touches my hands it’s not going anywhere.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Illinois receiver Arrelious Benn would perhaps be considered the top receiver in this draft were it not for a tough final two collegiate seasons in which Illinois' offense struggled so much that he barely got enough touches.

- Now, Benn is at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis hoping to prove to everyone he has the skills to be the best wideout in this year's NFL Draft.

(How does your size help you as a receiver?)
Not a lot of receivers have the speed and ability to do what I do at my size. I have always been a bigger guy. When I was younger playing other sports I had the ability to do other things. But it has worked pretty well for me being a bigger guy. I have the ability to go up and get the ball.

(Height and weight)
6’1, 219.

(Why leave school early?)
My decision to leave school early was basically if I had stayed for my senior year it would have been my third offensive coordinator. I felt like if I was going to learn a new offense, let it be on the next level.

(Speculation about the Ravens wanting you and you’re from Maryland. Thoughts on playing Baltimore?)
Playing for any NFL team would be great. Staying close to home would be great. That’s my backyard and that would be a dream come true.

(Did the offense’s struggles hurt you at all this year?)
I’m not going to say it did. I take full responsibility for it. We are a team and we just want to have a great year. That’s football. That’s how things happen. You have to just keep going and keep fighting.

(What do you think you could have done differently?)
Nothing that at that point in time I could have done. At that point in time in the season, you have to just keep going. There’s nothing you can make up for or prepare yourself for, you just have to react and keep going.

(What does a team get if it takes you?)
A guy who is going to put on his hard hat when it’s time to go to work. And most of all, a guy who has great character off the field and someone who is going to have a great impact on and off the field. And someone who is going to take the game really seriously and respect the game from the receiver position.

(How do you stack up as a blocker?)
In my own little mind, I would say yeah. But that’s tough to say. All the receivers are great here. All can do different things. Some can do things that others can’t. But I take a lot of pride in blocking. I feel as though if I block pretty well, a corner or safety will think twice about coming up on me next time they try to jam me.

(What do you hope to show here?)
Just show them who Arrelious Benn is. Just go out there and have fun.

(Explain your physical style.)
Pretty much. I use my body a lot. For me to be this size and fast and do the things I do is pretty good. It’s just a blessing and I am thankful for it.

(Do you have a time in mind for the 40?)
If I hit it the way I am supposed to hit it, I will run fast.

(Do you ever wonder what kind of stats you would have posted in a more pass happy offense?)
If I did people would probably look at things different. But numbers don’t tell everything. A guy can have so many numbers but he’s not a receiver based on the type of offense they have he might just get the ball. But I don’t have any regrets going to Illinois. We struggled in the passing game. I know what it feels like to win. I know what it feels like to lose. That helped me out a lot just being able to go through that type of adversity and just keep going.

(Are there receivers out there you always wanted to be like?)
I always liked Jerry Rice growing up. Everybody knows who Jerry Rice is. But really just big, physical guys, guys who just stick out.

(Do you think you have something to prove based on the struggles of the Illinois offense?)
Yeah, there’s always things to prove playing football. You have that mentality to go out and do something that a lot of people think you can’t do. A lot of people thought I wouldn’t have the ability to help change things around at Illinois when I went there but I did. It’s a great situation and I am glad to do me and just go out there and have fun.

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Rams general manager Billy Devaney addressed the media about two hours ago and went in depth on his thoughts on what are the four prime prospects for the top pick in this year's draft (in no order): Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh, Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford and Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen.

- But Devaney didn't stop there. He also addressed rumors about Steven Jackson and more on the draft scenarios being thrown around out there. With that, here's a good portion of Devaney's discussion from this morning.

(Information on Sam Bradford’s health)
We haven’t. We will get with the doctors, our medical people as soon as we get back to St. Louis. That will be a big decision and a lot will go into that. We will probably have more than one opinion on that. We will get as accurate and thorough information that we can. We will find out after this process is over.

(How do you separate Suh and McCoy?)
We are hoping that somehow there is separation. Right now in our eyes, there isn’t any. They are both great players, they are going to be great players. They are great character guys, they love playing football. I hope something happens where there is separation. Right now in our eyes, there isn’t.

(Barring a trade, it seems there are about four prospects to choose between, is it now a decision of choosing between two positions?)
Sure. When you are 1-15, there are a lot of different directions you can go and we are still trying to figure that out. There are pros and cons to whatever position you decide to go but we know that if it comes down to that right now and there are four guys that will be given consideration but we have to be prepared for anything. If we do wind up trading down a little bit, we have to have a bunch of guys in the hopper that we feel good about. Those four guys you mentioned, sure, we like everything about them so far.

(Any trade talks yet?)
No. It’s too early for that. We haven’t even gone through the free agency period. That could alter it. We are sitting here right now thinking we need A, B and C and we sign a guy a couple weeks from now at that position, it may alter your draft strategy a little bit. But there hasn’t been any phone calls to any team whatsoever. I would think eventually that will happen but it’s too early.

(But the phone lines are open?)
Of course. Everybody that comes up here is open for more picks. Nobody is going to say ‘Hell no, we don’t want more picks, we are staying where we are.’

(Worried about medical information on Bradford?)
Yeah, that’s why we put it on the doctors. They better be sure. You hope so. You get to all of the tests but we haven’t seen him throw. His date is the 25th of March. In my mind, we may go in again right before the draft and see what his status is, is it improving, has he regressed? We need to find out and be as sure as possible. There is no sure thing but yeah, a position like that, absolutely we need to be sure.

(How much do you know about Bradford?)
We are just now starting to learn about these juniors. You go into the year and go to colleges, you can’t get a lot of information on these guys, they haven’t declared, they are still undecided so the coaches really aren’t going to talk to you about a guy they would like to stay in school. So it’s not like we say here’s what the weight coach said about him and here’s what the position coach says. One of the things we did pick up was he is a tall guy, he just needed to add some weight and they didn’t think it was a problem it was just that as he matures he will be fine eventually but one of the things is that for a tall guy he needed to put some pounds on.

(Have you or would you consider trading Steven Jackson?)
No. You know what? We need more players like Steven Jackson. We can’t be poop canning them out of the building. You know what I mean? We have got to get more guys like that in. There is no talk about trading Steven Jackson and there won’t be any.

(Thoughts on the report by ESPN's Adam Schefter that you will definitely draft Sam Bradford?)
(Tonguqe firmly inserted in cheeck) That  took a lot of pressure off of us right away because when Dr. Schefter cleared him medically, we feel really good about the health status of Sam Bradford now with Dr. Schefter giving him a clean bill of health and guaranteeing our pick so we are on to the second round right now. (Laughing)

(Where does Eric Berry fit into this mix?)
He’s another guy that impacts the game. As a rule, safeties aren’t talked about going that high but this guy is I think in everybody’s mind impacts the game. So again, you try to get impact players and Berry is certainly one.

(Any interest in Michael Vick or talks with the Eagles?)
We haven’t talked to the Eagles about any of their players. This has come up a lot in St. Louis and I have to stick to this. I can no more talk about Mike Vick than I can talk about Drew Brees or Tom Brady or anybody. He’s a member of the Eagles and he’s under contract with the Eagles. We have not talked to Philadelphia about any of their guys.

(How can you avoid drafting a QB after taking linemen the past three years?)
You can’t force the issue. I know what you’re saying. At some point, we need to address the quarterback situation. We are still doing that. It’s on going. We have Marc still under contract; he’s still on the Rams. You have to go through free agency. We have to see what guys are going to be out there, the status of the draft class and then make a decision. If it gets down to it and we think the defensive tackles, these two kids are far and away the highest graded players and they are the best players in the draft, we can’t force it and say ‘Hey, we have got to get a quarterback’ and draft way down on your value. But that’s what we are trying to figure out right now.

(tendering Atogwe decision?)
We talked about that a lot. There was a lot of talk about that. That wasn’t an easy decision but I think we have got it pretty much figured out.

(What has process been like for getting updates on Bradford’s health?)
Really the only discussion has been with Tom Condon when he sent out a memo probably about a week ago to all of the teams saying Bradford wasn’t going to work out here and he was going to work out on his pro day. I called Tom to say we got the letter and where is he at in the rehab and that kind of stuff. I told him to stay in touch throughout this thing. I have never talked to Bradford at all.

(How much throwing is he doing?)
That’s what we were told. The coaches have talked to him. We are going to talk to him here and they did some initial interviews over the phone before they get here to get all of the background stuff out of the way so we can just get down to football stuff during the interview process. It sounds like he is throwing about 50 balls a day between 20 and 40 yards but I don’t know what that means. Is it soft tossing, is he ripping the ball? I don’t know that but it sounds like he is throwing a lot of balls.

(What do you want to see out of Clausen and McCoy in terms of health?)
Yeah, the same thing. Clausen is working out beginning of April and we will be there for that. You have to see a quarterback live. You can’t judge arm strength off of tape. But we have seen a bigger body of work on Clausen because he played all the games this year and was unbelievably impressive with his accuracy and all. We just want to look at arm strength that you can’t judge all the time on looking at tape. The other stuff, athletic ability, knowledge, he’s got really good temperament, all that, we are fine with all that. We just want to see him throw the ball live.

(He had 28 touchdowns and only four INT’s, can that translate to the NFL?)
I don’t see why not. I really don’t. He has been well schooled. He’s had great training there at Notre Dame. He is ready to jump in and play. I don’t know why it wouldn’t. The guy is so accurate. He’s done a heck of a job.

(Does it give a guy like Clausen a leg up to come from a pro style offense?)
The learning curve isn’t quite as long but if you take a guy like Bradford next to Clausen, you are not going to ordain them or hand them the job as soon as they get in anyway. If a guy is smart and athletic, he will pick it up. The spread won’t be a negative.

(If you did draft a QB high, do you still think you would need to add a veteran too?)
We have to spend time and figure Bradford out. That’s where temperament comes in more than anything. Some guys can do it and if they get the snot knocked out of them, it doesn’t effect them. Some guys, it destroyed them as rookies when they get put in there and get beat up pretty good and never recover. Peyton Manning won what a couple of games his first year. But you weren’t going to destroy him. So it depends on the individual.

(What if Bradford throws in March and he’s still not there but you know he eventually will be. How much would that doubt concern you?)
It makes you pause, sure it does. Then you are projecting. Then you are saying I think he’s going to be OK. That’s a hell of a projection.

(Planning to have dinner at the combine with any of the QB prospects?)
Not so much here. Every minute is accounted for while we are here. We will spend plenty of time in Norman and Oklahoma City just as we will in South Bend to talk to them. We will spend a lot of time with those guys. And, to be honest, in Austin also. We plan on spending a lot of time.

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Greetings and welcome to the second day of the NFL Scouting Combine where things are expected to heat up as quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers will grace us with their presence. I'll have updates throughout the day with snippets from those interviews.

- Also, Rams general manager Billy Devaney will be on the dais and speaking to the media at 10:15. I'll have instant reaction from that as well as lengthier updates later in the day.

- The morning is already off to an interesting start as the skill position guys have weighed in and been measured. And so far, plenty of pleasant surprises.

- Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford checked in at 6'4, 236 pounds. He played at 222 pounds but I'm told by a scout inside that Bradford looked good and had added good weight (muscle) instead of just puffing up for the sake of puffing up. This is the first good sign from him but he still has a long day of medical stuff in front of him. He'll be coming through here later today and I'll have all the notes and quotes from that session.

- Other measurements of interest: Good news for Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen, who checked in at 6'2 1/2 and 222 pounds. A lot of people thought he'd be closer to 6'1 than his listed 6'3 but it's a good sign for him to be closer to his listed height. He'll also be coming through today and answering questions.

- Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant checked in at a chiseled 6'2, 225 pounds with pretty good size hands. Assuming he runs, his stock is about to soar.

- Illinois WR Arrelious Benn is, I'm told, one of the most impressive looking prospects of them all. Scouts inside said he was 6'1, 219 pounds and looked to have very little in the way of body fat. Another guy, who with a good work out could solidify first round status.

- Texas QB Colt McCoy is right about where he was expected to be. He checked in at 6'1, 216 pounds.

- Notre Dame WR Golden Tate checked in at a hair over 5'10, 199 pounds.

- I'll have more updates throughout the day and post a few more interviews with some of the top tackles and tight ends I didn't get to yesterday.

INDIANAPOLIS

- It was a relatively tame day one here at the Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium but that's just before the craziness of the weekend starts.

- Today was the day for offensive linemen, tight ends, kickers and punters. Unfortunately, not all of them made it to the media availability. Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham and Florida TE Aaron Hernandez were among those unavailable. We're told they will be around tomorrow so I'll try to give updates as they come around.

- Tomorrow is the skill positions guys, quarterbacks, receivers and running backs. Planning on talking to Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Clausen, Dez Bryant, Arrelious Benn, Golden Tate, C.J. Spiller, Jahvid Best and more.

- Some things to take from today as the deadline for franchise and transition tags came and went. Six teams used their franchise tags. Of that, four were on defensive linemen and one defensive tackle got a lucrative three-year contract.

- Of the four that were franchised, three were defensive tackles. If nothing else, we know that DT's are only going up in value. Combine that with the contract Albert Haynesworth got from Washington last year and look at the top two players in the draft according to the analysts and you could see why the added emphasis on finding monsters in the middle has taken hold.

- That's all for today. I'll be here with more updates throughout the day tomorrow and taking questions as well.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Some players walk into a room and you can just tell that they play football. Some you can even tell what position they play. Enter Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski, widely regarded as one of the top two or three tight ends in this year's draft class.

- At 6'6, 264 pounds, Grownkowski looks more like a small forward than anything but you could see where his athleticism and size could make him a NFL star. He's currently tabbed to go somewhere in the second round or so but a big pro day in March after he is fully recovered from a back injury could catapult him into the first round. If not, keep an eye out for him.

Q. What do you bring to the table?
A. “Being a true tight end, being able to block, being able to go out for passes, being able to catch the ball.”

Q. How’s the back?
A. “My back is holding up great. It’s 100 percent now. No pain. I’ve never felt this great in a while.
I’m ready to go with my back. My back is 100 percent.”

Q. Upper back, lower?
A. “It was L-2, L-3, lumbar spine, lower back.”

Q. What did they do in surgery?
A. “It was a microdisectomy. Basically, the doctor shaves off the disc that’s sticking out on to your spinal cord. It’s a real minimal invasive surgery, it’s a real easy process, but it takes about three to five months recovery rate. It’s been more than five months but I’m ready to go.”

Q. Hearing a lot of questions about your back?
A. “I’m definitely facing some but handling it well. I’m going to be 100 percent because I’ve been cleared by many doctors. There really are no issues about my back any more.”

Q. Can you walk us through the process about whether to come out after your junior year?
A. “It was definitely a tough decision. Leaving the Arizona family was hard; it was definitely a family there. Great atmosphere. Great football. I always wanted to play in the NFL. It was always a dream of mine and I wanted to fulfill my dream. When I have an opportunity, I step on board. I don’t like waiting around. Those were definitely the two biggest decisions.”

Q. Did the injury prompt you to go or were you just ready?
A. “Going into my junior year, I definitely felt I was going to be ready. That was my goal. That’s why I chose to go to Arizona University because I knew Arizona University was going to be a place to get me to the next level.”

Q. What do you want to accomplish at the combine?
A. “Definitely prove that I’m medically sound. I believe I passed everything today with flying colors. It was real easy. I’m only benching here. I wanted to have a great interview process. It’s been going well so far.”

Q. If you are 100 percent healthy, why aren’t you taking part in drills at the combine?
A. “My back is 100 percent. I just started running two, three weeks ago. I need to get my conditioning back. Get all my
times back. Every single week my speed is improving but I feel like I need two, three more weeks until it improves to where it was before my back surgery.My doctors and I, my agents and I talked and we decided it would be best to work out the end of March. The pro day (at Arizona) is March 12 but I’ll probably have an individual pro day at the end of march in Tucson.”

Q. What kind of player is an NFL team going to get?
A. “They are going to get a tough, physical player who likes to do the dirty work and likes to make big plays down the field.”

Q. Any goal for the 40?
A. “4.6’s. That’s what I’m going for.”

Q. How is your blocking?
A. “A lot of teams say my blocking’s good and a lot of teams say my blocking needs improving. I believe I had some great games blocking, I also believe I had some all right games blocking. I definitely need work in that area.”

Q. Where do you rank in this class of tight ends?
A. “I believe I rank right up in the top 3, if not No. 1.”

Q. Ht, wt?
A. 6-6, and 264 pounds.

Q. What did your brother Dan tell you about preparing for the draft?
A. “He gave me a lot of advice. We went over plays, how the interviews will e. He just basically mentally prepared me to do well.”

Q. Tell us about the sibling rivalry. Your brother, Chris, didn’t get invited to the combine but could get drafted.
(he also went to Arizona, a fullback).
A. “Growing up, there was big fights in the house, big competitions. We would always e playing sports, basketball, mini-baseball in the backyard. We were always competitive. I believe that’s why my family is to where it is now, with the help of us brothers pushing each other.”

Q. Do you pattern game after someone?
A. “I don’t pattern my game after , ‘oh, I’m like that guy.’ Jeremy Shockey brings some intensity to the table. Tony Gonzalez is a great tight end. I like watching those two guys a lot. I respect their game, big time.”

Q. How did Arizona use you?
A. “At Arizona, I spread out at wide receiver, I was in the slot a lot and I put my hand down next to the tackle a lot. I probably put my hand down about 50 percent of the time.”

Q. Your greatest skill?
A. “My hands. I believe I have great hands. I’ll catch anything in my path. I would say I’m the top tight end because I bring the whole package. I’m ready to take on the big D-ends. I’m ready to go out there and catch some passes.”

Q. Why are all-around tight ends so rare?
A. “There are some great receiving tight ends out there and there are some great blocking tight ends but the greatest ever can usually do both.”

Q. Where do you want to be picked?
A. “My goal has always been to be a first-round tight end.”

Q. How much thought have you put into who needs tight ends?
A. “A lot. A lot of agents gave me a sheet, who needs tight ends the most, who doesn’t.”

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- So far, the offensive tackle group has no Jason Smiths. In other words, nobody very entertaining for us to joke around with and listen to.

- Rutgers OT Anthony Davis is considered to perhaps have the most upside of the potential early round tackles. He's also probably the quietest. He prefers to let his game do the talking.

(What do you think you do best?)
I would say pass blocking, but I need work in both. I need to get better in both run blocking and pass blocking.

(Why did you say pass blocking?)
I just picked one.

(Best attribute?)
My athleticism helps me get out of a lot of situations. If I step the wrong way it helps me get back into position.

(What will the team that drafts you see?)
You will see passion in my game every time I step on the field, and the willingness to get better and be the best at what I am doing.

(How hard was it to handle getting into shape to play in college?)
Coming into Rutgers I was 366. After that I’ve been trimming down since. You’re talking about the incident in the summer (before his sophomore season). I came in at 320 instead of 315. And you just don’t do that at Rutgers. I just had to suffer the consequences.

(What were the consequences?)
They had me on second team for a week.

(Was that humbling?)
It hurt me to see someone else in my spot. It was just a lesson, it was a lesson to be learned.

(Are you friends with Eugene Monroe and what did he tell you about this?)
Yes. He was just saying embrace it and some things I knew already like it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and just be yourself. Basically that’s what he was saying.

(Would you like to play left tackle?)
I just want to play football, but I would like to play left tackle, yes.

(Is it hard for you to stay at that weight after being at 360?)
Oh no. When you are losing the weight it’s like you hit walls. To get back up to 360 I would have to force-feed myself.

(How did you lose the weight?)
Just strict diet and exercise. At Rutgers I got up everyday at 5:30 in the morning for two years and that got it done.

(Other than your weight what was the biggest challenge you faced?)
Biggest challenge I faced…just getting used to having classes and playing football and trying to be the best at both. It takes up your day.

(Do people saying you have the most upside at tackle, do you think it diminishes what you have to offer right away?)
They are saying good things, I don’t want to argue with them. I don’t think they are saying that meaning I can’t help them now. I think they are saying that meaning I can get a lot better, and I believe I can get a lot better.

(How would you describe a “franchise tackle?”)
If you play a team with a good defensive end, it’s like, ‘Don’t worry, he has him.’ That’s how I would describe one, like Walter Jones.

(Why the decision to come out early?)
I sat with my coaches and my family and decided this would be the best time for me to come out.

(Did you give up any sacks last year?)
Two.

(You’ve been through a lot, what keeps you motivated?)
Knowing I’ve been blessed with a great opportunity and looking at it as a gift to be able to play something I love for a living. There’s a lot of people who would give up a lot to be in my shoes and I just embrace that and don’t take it for granted.

(Would it mean a lot to you to be the highest Rutgers player drafted (Kenny Britt was last year at No. 30)?
It would mean a lot to represent Rutgers on as big a stage like that.

(Do you have any experience playing on the right side?)
In high school I played right tackle for two years and I played right guard freshman year.

(When you said it was the best time for you to come out, why was that, because you worry about injuries? Salary cap?)
We just sat down and talked about it and we said. ‘Why not? And it’s always something I wanted to do.

(The team that ultimately picks you, what kind of a player will they be getting?)
A hard worker, somebody who loves to play the game and who’s attitude on and off the field will be contagious to his teammates.

(What about the tag of inconsistency you have? Do you agree with that?)
That’s something I need to work on as far as consistency is concerned. I will get better at that doing what I’m doing now, keep focusing on the little things and listening to my coaches.

(How much pride do you take in finishing your blocks?)
I like to be dominant so I take a lot of pride in finishing my blocks.

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

- It's not breaking news when a player openly discusses that he's talked to a team or teams. The fact is, every team talks to just about every player. But just for the heck of it, Missouri guard Kurtis Gregory did specifically mention talking to the Rams in the days before the combine.

- Gregory is a very affable kid, coming from tiny Santa Fe High in mid-Missouri. He grew up on a farm and earned a Masters degree before his eligibility came to an end. Here's a tidbit of what Gregory had to say, including his discussions with the Rams.

- And, of course, as a Big 12 interior lineman, I asked him the requisitie Suh vs. McCoy question. He wouldn't compare but had high praise for both.

(How do you compare Suh and McCoy after facing both?)
They are great athletes. You have to be on top of your game when you want to block those guys. Suh and I had our battles this year in the deluge of a rainstorm. You have to be on top of your game form wise, technique and everything to block those guys. They are quick and strong and BIG.

(Who was better?)
I didn’t get to face McCoy this year so I am not going to go in that area.

(What do you hope to prove this week?)
I just want to run fast. Fast. Faster than everyone else on the offensive line.

(What does an NFL team get in drafting you?)
They are going to get a smart player that finishes blocks. I am just going to go up there and get my job done every play and I don’t plan to stop.

(You said you spoke with the Rams, did you talk to OL coach Steve Loney?)
He actually called me last week and we got some general stuff out of the way so we could talk football here. I have been busy doing medical stuff so far.

(You moved around the line, what are teams telling you as far as a position at the NFL level?)
I have heard guard and center. One of the questions I’ve had asked of me when I got here was whether I have played center which I have. I have been the backup center the last two years. I wouldn’t say it’s second nature to me but I have done it.

(Do you think that will help you?)
You need to be able to have versatility which I think I have. I have played right guard, I have played left guard, I played center, I played left tackle, I played right tackle. I have played the tight end spot in the jumbo set. The only position I haven’t played in a game is center.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Oklahoma offensive tackle Trent Williams was widely regarded as the top tackle prospect in college heading into last season. But injuries and other issues caused him to struggle. He's arrived here this week with the intention of claiming a spot as the top protector in the draft.

- And oh by the way, it doesn't hurt that Williams has seen both teammate Gerald McCoy and Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh up close and personal. Caught up with the soft spoken Williams and he gave a little perspective.

- Williams' thoughts on a variety of topics...

(On Ndamukong Suh)
We had a good offensive line and we really couldn’t block him so obviously that says a lot.

(What makes Suh so dominant?)
Power, strength, pure strength. We just didn’t have a much for him inside. He made it look easy. I couldn’t do much being out there on the edge. It was kind of a helpless feeling just watching him.

(Who do you think is better, Suh or McCoy?)
Obviously I have a biased opinion so I think McCoy is.

(What do you like about McCoy?)
He has power and quickness. He has a load of moves he can use. He is so quick off the ball. He’s really a nightmare as Suh is too but he is a nightmare also.

(How much did it help you to play both left and right tackle?)
It benefited me greatly. Even playing center had some benefit. At first I didn’t realize how much it could do for me but it really showed my versatility.

(Why did your final season not go so well?)
The team had the injury bug including myself. I didn’t have any great injuries but I had a bunch of nagging injuries. When I got healthy I think I produced well but it was kind of tough sledding dealing with all those nagging injuries.

(What do you hope to get out of the combine?)
What everybody hopes to accomplish: moving up in the draft.

(What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?)
I am athletic. I don’t know if I want to discuss my weaknesses on camera.

(Which side are you more comfortable on?)
Left. I played left my whole life. It was a little weird moving to the right than it was moving back to the left.

(What do you say to the people who believe you fell off as a player last year?)
Just prove them wrong. The day I get in camp, that’s when I will start proving them wrong.

(How do you think you stack up against the other top tackles?)
I would always think I would rank towards the top. I am not saying I am the best or anything but I think this is what the combine is for to help separate the competition.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Not that this is surprising or breaking news but when the quarterbacks take to the Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday, some familiar faces and big names will not be taking part.

- It has been previously announced that Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford and Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen would not be participating because of injuries (shoulder and toe, respectively). And it was also known that Florida QB Tim Tebow had elected not to participate because he is working on his mechanics for his pro day and felt more comfortable throwing to his own receivers.

- Well, add Texas QB Colt McCoy to the list of quarterback not throwing. McCoy is still recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in the BCS Championship game and isn't comfortable that he can cut it loose like he wants to here.

- In addition, Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour is also not throwing. He says he doesn't feel comfortable throwing in this environment and is hoping to gain a measure of comfort by just working at his pro day with receivers he knows and trusts.

- So, who is left to throw? That's a good question. But it would seem that some competitive quarterback who catches fire has a really nice opportunity to show the assembled scouts something as the big names all sit and watch.

INDIANAPOLIS -

- Welcome to the NFL Scouting Combine, live from Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts.

- The NFL world has converged on this city once again for the annual cattle call that is the combine. Over the next four days, expect plenty of updates in this space, features on the front page, answers in the mailbag and more. Let me give you the schedule and when to expect what as we head toward the weekend.

- Today is the first day of player availability. Today's cast includes offensive linemen, tight ends, punters and kickers. I'll be looking to catch up with most of the top tight ends and some of the offensive linemen. Of course, where last year the tackles were a big attraction, this year the emphasis has changed.

- Friday is the day for the skill positions players to speak. That means receivers, quarterbacks and running backs. Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant, Clemson RB C.J. Spiller, Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen and Texas QB Colt McCoy are among the luminaries.  Rams general manager Billy Devaney will also be at the podium addressing a variety of topics.

- Saturday is for the front seven, defensive linemen and linebackers. Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy and Co. will be front and center. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo will also be talking about Rams offseason plans and issues.

- Sunday is the final day of media availability and the chance for the defensive backs to say their piece. Florida CB Joe Haden and Tennessee S Eric Berry are among the keynote guys on that day.

- Be sure to check in throughout the day for quick hit updates here and on Twitter @OneRamsWay.

- If you haven't already jumped on board the emerging fan favorite football website that is MoveTheSticks.com, then allow me to introduce you to Daniel Jeremiah.

- Jeremiah scouted for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns for six years before starting his new venture. At his site, he does daily breakdowns with various contributors, podcasts and even has a scouting glossary for fans to better understand some of the lingo.

- I caught up with Jeremiah late last week and we discussed a variety of topics on players in this year's NFL Draft as well as the upcoming scouting combine and how it's changed. I'll have a full article with insight from Jeremiah tomorrow but for now, here's a transcript of that interview.

- And in case you want to get quick hit updates on Twitter, check him out @MoveTheSticks.

Nick Wagoner: With the Rams having the top pick, how do you see that spot this year?

Daniel Jeremiah: I think when you are picking number one there are a lot of needs so I think the best thing to do is just take the best player and for me, it’s Ndamukong Suh who makes the most sense. He will have the chance to have the greatest impact.

The only thing that would deter me from that is if  Sam Bradford checked out 100 percent healthy and your doctors were OK with durability concerns and you feel like he fits perfectly with what you do. Because if you don’t have a quarterback, that has to weigh into it. But that’s the only other option.

NW: How much of a drop off do you think there is from the top two defensive tackles (Suh and Gerald McCoy) to the top two quarterbacks (Bradford and Jimmy Clausen)?

DJ: I think they are probably pretty similar in terms of the drop off but they do different things. For my money, I think the gap between Suh and McCoy is probably different from most people. I think that’s greater than the drop between Bradford and Clausen. Both of those guys have a little bit of injury stuff going on right now, one brings the accuracy, one has more tools. They kind of have different strengths. I think Suh is all around the better player than McCoy.

NW: What do you think separates Suh from McCoy?

DJ: I think he can play anywhere. That’s what I like so much about him. He could play inside at nose, he could be a 3-technique, he could play end if you needed him too. If you wanted to get real big on first down, you could line him up at end and have a monster end. I think his versatility fits into any defense.

NW: So that versatility is the thing for Suh?

DJ: Yeah, that helps. I wasn’t around for Reggie White when he came out but just from the way he was able to dominate games and move around the line and the way they used him, I think Suh can be moved around in that same vein. I’m not saying he’s Reggie White but I am saying you could use him in the same manner in which Reggie White was used.

NW: How do you compare Suh to the guys you saw in your time doing it?

DJ: He’s the best interior defensive lineman I have graded in six years. Last year, I was in Cleveland and we were going to have a top five pick and I went all over the country to do all the top players and he was my top player assuming he would have came out last year. He was my top player in last year’s draft.

NW: A lot of people thought Bradford could have been the top guy in last year's draft. How did you see him then?

DJ: I liked Bradford because of the accuracy. In terms of where he would have gone with those other guys, I think he would very much have been in the discussion with Stafford and Sanchez and been a for sure top 10 pick and maybe threatened to be the first pick.

NW: How much tape of Clausen have you watched?

DJ: I need to do more on him. I’ve seen like two games. I need to see more. I need to watch some more tape on him. The problem I have on him is that his completion percentage is really high so a lot of times people confuse that with accuracy. But a lot of times, his ball placement was off, he puts the ball on the wrong shoulder. His footwork, he needs to clean that up, definitely.

NW: What's a typical day at the Combine like for a scout?

DJ: You are going there and you have got very long days. You go to the weigh in the morning, you get a chance to see these guys on the hoof and see the body types with an extra emphasis on the juniors because you don’t know how big they are. Everybody is anxious to see that and get verified heights on them. That is kind of your morning. Then you are at the workouts and you pay attention to the position groups. The 40 is kind of what everyone pays attention to but as scouts, you want to really pay attention to the positional drills, you want to see how a corner can flips his hips or a D-lineman can bend and how strong his punch is. You are paying attention to all of that. Then you get a brief break and then you are over to the players’ hotels for those interviews which has become an even bigger part of the process than it ever has been because you get a chance to get to know these kids and learn more about them. You can really get a good feel for guys there. Especially now it seems like a lot of teams put a board in their room and get these kids up on the board and see how football smart they are.

NW: How do teams handle the chaos that is those interview sessions?

DJ: There are different coaches and different front office people that have different strategies for that. Sometimes you want to see if a guy has some fight in him so they will pick at him. The one classic trap I have seen a million times is you find out early in the week that the player is not going to run at the combine and save it for his pro day workout. So we start off by asking ‘Are you competitive?’ ‘What will you do to win?’ You get this kid going on and on about how competitive he is and then lead right into ‘So, are you going to run tomorrow?’ They say no and then it’s ‘So, you’re not competitive.’ All this talk about being competitive and you don’t want to compete. It’s all these little traps to see how these kids respond.

The other one is some kids will come in and say ‘I have a fever and my agent told me I shouldn’t run.’ And then the response would be ‘OK, so if we are playing the Steelers and you have a fever, do we just have to get someone else for that game because you can’t play football with a fever?’ That’s the kind of stuff you get. There are some uncomfortable moments for sure.

NW: I'm sure you've got some great stories.

DJ: One of the all time moments. Pac Man Jones was actually really good because he had so much charisma. Ozzie (Newsome) asked him on a scale of 1 to 10, grade your hands for me. He paused for a second and looked at his right hand and said 10 then looked at his left hand and said 10.

NW: Do players really get downgraded for choosing not to work out?

DJ: I think NFL teams try to scare them into that because you want to be able to see them all on the field at the same time so you can compare them all. It makes it easier for us to sort through them. But if a guy doesn’t run there and goes to his pro day and does everything well there, teams are pretty forgiving.

NW: On the flip side, can they be upgraded for doing the entire workout?

DJ: Yes. That’s a nice bonus and that’s one thing that I will give the USC guys credit for the most part. Pete Carroll has beat that into them and the last couple of years they all go to the combine and the Senior Bowl and compete. That’s a nice sign and if you look at it, those guys all hit last year.

NW: Before you head to the combine, do you almost have to retrain your brain? In other words, don't you have to remind yourself you have all this tape and in person scouting you've done, why would you change that based on some guys running around in shorts?

DJ: I would agree with that totally. I think the NFL as a whole has gotten better at that. There was a safety from ASU a couple years ago who was not very good on tape and he went to the combine and he was like 6’2, 230 pounds, ran a 4.3 and he still went in the seventh round by the Broncos. So even though he did everything you could possibly do at the combine, he was not rewarded for it because of average tape. Teams are better about it. The best thing you can do is have a round of draft meetings before the combine and you get these guys up on the board and set a baseline so when you go to the combine you might deviate just a little bit to help separate these people on the board but you are not going to make a huge leap on the board once it’s establish.

NW: How deep do you think this draft is?

DJ: I think it’s deep in a lot of areas and weak in a few. I don’t think it’s a deep quarterback draft, I don’t think it’s a deep interior offensive line draft. Those are the two areas I would say it’s a little weak. But I think there is a lot of tackles, defensive tackles, edge rushers, hybrid types, outside linebackers, a good bit of corners. I think there’s good depth at safety. It’s a pretty good draft.

NW: Most teams consider the draft the lifeblood of an organization. How much added emphasis is there in a year where it seems like it'll be even more difficult to add through free agency?

DJ: I’d say now is the perfect storm for that. I don’t understand all these rules with the CBA and such. So if you can develop a player, it’s a lot different than baseball. Here, after six years, you are going to be through a good bit of a player’s career where in baseball they hit 30 and they are looking to hit their big contract. In the NFL, you hit 30 and most of these guys are on the down side. Most of these guys will come in and if you can get six good years out of these guys it’s a pretty good deal so I would say the draft is bigger than ever.

NW: And that would mean the pressure is on even more to do well for the personnel guys, right?

DJ: There are higher stakes. Some of these teams are smart and traded back and got extra picks and now you give yourself an extra shot. It allows you just a little chance for failure with those extra picks.

 

- The Rams made a move late Wednesday when they added tight end Derek Fine off waivers from the Buffalo Bills.

- With a new regime in Buffalo, Fine was released and the Rams had top waiver priority so they added him to a mix of tight ends that figures to have room for at least one new addition in 2010 as Randy McMichael heads to free agency.

- Fine was a fourth-round pick out of Kansas in 2008 and started 11 games in his time with the Bills.

- In that time, Fine posted 19 catches for 158 yards with a touchdown.

- Injuries mostly hampered Fine's progress but he has plenty of potential and was someone the Rams have had their eye on.

- Fine joins a mix that includes Daniel Fells (though he's restricted, he'll likely be around) and Billy Bajema.

- Sat in on a conference call with ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. this morning and took away some notes of interest. First, thanks to Kiper for doing it. He sat patiently for two hours taking a ton of questions and gave everyone a good, well thought out answer.

- Anyway, some news and notes from that conversation as well as just some general thoughts as we head toward next week. A little more than a week from today, the combine festivities begin in Indianapolis.

- News broke today that Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen will not be participating in combine drills because of lingering issues from the toe surgery he has in early January. Clausen will be in attendance and he will do the medical stuff and the team interviews (generally the most important part of the weekend anyway). He will throw at his pro day, scheduled for late March.

- Speaking of Clausen, he is gaining steam in the eyes of Kiper. Kiper has Clausen going fourth overall to Washington in his latest mock draft and when he talked about Clausen, he passionately defended him on today's conference call. Kiper's colleague Todd McShay doesn't even have a first round grade on Clausen, perhaps one of the sources of Kiper's ire. Nonetheless, Kiper says he has talked to everyone surrounding Clausen and they all speak highly of his skills and especially his leadership ability.

- Kiper still has the Rams taking Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh first overall though he says Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy is "right there." And Kiper says Suh, McCoy and Tennessee S Eric Berry are the clear cut top three players and that is "etched in stone" on his board.

- Because there has been much speculation about the quarterbacks and the Rams, I asked Kiper how big the drop off was between the two defensive tackles and the top two quarterbacks (Clausen and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford). Kiper said there isn't much of a drop off but apparently it's enough for him to remain convinced the Rams should take Suh.

- Remember, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said Tuesday that he still believes in building a team from the "inside out." In other words, you start with the lines and work your way back.

- Some other tidbits from Kiper:

- Kiper believes Clemson's C.J. Spiller is clearly the class of the group at running backs and the only surefire first-round pick at the position.

- Of the offensive tackle prospects, Kiper said he believes Rutgers Anthony Davis has the most potential and that he was disappointed in how Oklahoma State's Russell Okung started the season.

- Florida CB Joe Haden has clearly made strides in the eyes of Kiper. At one point, he described Haden as a potential top five cornerback in the NFL. He believes Cleveland could be a match with the seventh pick.

- Kiper continues to insist that Florida QB Tim Tebow made a mistake by going to the Senior Bowl. According to Kiper, it would have been more prudent for Tebow to wait to do any throwing until his pro day in Gainesville. Then, he'd have a comfortable setting and the scrutiny would be one day and done. Hard to argue with Kiper's logic considering the way Tebow was picked apart for his performance in Mobile.

- That's it for today. Back tomorrow with some more draft discussion.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo spoke to the media today for the first time since the end of the season. During the course of the conversation, he hit on a variety of topics including free agency, the combine, potential free agent signees and draft picks, injured players and their recoveries and gave his thoughts on the newest additions to his staff.

- Of course, one hot topic around the team right now is what the quarterback situation will look like heading into 2010. This is what Spagnuolo had to say about any decisions on that front...

"There is still a long ways to go here," Spagnuolo said. "This is all in layers. Free agency, draft and what happens afterward. To make any rash decisions, no we wouldn’t do that. But I will say what I said before: good, bad or indifferent, in playing three quarterbacks last year it gave us a pretty good feel of what all three of them can do. So that’s a bonus. This time last year when I was standing here, I didn’t know a lot about them. So it’s good to have a comfort level of who we have and where we are going.

"I see all the scenarios. I have said this before, I have a great deal of respect for Marc (Bulger) and I think he is a good football player and a competitor. He grabs me all the time on the sideline with suggestions. I think a lot of Marc as I did Kyle (Boller) and certainly Keith (Null) getting in there and playing a few games, it helps us."

- Spagnuolo said he has talked to Bulger recently but like with most players at this time of year, he said those conversations are mostly just to catch up and talk about what's going on rather than football. Something more concrete should crystallize in the coming weeks before free agency.

- Speaking of free agency, Spagnuolo was asked directly about a pair of free agents already on the market whom he already knows.

- The Giants released linebacker Antonio Pierce last week after an injury-plagued season. Spagnuolo had Pierce in New York and has a good relationship with him. 

"I haven’t talked to Antonio," Spagnuolo said. "When I saw it the other day, I meant to text him. I didn’t get a chance to do that but I will because Antonio is a close friend of mine and when you get in this business the players become close friends. I think the world of him. I know he had the injury last year. I was sorry to see that but I will have to visit with him."

That doesn't necessarily mean the Rams are interested in signing Pierce but Spagnuolo's relationship indicated it's something that would be discussed. One obstacle is Pierce's position. He plays middle linebacker and the Rams already have one in James Laurinaitis. That leaves a question of whether Pierce could handle an outside position or if he'd handle a backup role if the Rams chose to pursue him.

"I guess all those situations are possible," Spagnuolo said. "I think the health of the player is the most important thing first."

- The other player Spagnuolo knows who recently came available is receiver Donte Stallworth. Stallworth played for the Eagles when Spagnuolo was in Philadelphia.  Stallworth is on the free agent market after getting his release from Cleveland.

"I was with Donte in Philadelphia," Spagnuolo said. "I think he’s a heck of a football player. I know that he has just become available so we are looking at everybody. I happen to know Donta personally and kind of like him. That’s going back a while, now."

- In a more general sense, Spagnuolo also addressed the free agent market and the strong possibility that it will be watered down by the uncapped year. 

"The numbers are a lot less going into free agency," Spagnuolo said. "I am not talking about our players, I’m talking about other players that we could add. It’s just slim, numbers wise. That will make it a little bit more challenging. It is the same for every team so all 31 other teams are going through the same thing. Whatever the landscape, whatever phase you are in this thing, you just deal with it and you move on. It doesn’t do any good to hope it changes because if it doesn’t you have got to have a plan for it."

- As usual, Spagnuolo also sees a bright side to free agency: the opportunity to retain the free agents on his own roster.

"It allows you to keep players that normally might have gone out there so there’s two ways to look at it," Spagnuolo said. "Certainly the pool is less of guys you might have wanted to go grab but guys you want to keep in the fold here, it gives you an avenue to do that."

- Spagnuolo will head to Indianapolis a week from tomorrow with the Rams contingent for the scouting combine. He says he has just begun the process of looking at tape of college players as he and the coaches just put the finishing touches on the film of the free agents.

As for highly rated Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Spagnuolo said he is just starting to get to see him on tape.

"Not as much as I have wanted to," Spagnuolo said. "We just finished yesterday was the film on the free agents. Now we are just starting to dig into the college guys. I have seen clips of him here and there and he is an impressive football player but to say I have sat there and studied him I can’t do that."

-  On the injury front, Spagnuolo says all of the players working back from various ailments are coming along just fine. Specifically, he said cornerback Bradley Fletcher is coming perhaps ahead of schedule and looks to be doing well. Chris Massey, C.J. Ah You, Keenan Burton, Eric Bassey and Adam Carriker are also coming along just fine.

- Among some of the players who have had surgery after the season, Spagnuolo said cornerback Ron Bartell (bursa sac/elbow) and John Greco (thumb) are doing fine after some minor procedures.

- That's it for today. Be sure to keep an eye on this space in the next week or so as I will once again be providing quick updates with tidbits from Lucas Oil Stadium.

 

 

Press Conference – Rams Executive Vice President of Football Operations/Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff – February 11, 2010

(Opening Remarks)
“I wanted to get with you guys today quickly. Obliviously, there are a lot of reports and stories out there today. You won’t know there’s only so much that I can actually comment on. There are numerous parties which I can’t speak for. I thought it was imperative that someone from the organization come out today and speak with you, answer the questions that we can answer, try to give you an update to the best of our abilities, and give you the timetable moving forward and what we expect to happen and address what we can with you. I watch Robert Gibbs and the White House Press Corps. I know how this works and how to side step things. I will do my best to answer what I can and be forthright. You’ll have to just be patient with what we can’t answer today. Obviously, it’s been a crazy 24 hours and a very fluid story. We look forward to hopefully advancing this and having great news to announce soon in a much more formal setting. I know there are news reports tonight, deadlines, and blogs. I want to make sure that the Rams are available and can answer what questions that we can today.”
 
(On what the process is from this point on)
“Once that agreement is submitted to the league, Stan Kroenke has 60 days in which to decide his intentions per his original agreement with the club. Depending on what Stan does, the league finance committee will look at the process, make a recommendation on any potential owner, and then it will go to owners for a vote. That’s the process. I anticipate as you look at the NFL schedule, there’s obviously a league meeting next month in Orlando and a follow-up meeting in May. I think it will probably be a topic that gets discussed at both of those meetings.”

(On if the 60 days is just for the right to purchase the 100 percent or also to conclude his 40 percent)
“I can’t speak exactly to that because I haven’t read that portion of the agreement. I believe at the end of the 60 days, you will know who is buying what percentage of the club if they’re actually moving forward on the sale.”

(On if the message in the building today is that work still goes on)
“Absolutely, you can ask people in here. Today is a tremendously exciting day I think for the organization because whether or not the sale to a perspective buyer goes through, I think it reaffirms to everybody the commitment this club has to St. Louis and our belief in this marketplace. I know since I’ve been here a year ago, we’ve been screaming to the roof tops that we care about St. Louis. We’re passionate about this market. We’ve tried to get involved in the community through our Days of Service program. We’ve had Fan Appreciation Day. We also had training camp here. We’ve tried to do everything we can to let the citizens know that we care about this market 365 days a year not just the 10 days a year that we play in the (Edward Jones Dome) dome. However, I know that is hard to do, when in the background people are concerned about the long-term viability of the team in this market. (St. Louis Rams Owners)Chip (Rosenbloom) and Lucia (Rodriguez) have always said that they wanted to find a buyer here, they remain committed to finding a buyer here, and they’re passionate about St. Louis and this market. Whatever happens is people move forward today.”

“I think people realize that they are genuine about their passion for the market. This club is genuine about our efforts to be in the community and advance this team forward. We’re excited about our prospects here. The long-term success of this club in St. Louis is not just depending on the team staying here, it’s depending on this organization, finding the right connection with our fans, developing a product on the field that wins, and making people excited to go to the games every Sunday. That’s just as dependent on us as it is to say that we’re staying. I don’t expect that just us announcing that we are staying in St. Louis, whether a new buyer says that or whether Chip and Lucia keep the team, that’s not going to be the elixir that fixes this organization right away. It will help. I think it will help ease fans concern. Everybody in this building knows that we need to be hard at work in 2010 to change the environment around this team. I think Coach Spagnuolo did a great job last year and (Rams General Manager) Billy (Devaney) as well, changing the roster and moving forward. Everybody is excited with where we are headed in 2010. We are obviously disappointed that there weren’t more wins in 2009, but there were a lot of positives that came off of the field – good TV ratings and we had great fan involvement. I felt for the first time we really reached out to fans and made them feel like a part of where we were headed, but there is obviously some skepticism based on some of the rumors swirling around the team. Whatever happens this year will be alleviated and people will see this organization for what it truly is – a group that is dedicated to winning on the field, improving the experience at the Dome, and connecting with this community – so that people will eventually realize that the Rams are St. Louis’ football team and will continue to be St. Louis’ football team.

(On if the agreement has been sent into the league yet)
“I can’t answer that. I wouldn’t know the specifics of that. I believe that once an agreement has been sent into the league, you will hear from ownership and any potential buyer.”

(On if it is safe to assume the agreement was made because Mr. Kahn agreed to keep the team in St. Louis)
“I think one thing is, you have all met Chip and Lucia and they are some of the kindest, most decent people you’ll ever meet, and wonderful owners to work for. When I look at Chip (Rosenbloom) and Lucia (Rodriguez), I see a spirit for the NFL, for the Rams, and for St. Louis. I think whatever buyer they choose to enter an agreement with, they are looking for the same qualities that they have in themselves, that they demand from our staff, they demand from our head coach, and from our players. They want good, hardworking, decent people who are humble, who are excited about the prospects of this market, and who are passionate about making the Rams a winner. I think anybody who looks in from the outside, if they can find themselves with a different buyer, I think that would be someone they prefer. That is the first objective. The second objective is, ‘Hey, if we can find that person who’s dedicated to the St. Louis market, loves the Rams, and can reward all the fans that have supported us all these years, then I think that is a home run.”

(On if the other potential buyers were interested in keeping the Rams in St. Louis)
“Every person I spoke with throughout the process, and I have spoken to a number of people that have never been mentioned, everybody was very excited about the changes that Chip and Lucia had made a year ago to advance this team through 2009. They all firmly believe in this market and they really believe in the direction this club is headed. That was never an issue for anybody who came through this process that I came across. There were a lot of people that I did not come across in this process, so I can’t speak for all of them.”

(On how the operations of the Rams organization will be affected by the potential new owner)
“That is a great question. On Monday, we will continue doing our personnel meetings regarding free agency. Next week, our scouts in the building will travel to Indianapolis for the combine. I promise you, no matter what the state of the sale is, the NFL will hold the combine. I promise you, March 5 the league year will open up and we will be hosting free agents and looking at what can be done to improve this team. And I promise you, in April we will be submitting a card to draft a player in the first round. None of that will change. I think to say business as usual is going to continue here, I think, is somewhat correct. But what I would say is business the way we want to do it, where people believe in what we are saying, they listen to the strategies and the messages, and how we reconnect with the fan base. I hope that people will see how we have been operating here for the past year for what it has been. I don’t want to say it has been business as usual. It will be the business the same as it has been since I walked in this door, since Billy Devaney walked in this door, and since Steve Spagnuolo walked in this door. I just hope that the message comes in clearer than it has.”

(On if the organization is under any financial restraints with the pending new ownership)
“We walked through a budget process in December, a budget process again for players in January when we met with ownership, and to my knowledge, I have not heard any changes in the budget. We are excited to go into free agency and into the draft this year to find ways to improve this football team. I know Billy and Steve are hard at work focusing on that.”

(On if he feels a sense of urgency to improve the football team with the ownership change)
“I feel a sense of urgency every day when we wake up to improve this product. I think if you look at 6-42 over the last three years, it’s unacceptable to the fans no matter who the owner is. I can’t imagine if we were the Packers and we were owned by the city, whether we were owned by the wealthiest owner or the poorest owner in the league or anybody in between - winning football games is a priority for this franchise and how we operate shouldn’t depend on the urgency. I think fans here have a tremendous sense of urgency for this club to win and it’s not fair for us to say that winning isn’t urgent because ownership’s influx or we’re in a transition change. 2010’s an important year for us to show the fans of St. Louis that we’re going to improve this product. I don’t think you can ever put a number of wins or losses on improvement. But I wake up everyday focused on how we can improve this roster and this organization. I know (General Manager) Billy (Devaney) and (Head Coach) Steve (Spagnuolo) do as well. I think they should demand that we do everyday. If we didn’t demand that of ourselves, I would expect fans would have no confidence in us moving forward.”

(On if it is optimistic to think that the possible new ownership could have the vote by the May league meetings)
“I think that that’s probably a reasonable time table, especially given that after that you’re probably looking towards August or September. I don’t remember the last time a sale process went through in this time frame, so I think it’ll obviously depend on what happens over the course of the next two months. Once you get involved with the finance committee and the league…there are so many variables as you move forward in this deal. It also will depend on when the agreement is finally signed and submitted and if there is an agreement signed and submitted. It could be that if that’s in two weeks that the time table may be impossible, but I would expect hopefully towards the end of the spring. I think one thing that Chip and Lucia have been very clear on is that they wanted this club in a degree of certainty for 2010 whether they own this club in 2010 or someone else does. I don’t think they want to go through another training camp and season with the questions swirling around as to who’s going to own it long term. I expect, hopefully by the time we open our doors to training camp we will know who the owner of this club is and how they will in standing long term.”

(On how involved the owner will be as far as team decisions)
“I think, obviously, a new owner will want to be involved to some degree. But in the end until there’s actually an approval and an ownership change, Chip and Lucia will continue to be the controlling owners and they may never cease being the controlling owners, but I think everybody has to…it’s a little bit like the uncapped year, you have one drawer where there’s a capped year and one drawer where there’s an uncapped year. Obviously we take a lot of input from ownership, but I think they’ll trust the people we have in place. I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t want to trust Billy and Steve moving forward on these decisions and look at…aside from potentially looking at candidates from people’s schools I don’t see that the draft would be much of a difference.”

(On if he can talk about how Kahn demonstrated his desire to keep the Rams in St. Louis throughout the process)
“I wish I could, but I couldn’t speak to that because I wasn’t involved with that.”

(On how the change in ownership affects that Dome lease)
“I think that’s very clear, the Dome lease is with the Rams. It’s not with an individual ownership group. We’re very excited to continue working with the Dome. I believe there will be an announcement tomorrow of a new playing field, which is exciting. We’ve had a tremendous improvement in our relationship with the Dome in the past year and we continue to work on that. Obviously, no matter who the ownership is whether there is a change or not, the lease will remain the same. The clauses in the release will remain the same. We’ll have to work through the issues in making sure that the Dome is a place the fans enjoy going to every Sunday. A lot of that’s on us to make sure the experience is a great and the product is great and I think then people will appreciate the Dome for the building that it is. But, obviously, the lease does not change based on who the ownership is. The lease is with the organization and not the owner.”

(On if the upper 25th percentile is attainable for the Dome)
“I’m not going to discuss that either. That’s not for this conversation.”

 

- The Rams announced another addition to their staff on Thursday, appointing Reginald Scott as the team's new head athletic trainer.

- Scott comes to the Rams from Carolina where has has worked as assistant athletic trainer since 2003.

- “We are happy to add Reggie to our team,” Rams Coach Steve Spagnuolo said.  “He comes highly recommended, very qualified and greatly respected by his peers and the players he has worked with.  He is very excited to be a part of the Rams organization.”

- Before entering the NFL, Scott worked as a student athletic trainer at West Virginia University for four years (1999-2002), working with student athletes involved in football, wrestling, baseball, men’s tennis and soccer.  Scott was responsible for the prevention, evaluation, management, treatment and rehabilitation of athletic injuries, as well as serving as a liaison between team physicians, athletic training staff, coaches, players and player’s families.

- Scott broke into athletic training as an intern with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2000. He replaces Jim Anderson as the head athletic trainer.

- It was a busy day at Rams Park as the Rams made a pair of important announcements.

- First, the team reached into its past to hire Nolan Cromwell as wide receivers coach. Cromwell played safety for the Rams from 1977-87.

- Along the way, Cromwell went to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1980-83 and was part of the team's Super Bowl XIV appearance in 1979.

- Cromwell played quarterback at the University of Kansas but switched to defensive back after the Rams used a second-round choice on him in the 1977 NFL Draft. Cromwell was named to the NFL's All Decade team for the 1980s.

- Cromwell comes to the Rams from Texas A&M, where he served as offensive coordinator in 2008-09. He previously worked in the receivers job with Seattle from 1999-2007.

- This will be Cromwell's second stint coaching with the Rams. He got his coaching start with the team in Los Angeles as a defensive and special teams assistant in 1991.

- From there, Cromwell went to Green Bay, where he served as special teams coach from 1992-97 before doing a year as receivers coach for the Packers in 1998.

- Cromwell takes the reins from Charlie Baggett, who departed to take the assistant head coaching position with the University of Tennessee.

- In the NFL and the sporting world, you'll often hear a variety of things said or written over and over. Things like a player "stepping up" or someone giving "110 percent." Those cliches are generally meaningless but there are a few that are less vague that are cliches for a reason. That reason? Because they are true and they happen over and over.

- For example, it's cliche to say turnovers are a key to the game because, well, they are a key to every game. And yes, the team that wins the turnover battle more often than not wins the football game.

- And so it was that Sunday's Super Bowl XLIV pitting Indianapolis and New Orleans against each other came down to who would come out on the better end of a couple of NFL cliches.

- It is said that most NFL games are decided or at the very least swing on the basis of a couple of plays in every game. In Sunday's game, that could not have been more true. First, there was the play that changed the game and then there was the play that decided it.

- The play that changed it happened on the opening kickoff of the second half. This might sound familiar to Rams fans who saw the Rams drop a close on to the Saints earlier this year after a kickoff return for a touchdown by New Orleans Courtney Roby altered the course of the game. Thomas Morstead, who had never kicked an onside kick in his life, booted a perfect one right at Indianapolis receiver Hank Baskett. Baskett couldn't handle it and Chris Reis eventually recovered after a long scrum. It was a gutsy call full of bravado by Saints coach Sean Payton but it was also the type of call you would expect from the always daring Payton.

- The Saints recovered the kick, quarterback Drew Brees caught fire and the Saints went on to score a touchdown for their first lead of the game.

- The second play involved another aforementioned NFL cliche, the turnover. With about three and a half minutes to go in the game, both teams had been relatively flawless. No turnovers and the penalties had been kept to a minimum. Then, of all things, New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter stepped in front of Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, picked off Peyton Manning and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown. It was 31-17 New Orleans and the celebration on Bourbon Street was underway.

- A few things on this: First and foremost, congratulations to the Saints. Very happy for them and especially for former Rams interim coach Joe Vitt. Vitt has been at this more than 30 years and this is his first Super Bowl. Well deserved. Also, obviously happy for that city and all they have been through. Great story.

- Drew Brees has burst through the door to join Tom Brady and Peyton Manning on that echelon of the top guys in the league. Great player, great guy. What a moment it was to see him celebrating with his 1-year old son after the game.

- I'm not going to break down too much more of the game because you can read plenty of that anywhere but there are a few things that I've read already that are ridiculous.

- First, I don't want to hear the comparisons of the Colts to Atlanta Braves in baseball. Some say they are the equivalent, teams that constantly make the playoffs but rarely win the championship. In that sense, I suppose you can draw it but does anyone realize how hard it is? In baseball, you get a seven game series to prove you're better. In football, it's one and done. I don't think those making the comparison realize how very hard it is to win even ONE Super Bowl let alone multiples. How many great teams never even win a championship? How many great players? It's an absurd comparison. And as great as the Manning-led Colts have been over the years, there have been plenty of other teams with great quarterbacks that have more talent across the board.

- Second, the interception by Porter was a great play by the corner but some are comparing Manning's interception to Brett Favre's from the NFC Championship. From watching it, it looked to me like there was some sort of error on the route by Reggie Wayne or he got his feet caught up and couldn't get out of his break. Manning gave credit to Porter after the game and rightfully so but I just don't know that it was all Manning's fault.

- Great effort, Dwight Freeney. It's a shame that super long halftime made it hard for him to be ready to go to start the second half.

- That's it for the 2009 season as the NFL world will now turn its attention to some other matters, not the least of which is the next collective bargaining agreement. The combine is in a couple of weeks followed by free agency, pro days and the draft. Plenty of good stuff ahead. Stay tuned, I know you will.

- This week, the NFL announced the 330 players invted to this month's scouting combine in Indianapolis. Here is the list, alphabetically, by position. Underclassmen have an asterisk.

Quarterbacks (19)

QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma*        
QB Levi Brown, Troy
QB Jarrett Brown, West Virginia        
QB Sean Canfield, Oregon State       
QB Daryll Clark, Penn State        
QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame*   
QB Armanti Edwards, Appalachian State     
QB Max Hall, Brigham Young        
QB Tim Hiller, Western Michigan        
QB Mike Kafka, Northwestern      
QB Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan     
QB Thaddeus Lewis, Duke
QB Colt McCoy, Texas          
QB Tony Pike, Cincinnati     
QB Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State       
QB John Skelton, Fordham    
QB Riley Skinner, Wake Forest
QB Jevan Snead, Mississippi*    
QB Tim Tebow, Florida

Running backs (30)

RB Matthew Asiata, Utah
RB Joique Bell, Wayne State
RB Jahvid Best, California*
RB LeGarrette Blount, Oregon
RB Chris Brown, Oklahoma
FB John Conner, Kentucky
RB Andre Dixon, Connecticut
RB Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech*
RB Toby Gerhart, Stanford
RB Montario Hardesty, Tennessee 
RB Rashawn Jackson, Virginia
RB Javarris James, Miami (Fla.)
RB Stafon Johnson, USC
RB Darius Marshall, Marshall*
RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State*
RB Dexter McCluster, Mississippi 
RB Joe McKnight, USC*
RB Shawnbrey McNeal, SMU*
RB Lonyae Miller, Fresno State 
RB Brandon Minor, Michigan  
RB Pat Paschall, North Dakota State
RB Charles Scott, LSU 
RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson
RB James Starks, Buffalo 
RB Ben Tate, Auburn
FB Manase Tonga, Brigham Young 
RB Keith Toston, Oklahoma State
RB Keiland Williams, LSU

Wide receivers (44)
     
WR Seyi Ajirotutu, Fresno State
WR Danario Alexander, Missouri
WR Alric Arnett, West Virginia
WR Brandon Banks, Kansas State
WR Chris Bell, Norfolk State*
WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois*
WR Nyan Boateng, California
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas*
WR Antonio  Brown, Central Michigan*
WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State*
WR Chris Carter, UC Davis
WR Riley Cooper, Florida
WR Eric Decker, Minnesota
WR Marcus Easley, Connecticut
WR Jacoby Ford, Clemson
WR David Gettis, Baylor
WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
WR Shay Hodge, Mississippi
WR Brandon James, Florida
WR Donald Jones, Youngstown
WR Kevin Jurovich, San Jose State
WR Brandon LaFell, LSU
WR Scott Long, Louisville
WR Chris McGaha, Arizona State
WR Kerry Meier, Kansas
WR Carlton Mitchell, South Florida*
WR Preston Parker, North Alabama
WR Jared Perry, Missouri
WR Taylor Price, Ohio
WR David Reed, Utah
WR Andre Roberts, The Citadel
WR Emmanuel Sanders, SMU
WR Jordan Shipley, Texas
WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame*
WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech*
WR Verran Tucker, California
WR Chastin West, Fresno State
WR Blair White, Michigan State
WR Damian Williams, USC*
WR Jeremy Williams, Tulane
WR Kyle Williams, Arizona State
WR Mike Williams, ex-Syracuse*
WR Stephen Williams, Toledo
WR Ryan Wolfe, UNLV

Tight ends (20)

TE Nate Byham, Pittsburgh
TE Dorin Dickerson, Pittsburgh
TE Ed Dickson, Oregon
TE Jim Dray, Stanford
TE Brody Eldridge, Oklahoma
TE Dedrick Epps, Miami (Fla.)
TE Riar Geer, Colorado
TE Garrett Graham, Wisconsin
TE Jimmy Graham, Miami (Fla.)
TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma*
TE Rob Gronkowski, Arizona*
TE Clay Harbor, Missouri State
TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida*
TE Michael Hoomanawanui, Illinois
TE Jeron Mastrud, Kansas State
TE Anthony McCoy, USC
TE Tony Moeaki, Iowa
TE Colin Peek, Alabama
TE Dennis Pitta, Brigham Young
TE Andrew Quarless, Penn State
                              
Offensive linemen (47)
                      
OG Jon Asamoah, Illinois  
OT Zane Beadles, Utah
OT Ciron Black. LSU  
OG Dorian Brooks, James Madison  
OT Charles Brown, USC  
OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa*      
C Jeff Byers, USC  
OT Kyle Calloway, Iowa      
OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland*  
OT Selvish Capers, West Virginia
OG Brandon Carter, Texas Tech
C Erik Cook, New Mexico  
OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers*
OT Chris Degeare, Wake Forest
OT Vladimir Ducasse, Massachusetts  
OT Jason Fox, Miami (Fla.)
OG Kurtis Gregory, Missouri
OG Joe Hawley, UNLV
C Jake Hickman, Nebraska
OG Mike Iupati, Idaho
OT John Jerry, Mississippi
OG Mike Johnson, Alabama
OT Kyle Jolly, North Carolina
OT Matt Kopa, Stanford
C Ted Larsen, North Carolina State
OT Shawn Lauvao, Arizona State
OT Marshall Newhouse, TCU
OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
C Eric Olsen, Notre Dame
OG Alex Parsons, USC
OT Cole Pemberton, Colorado State
OG Mitch Petrus, Arkansas
C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida*
OG Dace Richardson, Iowa
OT Rodger Saffold, Indiana
OT Chris Scott, Tennessee
OG Shelley Smith, Colorado State
C Matt Tennant, Boston College
OT Mike Tepper, California
OT Adam Ulatoski, Texas    
OT Jared Veldheer, Hillsdale (Mich.)   
C J.D. Walton, Baylor      
OT Ed Wang, Virginia Tech      
OT Tony Washington, Abilene Christian       
OT Thomas Welch, Vanderbilt      
OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma       
OT Sam Young, Notre Dame

Defensive linemen (66)
                      
DE Rahim Alem, LSU
DT Charles Alexander, LSU  
DE Tyson Alualu, California      
DT Geno Atkins, Georgia
DE Kevin Basped, Nevada*  
DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State
NT Terrence Cody, Alabama  
DE Antonio Coleman, Auburn  
DE Jermaine Cunningham, Florida  
DE Dexter Davis, Arizona State  
DE Hall Davis, Louisiana-Lafayette  
DE Brandon Deaderick, Alabama  
DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida*  
DE Junior Galette, Stillman (Ala.)  
DE Clifton Geathers, South Carolina*
DE Thaddeus Gibson, Ohio State*
DE Brandon Graham, Michigan  
DE Everson Griffen, USC*
DE Greg Hardy, Mississippi  
DT Lamarr Houston, Texas      
DE Jerry Hughes, TCU
DE Carl Ihenacho, San Jose State
DT Arthur Jones, Syracuse
DT Linval Joseph, East Carolina*
DE Sergio Kindle, Texas  
DE Jammie Kirlew, Indiana  
DE Austen Lane, Murray State  
DE Brandon Lang, Troy  
DE Erik Lorig, Stanford  
DE Albert McClellan, Marshall      
DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma*
DE Greg Middleton, Indiana
DE Koa Misi, Utah
DT Earl Mitchell, Arizona      
DE Arthur Moats, James Madison  
DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech*
DT Aleric Mullins, North Carolina  
DT Mike Neal, Purdue
DT Jared Odrick, Penn State  
DT Vince Oghobaase, Duke  
DT Jeff Owens, Georgia  
DT Corey Peters, Kentucky  
DE Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida*
DT Brian Price, UCLA*
DT Jay Ross, East Carolina
DE Ricky Sapp, Clemson  
DE O'Brien Schofield, Wisconsin
DE George Selvie, South Florida  
DE Cameron Sheffield, Troy  
DT Malcolm Sheppard, Arkansas      
DT D'Anthony Smith, Louisiana Tech
DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska          
DE Daniel Te'o-nesheim, Washington      
DT Cam Thomas, North Carolina  
DE Adrian Tracy, William & Mary  
DT Torell Troup, Central Florida      
DE Lorenzo Washington, Alabama      
DT Dan Williams, Tennessee          
DE C.J. Wilson, East Carolina
DE E.J. Wilson, North Carolina
DE Lindsey Witten, Connecticut          
DT Al Woods, LSU      
DE Corey Wootton, Northwestern          
DE Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech*  
DT Doug Worthington, Ohio State      
DE Willie Young, North Carolina State  

Linebackers (36)
                          
ILB Pat Angerer, Iowa      
OLB Jason Beauchamp, UNLV          
OLB Kyle Bosworth, UCLA      
OLB Navorro Bowman, Penn State*  
ILB Donald Butler. Washington          
ILB Lee Campbell Minnesota          
ILB Jamar Chaney, Mississippi  
OLB Keenan Clayton, Oklahoma      
OLB Justin Cole, San Jose State  
OLB Harry Coleman, LSU  
OLB Kavell Conner, Clemson          
OLB Rennie Curran, Georgia*      
ILB Phillip Dillard, Nebraska      
OLB A.J. Edds, Iowa
ILB Travis Goethel, Arizona State
OLB Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech  
ILB Josh Hull, Penn State
ILB Micah Johnson, Kentucky      
OLB Keaton Kristick, Oregon  
OLB Simoni Lawrence, Minnesota  
ILB Boris Lee, Troy  
OLB Sean Lee, Penn State
OLB Samuel Maxwell, Kentucky      
ILB Rolando McClain, Alabama*
ILB Mike McLaughlin, Boston College
ILB Rod Muckelroy, Texas      
OLB Eric Norwood, South Carolina  
OLB Perry Riley, LSU  
ILB Darryl Sharpton, Miami (Fla.)      
ILB Brandon Spikes, Florida      
OLB Steven Sylvester, Utah      
ILB Nathan Triplett, Minnesota      
ILB Daryl Washington, TCU      
OLB Dekoda Watson, Florida State  
OLB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri      
ILB Kion Wilson, South Florida

Defensive backs (58)
                          
FS Nate Allen, South Florida  
FS Jonathon Amaya, Nevada          
FS Lucien Antoine, Oklahoma State          
CB Javier Arenas, Alabama                  
SS Larry Asante, Nebraska          
SS Eric Berry, Tennessee*      
CB Cornelius Brown, UTEP              
SS Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech*  
CB Crezdon Butler, Clemson          
CB Nolan Carroll, Maryland          
CB Christian Chancellor, Clemson      
FS Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech  
SS Barry Church, Toledo          
SS Kurt Coleman, Ohio State  
CB Chris Cook, Virginia  
CB Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State  
CB Dominique Franks, Oklahoma*  
CB Brandon Ghee, Wake Forest      
CB Marshay Green, Mississippi          
CB Joe Haden, Florida*  
CB Chris Hawkins, LSU
CB Brian Jackson, Oklahoma      
CB Kareem Jackson, Alabama*  
CB A.J.  Jefferson, Fresno State
FS Chad Jones, LSU*
SS Reshad Jones, Georgia*      
FS Kendrick Lewis, Mississippi      
CB Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt      
CB Trevard Lindley, Kentucky      
FS Taylor Mays, USC  
SS Kyle McCarthy, Notre Dame  
CB Devin McCourty, Rutgers  
CB Sherrick McManis, Northwestern  
CB Joshua Moore, Kansas State*
CB Jerome Murphy, South Florida
CB Akwasi Owusu-ansah, Indiana (Pa.)  
CB David Pender, Purdue  
CB Josh Pinkard, USC  
FS Nick Polk, Indiana
CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State
FS Dennis Rogan, Tennessee*
SS Myron Rolle, Florida State  
CB Devin Ross, Arizona  
CB Amari Spievey, Iowa
FS Darian Stewart, South Carolina
FS Darrell Stuckey, Kansas      
SS Earl Thomas, Texas*
CB Kevin Thomas, USC
CB Syd'quan Thompson, California  
CB Walter Thurmond Oregon  
CB Alterraun Verner, UCLA
CB Stephan Virgil, Virginia Tech  
CB Jamar Wall, Texas Tech
FS T.J. Ward, Oregon
CB Donovan Warren, Michigan*
CB Kyle Wilson, Boise State  
SS Justin Woodall, Alabama  
FS Major Wright, Florida*  

Punters and placekickers (8) 
 
P Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech
P Matt Dodge, East Carolina
P Robert Malone, Fresno State
P Zoltan Mesko, Michigan
PK Aaron Pettrey, Ohio State
P Scott Ravanesi, Southern Illinois
PK Brett Swenson, Michigan State
PK Leigh Tiffin, Alabama

Special-teamers (2)

ST Clint Gresham, TCU
ST Trindon Holliday, LSU

- Greetings and welcome to Around the League where this week, of course, we'll be taking a look at this week's big game. Of course, we sat out last week because of the Senior Bowl whirlwind but we'll hit on a few topics today to get you ready for the Super Bowl as well as touch on some other league issues.

- On the game, I know I discussed this some in a recent chat but it's amazing the way this league works. You think you know something in October and November like Indianapolis and New Orleans are the best teams. Then you forget about it because teams like Dallas and San Diego get hot. I'm not going to be a hypocrite because I bought the Chargers hype myself but we should really stick with what we know in December because being hot and being consistent are two very different things. Great to see the two teams playing for the ring that we all thought would play for it way back when. They were the best all year and they deserve to be there. Rare to see the two No. 1 seeds square off.

- Here's how I see the game: I'd like to see the Saints pull it off. Tony Hargrove's return to the game is a great story, that city deserves it, Drew Brees is a great guy and they have Chase Daniel on the roster (for those that don't know I'm a Mizzou guy already). More than anything, though, I'd love to see Joe Vitt get a Super Bowl ring. He's committed his whole life to this game and done it with respect, enthusiasm and an unbelievable work ethic. Would like nothing more than to see him rewarded for that.

- That said, I just am not sure the Saints can keep up with Indianapolis. The Dwight Freeney injury situation is very important. If he's out, Brees will have more time to operate and pick apart an underrated Colts defense. But here's where I see the difference in the teams: when you watched the AFC Championship game, you saw Peyton Manning flustered for a couple, three drives at the beginning of the game. Even when he was, though, he didn't make any huge, costly mistakes. And you just knew he'd pull it together and start moving his team down the field.

- When you watched the NFC Championship game, you saw the Vikings putting the ball on the ground and the Saints committing silly penalties all over the place. Those mistakes almost made enough difference for Minnesota to advance in spite of the penalties. And on top of it, the Vikings put up almost 500 yards of offense on New Orleans.

- The point is, Indianapolis doesn't make mistakes. You almost have to be perfect to beat them and you have to be as close to perfect as possible to slow down Manning. The Rams posted 434 yards on the Saints defense. It's a group that can be taken advantage of. Manning should have no problems doing the same.

- New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams made some headlines earlier this week when he made it known that he wants his defense to relentlessly attack Manning, even potentially after plays are over. I don't think he meant that in any sort of malicious way but here's the thing. Let's say the Saints hit Manning a few times after they should and draw some flags. And let's say Manning takes those hits in stride like he normally does. Do you really want to run the risk of giving him more downs and make him angry? Risky business in my mind.

- How close this game is will come down to how well the Saints can move the ball offensively and if they can get a big play or two on special teams. I think it could well be a shoot out but I just see the Colts making less mistakes in the end and getting the win. Let's call it Indianapolis 38, New Orleans 27.

- As a side note, I believe that Peyton Manning is probably already the greatest quarterback of all time. But if he gets another ring on Sunday, I think he cements it and begins entering discussion as the greatest football player of all time. Enjoy it, folks, it doesn't get much better.
- As for some other things making news around the league. Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted recently that an uncapped year is a virtual certainty. This isn't much of a surprise as the two sides only have until March 5 to try to reach an agreement on collective bargaining. I still don't think it's the best thing for the league to have an uncapped year but it looks like it's going to happen. Despite what some might think, this is going to have a severe impact on free agency. It's going to be harder than ever (and it's already very difficult) to make your team better through free agent acquisitions in 2010.

- The Pro Bowl drew its highest ratings in a long time despite of or perhaps because of its new time slot. That is interesting but it's also surprising considering the lack of All Stars in the game. Jacksonville QB David Garrard said after the game he wanted to go out and prove he belonged in the game. No offense to Garrard but come on, you're sixth or seventh on the list from your conference to be in the game and ranked in the lower-middle tier of quarterbacks in terms of rating this year. Having it back in Hawaii should help some of the guys missing it show up and returning it to its original time would help also. Otherwise, scrapping it all together might not be a bad idea.

- That's it for this week. Hope everyone enjoys the game this weekend.

- The NFL announced its all decade team on Sunday and four former Rams were among those honors. Two of whom spent the bulk of the decade with the team.

- Receiver Torry Holt and tackle Orlando Pace, two of the cornerstones of the Rams for most of the past 10 years were honored at their positions. Returner Dante Hall, who made his name in Kansas City and finished his career here, and defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, who earned his stripes in New Orleans and Dallas, also made it.

- Holt, of course, was one of the top targets of the decade, finishing first in receiving yards for the aughts. He is one of four receivers, joined by Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens.

- Pace was the bookend left tackle the Rams had hoped when they traded up to get him with the first pick of the 1997 NFL Draft. Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones and Willie Roaf were the other tackles on the team.

- Glover came to the Rams as a free agent near the end of his career but was one of the most productive pass rushing DT's in league history. Glover is joined by Warren Sapp, Richard Seymour and Kevin Williams.

- Hall also arrived in St. Louis at the tail end of his career after becoming one of the most lethal returners in league history while with the Chiefs. Joshua Cribbs joined Hall as kick returners while Devin Hester was the other punt returner.

- Kurt Warner retired from the NFL today after 12 seasons in the league. He'll go down as a legend of this game for the many things he accomplished on the field. And for as great as he has been on the field, nobody will ever dispute that he was every bit as wonderful off it.

- Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to cover Warner during the heights of the Greatest Show on Turf. But like anyone who follows football, I followed Warner's exploits and his story. Someday, when the story of the NFL is told and people are talking about the great tales in league history, Warner's story will be a part of the fabric of that tale. The stockboy to Super Bowl champion and MVP part of it is the lede of that story but there are so many layers to who Warner is and what he's accomplished.

- There has been plenty of debate about when or even if Warner will someday land in the NFL. So, let's look at the statistical credentials first.

- In 12 seasons, Warner led two teams to three Super Bowls. He won the first one with the Rams in 1999 and came within an eyelash of two more. In those three games, Warner posted the highest passing yardage totals in NFL history. That's right, the Super Bowl record books, the top three passing totals read: Warner, Warner, Warner. He was Super Bowl MVP in '99 and would have won it again last year had Arizona pulled off the win. He's the only quarterback in league history to throw for more than 14,000 yards with two teams and one of only two signal callers to throw for 100 touchdowns with two squads.

- If you want records, Warner has plenty. He has the highest career postseason completion percentage at 65.6 percent. He's tied with two others for the most consecutive 300-yard passing games with six and tied with two quarterbacks with most touchdown passes in a postseason career.

- Here's how the final numbers break down for Warner:
Regular season: 32,344 yards, 208 touchdowns, 128 interceptions with a 65.5 percent completion percentage for a rating of 93.7, among the best ratings for a career of all time.
Postseason: 3,952 yards, 31 touchdowns, 14 interceptions with a 66.5 percent completion percentage for a rating of 102.8. He also finished with a record of 9-4 in playoff contests.

- Off the field, Warner has never shied away from his deep religious beliefs, often giving praise to God for his success. He is extremely active in charitable endeavors, including Warner's Warm up St. Louis which provides coats to those in need during the winter months. His First Things First Foundation helps a variety of causes including needy children and assisting single parents.

- A couple of weeks ago on Deadspin.com, writer Will Leitch summed up what makes Warner so special better than I ever could. Here's a passage from that terrific essay:

"It's difficult to describe Warner, when he's on, when he's '99 Warner, as anything other than bionic. He is a robotically constructed quarterback machine, showing no emotion, no fear, no joy, no panic: He throws the ball exactly where it's supposed to go because that's where it's supposed to go. It's not the chaos of Favre, or the nerdy precision of Manning, or the All-American faux heroism of Brady. There's nothing to it at all: Warner just hits exactly his spot and then jogs down the field to do it again. It's unnerving. It's inhuman. It does not compute.

Kurt Warner plays football like most people take out the mail, or pour milk on their cereal, or pump gas. He just happens to be brilliant at it. There is no mess. He is a reasonable, removed man playing a savage game, and he barely seems to notice. I've seen Kurt Warner get angry on the field, I've seen him frustrated, I've seen him in pain ... but I've never seen him nervous...Warner plays like he knows how this story ends. Kurt Warner makes me want to be a better person. He makes me want to try to figure it all out. And he makes me want him to win, win, win, before it's over, before the mystery vanishes, in a wisp, gone."

- Warner walked away from the game today in a typically classy manner. He answered every question. He thanked his family, his coaches, his teammates, the various owners that gave him shots to play around the league including those in St. Louis. He even thanked the media! The media that can be so difficult when things aren't going right and most athletes would rather ignore than thank. But that's who Warner is.

- Is Warner a Hall of Famer? No question. The numbers and the winning back that up without fail. Character isn't supposed to factor into the vote when it happens but it's hard to ignore that part of Warner's greatness as a player comes from his greatness as a human being. Whether or not his teammates agreed with Warner's beliefs, they never doubted him because for as much as Warner believed in God, his teammates believed in him and he believed in them.

- Warner is walking away the top of his game. Heck, he just put on one of the most amazing performances of his career in the Wild Card round against Green Bay. Could he have continued to play and do so at a high level? No doubt about it. But here's the thing, Warner knew when it was time to go. He didn't want to get to a point where he couldn't do it anymore and have to leave on someone else's terms. He didn't want to be the guy who stuck around too long. And Warner has been bruised and battered for so long, that he wanted to be able to spend quality time with his wife and seven children. Part of Warner's greatness as a player was in his decision making ability. Who are we to doubt that this was just another great choice in a career full of them?

- Sometime in the near future, I would expect Warner to be honored in St. Louis. There's no doubt that will happen at some point. In five years, he'll likely get the same treatment in Canton. It was a storybook career that seems destined to become a Hollywood movie someday. But Warner said something in his press conference that resonated with me. He said this isn't the end of his story, it's just the end of this chapter.

- And for all the great things Kurt Warner accomplished on a football field, I have a strong suspicion that the next chapter will be just as important to our world.

MOBILE, Ala. -

- The South team completed its Wednesday afternoon practice with a spirited session, ending the fully padded portion of the week as the teams switch to shells tomorrow and a walk through on Friday before Saturday's game. And, like earlier in the day, the defense won the day.

- South team cornerbacks Perrish Cox and Patrick Robinson had strong days and South Florida safety Nate Allen also emerged.

- Cox was perhaps the best player on the field on Wednesday, playing sticky coverage and even coming up with a couple of interceptions in the team portion of practice. He could end up in the first round if he runs well at the combine in February.

- Robinson isn't far behind. He's easily as skilled as Cox. The only question with him is how much effort he will put forth on every play. If he maintains intensity, he's as good as any corner in the draft this side of Florida's Joe Haden.

- Today was Florida quarterback Tim Tebow's best day. He handled snaps better, got out from under center quicker and generally looked more polished. It doesn't mean a ton but Dolphins coach Tony Sparano had Tebow doing more stuff out of the shotgun with spread looks. Perhaps that helped make Tebow more comfortable.

- After a close race, I think the quarterback in attendance with the most physical tools to excel in the NFL is West Virginia's Jarrett Brown. Brown has a rocket for a right arm and is a good athlete. You can tell he's a bit raw but he put the ball on a string for a couple of long touchdown throws. Seems like a more polished Tarvaris Jackson with similar physical skills.

- South Florida defensive end George Selvie was once considered one of the best pass rushing prospects in college football. Selvie flashed why in one on ones by just obliterating Tennessee tackle Chris Scott on one play.

- USC safety Taylor Mays continues to struggle in coverage. He can run with anyone but he just lacks the ball skills necessary to cover the back end.

- Kentucky CB Trevard Lindley is really struggling this week.

- Lost in the hype for fellow SEC defensive tackles is Georgia's Geno Atkins. He is a squat guy but plays with good leverage and seemingly has some upside.

- USC TE Anthony McCoy caught another deep ball today and is the best combination of blocker and pass catcher among the tight ends though he wasn't terribly productive for the Trojans.

- That will do it for our practice reports from here this week. It's been fun chatting, blogging, etc with all of you. I'll have a Senior Bowl wrap up chat on Friday after I spend tomorrow traveling back to St. Louis. Until then...

MOBILE, Ala. -

- When people use the phrase "The NFL world descended on" and I am guilty because I've used it a few times this week, they really mean it. Any coach, scout, reporter or wanna bes of any of those things are here this week. So you never know who you might right into.

- So it was that I ran into former Ram and always draft expert Corey Chavous on Wednesday afternoon. In terms of full disclosure, Chavous is one of my favorite guys I've ever covered. Although he was near the end of his playing days in St. Louis, he was the consummate professional and team leader. Guys looked up to him and with good reason. And he really had a very nice career for a long time.

- Anyway, Chavous has now moved on to his second calling: NFL draftniking (yes, I made that word up). Chavous has started a website called DraftNasty.com to register his thoughts, rankings, interviews, etc. It's a nice site and gives a lot of information. Chavous has been heavily into the draft for a long time and he is taking it up a notch in his new endeavor.

- Chavous and his crew have traveled the country in a DraftNasty RV, living out of it and hitting 39 states scouting players, visiting college campuses, etc. He is meticulous and does not just go with the flow of the other draft analysts. For an outside perspective, be sure to check him out.

- I asked Chavous who were some of the guys he likes and of course he is a big fan of Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy and Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh. Interestingly enough, he rates McCoy a smidge ahead of Suh.

- One player he is very high on is Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant. Chavous says Bryant has many of the same skills Larry Fitzgerald did coming out but with perhaps better body control. He believes Bryant is a top 5 talent.

- Asked Chavous about the Rams and he said he believes in General Manager Billy Devaney and coach Steve Spagnuolo and says they just need time to make the necessary roster adjustments. He's rooting for that to happen as he enjoyed his time in St. Louis.

- According to DraftNasty.com, the top 5 players in this year's draft are McCoy, Suh, Bryant, Tennessee S Eric Berry and Oklahoma T Trent Williams.

- For those that want to follow Chavous and his RV on Twitter, check him out @DraftNastyCom.

- Back in a few with thoughts from the South practice.

MOBILE, Ala. -

- The North team finished its final fully padded practice Wednesday morning on a crisp, sunny day at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. And for the most part, it was a day dominated by the defense.

- Let's get to the injury front first where Missouri receiver Danario Alexander appeared to be the only ailment of the day. Going up to contest a deep pass, he landed awkwardly on his leg. Detroit offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, former head coach of the Rams, said Alexander banged up his knee. Linehan was unsure of the extent of the injury but Alexander did not finish the practice.

- As for the action on the field, it was a defensive kind of day, particularly for the linebackers and defensive backs.

- Some of the standouts included Virginia CB Chris Cook, Boise State CB Kyle Wilson and Rutgers CB Devin McCourty.

- All are considered among the top five or so players at the position in this year's draft and all showed why on Wednesday.

- Perhaps none stood above the rest more than Cook. At 6'1, Cooks towers above a lot of the corners, plays physical and shows good ball skills. On one deep out in team drills, Cook sat on the route, baited Cincinnati QB Tony Pike into the throw and jumped the route. In one motion, he picked off the pass and tight roped the sideline for what would have been a pick-6.

- Wilson and McCourty, meanwhile, continue to just be as sticky as possible in coverage and show a high level of feistiness in run support. Wilson is very polished for a young corner. McCourty might have the most upside of all of them.

- At linebacker, Missouri's Sean Weatherspoon continues to impress as does TCU's Daryl Washington. Washington dropped an easy interception after reading a screen pass but he seems to be a good athlete with a nose for the ball.

- Another strong performance from Oregon TE Ed Dickson, who continues to have good success separating from defenders.

- Boston College C Matt Tennant isn't the biggest guy but boy does he compete. He holds his own surprisingly well against much bigger players. He does a really nice job of using leverage to hold up against the bull rush.

- California CB Syd'Quan Thompson also had a nice day with a couple of pass breakups.

- Ohio WR Taylor Price had probably his worst outing as he struggled to get separation and even dropped a few passes. Same for Clemson's Jacoby Ford.

- North Carolina DL Cam Thomas had a better day and is trying to match Weatherspoon's vocal presence.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo spent the morning watching practice from the sideline alongside Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin. Spagnuolo said he and Tomlin talked about some of Tomlin's experiences in his first two years as a head coach and joked about how they both sort of gravitated toward the defensive players on the field.

- Will have more on Spagnuolo and the Senior Bowl later today with a feature for the front of the site. And, of course, I will have a blog from this afternoon's practice as well. Feel free to shoto questions to the mailbag too. I'll answer anything Senior Bowl related you want to throw in there.

MOBILE, Ala. -

- Just back from the North practice and caught up with coach Steve Spagnuolo who discussed his limited trips to Mobile for the Senior Bowl as well as some Rams news. I'll have more detail in a feature story later but here's a taste of what's to come.

- Spagnuolo said he has spoken with a couple of potential replacements for Charlie Baggett as wide receivers coach. But nothing is quite imminent on that.

- When asked about the possibility of Isaac Bruce as receivers coach should he choose to retire, Spagnuolo said "I have not talked to Isaac. I would certainly welcome a (chance). I don't know him that well but I have heard so many great things about him as a person and I know what he was like as a player. At some point, I will try to give him a call."

- As for the replacement for departing assistant offensive line coach Art Valero, Spagnuolo said there's a "50/50 chance" the team will choose to fill the spot at all. It's also a possibility that the team could move around some other assistant for that vacancy.

- Back with more in a bit.

MOBILE, Ala -

- Good morning from Mobile where today is the final day of the serious evaluations as the teams line up for padded practices one more time. As usual, the North will take the field in the morning with the South team to hit the field in the afternoon.

- The North team has flown under the radar, mostly because there are no SEC guys or players named Tebow on the team. However, there are certainly some standouts on the squad including Michigan DE Brandon Graham. One scout told me that Graham is probably the best player here this week.

- The South team will practice this afternoon and I plan on turning my focus away from Tebow to get a look at some of the other guys around. There's some cornerbacks, including Oklahoma State's Perrish Cox and Florida State's Patrick Robinson that I'd like to get a look at.

- As per the rest of the week, I'll be here with blog updates after each practice and then have some feature stories this evening. Hoping to catch up with Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo this afternoon so hopefully will have some Rams notes tonight to go with a look at some more of the many prospects here. In addition, I have caught up with some scouts and will sprinkle in some of their perspective's in this space as well.

- The South team just completed its first fully padded practice down at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and what a scene it was. Since about half the South roster is composed of SEC players anyway, there were plenty of fans there but nobody brings them out like Florida QB Tim Tebow.

- Let me set the scene a little for those of you who have never been to Mobile before. The stadium is older and set up in a neighborhood sort of like Lambeau Field without the history. Normally the parking lot is about half full and those in attendance are scouts, coaches, media types and some others. Today, when practice started, the entire parking lot was full. Fans were decked out in their Tebow No. 15 Florida jerseys and screaming for him at the top of their lungs. And that was just the adults. There was one young female fan on the south side of the stadium holding a sign and screaming every time Tebow did anything: complete a pass, throw a pass, drop a snap, tie his shoes, you name it.

- As for what TebowMania translates to on the field, it really doesn't mean much. Tebow is battling strep throat and a 103 degree temperature and went to a local hospital on Monday night. Of course, that didn't keep him from practicing. After hearing some things said about his performance yesterday I had to wonder how bad it could be but Tebow looks just fine for the most part. When he drops to throw in seven on seven or individual drills, he can make all the throws and he has a pretty strong arm.
- The problem arises when Tebow has to go under center which is understandable because he's really never had to do it. By my count, he only botched one snap during the team portion of drills. Still, even when he took the snap, he was a bit slow getting out from under center. He threw a couple of interceptions in team drill and struggled a bit when he was pressured. To his credit, he threw well on the run and did a nice job on rollouts and play action.

- The other quarterbacks, West Virginia's Jarrett Brown and Oklahoma State's Zac Robinson, also come from spread offenses and have had trouble taking snaps under center. Brown had some nice moments and seems to have a pretty strong arm.

- One of the standouts of the day is Mississippi Swiss Army Knife Dexter McCluster. McCluster did individual drills with the receivers then moved to running back during team portion of practice and also worked as a punt and kick returner. Some teams view him as a slot guy but he says he's an "O.W." which stands for offensive weapon. As a receiver, he made one tremendous diving catch on a deep ball down the sideline. On the pass, McCluster said he lost it in the sun but stayed with it and saw it in time to dive for the catch. He seems like the type of kid who can do it all and make big plays. Think Darren Sproles after a few Red Bulls. Impressive kid.

- Tennessee DT Dan Williams is a strong, powerful kid who plays with a lot of leverage. Dominant in one on one pass rush drills.

- Say what you want about Alabama DT Terrence Cody but the big man can't be blocked by one person.

- Miami tight end Jimmy Graham doesn't come with a ton of experience but he's big and has a lot of athletic ability. Intriguing prospect who caught a nice deep ball today in team drills.

- I'm not sure how fast he is but Alabama CB Javier Arenas sure is feisty. What a competitor.

- USC TE Anthony McCoy made a nice diving catch deep down the seam during team drills.
- Tebow's teammate, WR Riley Cooper had some nice moments during the workout but also dropped some balls that cost Tebow some completions.

- Mississippi offensive lineman John Jerry, brother of 2009 first-round pick Peria Jerry, looked solid in one on one pass rush drills at both guard and tackle.

- That's it for today, gotta get hammering on some feature stories for the front of the site. But I'll take a longer look at some non-Tebow stuff for the South tomorrow morning.

- MOBILE, Ala.

- Just back from Tuesday morning's North team practice where the players went through their first paces in full pads and the NFL world looked on in curiosity. It was a spirited practice to say the least with mixed results for certain guys. Some had better days than Monday, some struggled and others stayed about the same. Let's get right into it.

- Let's start with the bad news. Wisconsin DE O'Brien Schofield has a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the draft season. Tough break for a projected second or third round pick.

- Illinois guard Jon Asamoah has an undisclosed injury and missed Tuesday's practice. He stood on the sideline in a sweatshirt.

- On the field, the competition was good and everyone seemed fired up. Nobody moreso than Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon had an excellent day and though he is moving all over the place, is clearly the best linebacker here. He really stood out in the blitz pickup drills where a running back takes on a linebacker in space. He got by his man easily nearly every time. He also continues to win the award for most vocal player on the field.

- Meanwhile, Weatherspoon's Mizzou teammate Danario Alexander had a rough day at receiver. He looks the part and is a legitimate 6'4 plus with a chiseled 221 pounds. But Alexander has been inconsistent catching the ball the past two days. He dropped one early in individual drills then caught everything thrown his way for about 10 minutes. Then, he really struggled in team and seven on seven. He's been fine getting off the jam and running routes but his hands, something that was never in question before, have plagued him this week so far.

- That blitz pickup drill was perhaps the most spirited of the day. For the most part, the linebackers got the better of the running backs. The notable exception? Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount. He's a big man and did a nice job in the drill.

- While Alexander has struggled, some other receivers have been quite impressive. Mardy Gilyard was good on Monday but dipped a little Tuesday. Ohio's Taylor Price and Clemson's Jacoby Ford have had no such change. Both have been very good so far this week. Price is extremely smooth and catches about everything. Ford has nice burst, is quick in and out of cuts and also has good hands. So far, the best two receivers on the North squad.

- Idaho guard Mike Iupati is getting a lot of love from scouts and some think he can play outside at tackle. He's worked both spots the past two days. He's downright dominant at guard but not so much at tackle. He got beat badly on a few pass rush drills at tackle. He could be a Pro Bowl guard. The difference, it seems, is that great.

- Michigan DE Brandon Graham is high energy all the time. Another solid practice for him.

- Like Iupati, Massachusetts T Vladimir Ducasse is also getting looks inside and out. The difference is Ducasse is the inverse. He's solid at tackle but struggles inside.

- Once again, the best quarterback on the field was Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour. He has a solid arm and can make many of the necessary throws for NFL success.

- Cincinnati QB Tony Pike had a better day on Tuesday. He threw a really nice deep ball for a touchdown to Oregon TE Ed Dickson. Dickson had a good day and showed some nice route running skills.

- Boise State CB Kyle Wilson looks to be the best in coverage right now. He had a strong day with a couple of pass breakups on deep balls.

- As for small school guys making an impact, Wayne State RB Joique Bell had a nice, long run for a touchdown in team drills. Arkansas State DL Alex Carrington had some moments in the one on one pass rush drills.

- That's it for the North. Back this afternoon with a report from the South practice and my first look at Tim Tebow.

MOBILE, Ala. -

- Good morning from Mobile. Just wanted to give everyone an idea of what is to come today and how the schedule down here will work this week.

- Getting ready now to head over to Ladd-Peebles Stadium where the North team will begin practice at 9:30. Upon the completion of that practice, I'll do some interviews and then head back to write up a blog and some feature stories. In addition, I'll be doing my chat this afternoon around 1:00 for anyone with questions about stuff going on down here.

- I'm efforting a new feature with an independent scout with takes on various players throughout the week so you can get the perspective of someone who has been watching these guys and knows them better than I.

- After the chat session, I'll be heading out to practice for the afternoon session, featuring the South team. Haven't had a chance to see that squad yet so should be some new nuggets from the afternoon.

- Of course, I will also have my eye out for Rams personnel, including coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney. Any news from them will be included as well in the daily reports.

- The padded practices begin today. This is what the NFL world comes to watch so it should be a good first look at some of these guys.

- As for what else to expect: caught up with a lot of players so far including Sean Weatherspoon, Danario Alexander, Myron Rolle, Stafon Johnson, Sean Canfield, Tony Pike, Dan Lefevour, among others. Will be posting some of their thoughts as well as featuring some on the site in the coming days.

- So long for just a while.

MOBILE, Ala. -

- As has become custom, I just arrived in Mobile for this week's Senior Bowl activities. After barely catching my connecting flight to hop off one puddle jumper to another, I made it in time to get to the hotel, get my credentials and head out to practice.

- Today, the teams were in shells and practiced this afternoon at separate locations. The North team was at the usual spot, Ladd-Peebles Stadium while the South was at Fairhope Stadium. Simply because my flight put me in about the time the practices were scheduled to start, I opted for Ladd-Peebles which is about 25 minutes closer. Thus, I was not there for day one of Tebow-Mania. But have no fear, I'll be all over it in the coming days and likely catch up with him at tonight's media function.

- On to what I did get to see on the field and a couple of notes from a few interviews I was able to conduct after the practice.

- The North squad is composed mostly of players from the Big 10, the ACC, the Big 12 and a few other places. The South is heavy on SEC players with a few from the ACC and some PAC 10 guys.

- Headlining the show for the North are three solid quarterbacks generally considered to be second or third round type of signal callers. That's Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour, Cincinnati's Tony Pike and Oregon State's Sean Canfield.

- I watched that trio closely during seven on sevens and team drills. Weird to see Scott Linehan handling the coaching duties for the offense. The Lions are working with the North team.

- Of the three, at least for today, LeFevour was clearly the best. He had the most zip, the most accurate and basically the smoothest of the three. By no means will I make any blanket statements about these guys based on what happens in a single practice but at least for one workout, LeFevour was clearly the best of the bunch.

- You can see that Pike has skills but he also comes from an offense that is going to force him to make a major adjustment in mechanics and technique at the next level. Spoke to him after the practice and he seems like a smart, humble kid with plenty of intangibles you like. He acknowledged that the biggest thing for him between now and April is proving his ability to play in a pro style offense.

- Canfield struggled to drive the ball downfield. He was better in team than seven on seven but he had trouble with out patterns and deep balls. Good footwork and delivery, though.

- Wisconsin defensive end O'Brien Schofield was thought to be a potential second or third round pick coming here this week but he suffered what appeared to be a serious left knee injury during the workout. Best of luck to him, hopefully it's not too bad.

- Schofield suffered the injury in one on one pass rush drills against Massachusetts tackle Vladimir Ducasse. Ducasse is a mountain of a man from a small school with big time ability. He really has nice footwork and seems like he has a lot of potential.

- Spoke with Ducasse and he says he started playing football as a junior in high school after his family moved from Haiti when he was 14. Scary thing is, he's a very talented player already but he's just scratching the surface on what kind of player he could be.

- For the record, Ducasse has heard from family members back in Haiti and reports that everyone is OK.

- Impressed with Michigan DE Brandon Graham, who might turn out to be better suited for a 3-4. He's quick and athletic and his motor never stops running.

- There might not be a more physically imposing specimen than Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick. He was a handful in the one on one drills as well.

- In case anyone was wondering, Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon is here. Weatherspoon made his presence felt by his constant hyperactivity and jaw jacking. He says it's all in good fun but he got a laugh out of it when he talked noise to Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount. Blount, you may recall, was the player suspended for punching a Boise State player early last year.

- On one play, Blount dropped a swing pass and jogged after it. Weatherspoon playfully shouted at him to hustle to get the ball. Afterward, Weatherspoon said he and Blount have been talking and it was all in good fun.

- On a more serious note, Weatherspoon got a ton of repetitions on Monday after he weighed in at 10 pounds less than his playing weight last year. He checked in at 241 pounds after playing at 251 in 2009. Weatherspoon says he has a lot to prove this week because he "didn't make enough plays" as a senior and it hurt his draft stock. That's a big reason why he dropped the weight. He's playing all three linebacker spots this week.

- Buzz about Alabama DT Terrence Cody, who apparently weighed in at 370 pounds. Yeah, that makes Andre Smith circa last year sound like Calista Flockhart.

- Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard looked sharp on some routes and made some nice catches. He has potential as a returner too.

- Some late additions to the roster of local interest include Illinois TE Michael Hoomanawanui and G Jon Asamoah.

- One scout told me that the class at center this year is woefully thin but there's talent at guard. Asamoah is one of the more highly touted interior linemen along with Idaho's Mike Iupati.

- Be back with more, including practice reports after each practice tomorrow, feature stories and a live chat tomorrow afternoon. Off to media event.

- The silly season has officially begun as a variety of draft experts have already begun revealing the first edition of their mock drafts. You know, those way too early guesses on how things will play out in April before a single all star game, combine interview or pro day has taken place.

- Stlouisrams.com won't provide its guess until the week of the draft but that doesn't mean we can't track what some others prominent pundits are already saying.

- With that, here's a look at some of the early mock drafts and what they have the Rams doing with the first pick in April's draft. To nobody's surprise, there's a common trend here.

- The most well known expert is ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. He has the Rams grabbing Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh with the first pick. Here's what he had to say on espn.com:

- "Nobody questions that the top need for the Rams is a quarterback. But unless St. Louis trades down -- an extremely difficult proposition on multiple levels -- it shouldn't take a quarterback with its first pick. Suh is maybe the most dominating defensive tackle I've seen in 32 years of doing this. He can be effective immediately for the Rams, and they may address the QB with a trade."

- Kiper's ESPN teammate and sometime opponent Todd McShay concurs on the selection of Suh.

- "Reach for a quarterback or take the top defensive lineman in the class? Tough call, but we think the Rams should take Suh. Anyone who saw the Big 12 championship game knows what kind of effect the explosive Suh can have on a game. He is a disruptive run defender with the arm strength to toss aside blockers and the quickness to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Although he isn't the most polished pass-rusher, he clearly has great potential in this area."

- Over at NFL.com, Bucky Brooks has his mock draft version 1.0 available. And, like Kiper and McShay, he has the Rams grabbing Suh.

- "Uncertainty at the quarterback position will force the Rams to consider Sam Bradford, but Suh is too talented to pass up."

- Over at CBSSports.com, where they use NFLDraftScout.com analysts for their mock drafts, respected mockers Rob Rang and Chad Reuter have their mocks up with Suh also being the Rams' likely selection.

- Of course, during the course of the next few months, plenty can and will change. Nothing is set in stone despite the certainty that seems to be pervasive on the internet right now.

- In what looks like something that is going to be happening in mass amounts this year, Rams running back Steven Jackson officially pulled out of the Pro Bowl on Wednesday afternoon.

- This comes as no real surprise as Jackson battled a herniated disc in his back the final six weeks of the season and he made it pretty clear from the beginning that it would be a long shot for him to play in the game.

- San Francisco RB Frank Gore will replace Jackson in Miami.

- Still, Jackson will be in Miami enjoying his week and relaxing with his fellow NFL All Stars.
- Jackson is far from the only player missing the Pro Bowl for injuries or other reasons. Moving the game to the week before the Super Bowl and to Miami from Hawaii has made it a less desirable destination.

- Be back tomorrow with some news and notes, including an early glimpse at some of the various NFL mock drafts already available as well as hopefully finalized rosters from the Senior Bowl.

- The NFL released a question and answer transcript on Wednesday afternoon intended to answer any questioins you might have about the status of the collective bargaining agreement and how it will affect various aspects of the coming offseason. I've posted that transcript below for your perusal.

Collective Bargaining Agreement Questions and Answers

Q.         When does the CBA expire should there be no extension to the agreement?

A.         In March of 2011.

Q.         Will there be a college draft in 2011?

A.         Yes.

Q.         What is the “Final League Year” in the current agreement?

A.         The “Final League Year” is the term used in the CBA to refer to the last year of the agreement.  Without a further extension of the CBA, the “Final League Year” would be the 2010 League Year, which begins on March 5. 

Q.         What are the differences between the “Final League Year” and any other “League Year?”

A.         The principal differences are that in the “Final League Year” there is no salary cap and there are substantial additional restrictions on player free agency and reductions in player benefits.

Q.         Are current player benefits affected in the Final League Year?

A.         We expect current player benefits to decline in the Final League Year.  The union agreed that in the Final League Year, clubs would be relieved of their obligation to fund numerous benefit programs.  Examples include second career savings (401K), player annuity, severance pay and performance-based pay.  The total league-wide contributions to such plans in 2009, the last capped year, were in excess of $325 million or more than $10 million per club. 

Q.         Are retired player benefits affected in the Final League Year?

A.         Commissioner Goodell has stated in a letter to the NFL Alumni Association Board of Directors that there will be no reduction in pension or disability payments to retired players during the Final League Year (2010).  Since at least the fall of 2007, NFL owners have consistently agreed and planned that they will not reduce the funding for pension or disability benefits for retired players.  Nor will they reduce funding for the 88 Plan during the Final League Year. 

Q.         What determines an unrestricted free agent in the Final League Year (2010)?

A.         In capped seasons, a player whose contract has expired becomes an unrestricted free agent if he has four or more accrued seasons.  In the Final League Year (2010), a player whose contract has expired becomes an unrestricted free agent only if he has six or more accrued seasons.  An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any club with no compensation owed to his old club. 

Q.         What determines whether a player is a restricted free agent in the “Final League Year?”

A.         In capped seasons, a player whose contract expires becomes a restricted free agent if he has three accrued seasons.  In the Final League Year (2010), a player whose contract expires becomes a restricted free agent if he has three, four or five accrued seasons.  The first refusal/compensation rights of restricted free agents remain unchanged in the Final League Year.    

Q.         In addition to the right to designate a franchise (or transition) player each capped year, can clubs designate additional players in the Final League Year?

A.         Yes, one additional player can be tagged.  In capped years, a club may designate a franchise player or a transition player.  In the final league year (2010), a club may designate one additional transition player.  A transition player must be offered a minimum of the average of the top 10 salaries of the prior season at the player’s position or 120 percent of the player’s prior year’s salary, whichever is greater.  A transition player designation gives the club a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires.  If the club matches, it retains the player.  If it does not match, it receives no draft pick compensation from that club.

Q.         What is the Final Eight Plan?

A.         During the Final League Year, the eight clubs that make the Divisional Playoffs in the previous season have additional restrictions that limit their ability to sign unrestricted free agents from other clubs.  In general, the four clubs participating in the championship games are limited in the number of free agents that they may sign; the limit is determined by the number of their own free agents signing with other clubs.  They cannot sign any UFAs unless one of theirs is signed by another team.

For the four clubs that lost in the Divisional Playoffs, in addition to having the ability to sign free agents based on the number of their own free agents signing with other clubs, they may also sign players based on specific financial parameters.  Those four only will be permitted to sign one unrestricted free agent for $5.5 million (estimated) or more in year one of the contract, plus the number of their UFAs who sign with another team. They also can sign any unrestricted free agents for less than $3.7 (estimated) million in year one of the contract with limitations on the per year increases.

In the case of all final eight teams, the first year salary of UFAs they sign to replace those lost cannot exceed the first year salary of the player lost with limitations on the per year increases.

Q.         Is there an Entering Player Pool in the Final League Year?

A.         There may be.  The CBA provides that the league has the unilateral right to keep or eliminate the rookie pool in the Final League Year. 

Q.         Is there a Minimum Team Salary in the Final League Year?

A.         There is no Minimum Team Salary in the Final League Year.  The Minimum Team Salary in 2009 is $107,748,000, meaning each team is required to allocate more than $107 million to player costs (not including benefits).  The team salary cap in 2009 was $123 million.

Q.         Are there individual player minimum salaries in the Final League Year?

A.         Yes, but they rise at a rate somewhat slower than player minimum salaries rise in capped years.

Q.         Do any player contract rules from capped years remain in place for the Final League Year?

A.         Yes, some rules like the “30% increase rule” are still in effect in the Final League Year for player contracts signed in capped years.  That rule restricts salary increases from 2009 to 2010.  For example: a player with a $500,000 salary in 2009 would be limited to annual salary increases of $150,000 ($500,000 x 30%) beginning in 2010.

- And....we're back. After a one-week hiatus and a great opportunity to recharge the batteries before attacking what should be an interesting and exciting offseason, From the Sidelines has returned. Yesterday, we dropped the news that receivers coach Charlie Baggett is moving on to the University of Tennessee. Earlier today, I gave you a list of the 53 players who have declared early for the NFL Draft and been granted that eligibility by the NFL. Be sure to check out both blogs if you have not already and want some more details.

- That business taken care of, let's take a look at what's been happening around the league including a (mostly boring) NFL playoffs that has yielded few upsets and not much suspense, as well as the wacky world of NFL coaches that has already seen some carryover from the wacky world of NCAA coaches.

- Here's a funny thing about the NFL, it's kind of like a woman in some ways. Just when you think you have it figured out, you really don't. When you think you have the answers, the question changes. Take this season for example. In week 13, we knew, I mean we KNEW that the the best teams in the NFL were Indianapolis, New Orleans and Minnesota. By week 16, the Vikings had just taken it on the chin a couple of times, the Saints looked out of sorts and the Colts had nearly caused a riot by resting starters. San Diego and Dallas became the chic picks. Now, I won't alter history, I bought into the Chargers hype because they had won a bunch of games in a row and looked good doing it. But really, what changed? We had theories that resting players would hurt a team's chemistry and performance but really not much was different.

- So, at the end of the day what we now know, that the three best teams in the NFL now are the same ones that we thought were the best way back in October and November. As for the outlier that is the Jets? Well, here's something else we already knew: You can still win a lot of football games in this league if you can run the ball and play defense at a really high level. The Jets happen to do both better than anyone else in the league. So even their ascent shouldn't come as much of a surprise regardless of their seed.

- For the record, if I take you back, my wild card picks were Cincinnati, Green Bay, Dallas and Baltimore. So, I went 2-2, though I believed Arizona and the Packers was a toss up. For what it's worth, in last week's games I had it going chalk with all of the higher seeded teams winning, so I went 3-1. At this point, I'm 5-3 in these playoffs, not bad but I should have had more respect for the Jets.

- And before I give some thoughts on championship weekend, I wanted to tip my cap to the Arizona-Green Bay game. I'm a bit of an old school fan in that I love watching great, hard hitting defenses play but every once in a while a good shootout is tremendously entertaining. That game had it all and was instantly revered as one of the great playoff games of all time. The performance of both quarterbacks was nothing short of incredible. The Cardinals won but the Packers had no reason to hang their head in shame. Just a wonderful, wonderful game after a disappointing weekend.

- Some quick hits on last weekend's games as well: I don't care much about the way Minnesota handled business against Dallas but a fourth-and-3 passing play was a bit unnecessary. Run the ball there and I don't see how anyone can complain, even if the run goes for a touchdown...Sidney Rice should probably be the Most Improved Player in the league this year...Tony Romo had a rough day but it wasn't his fault nobody blocked for him...Good to see you Reggie Bush, circa USC days...The Saints had no problems flipping the switch, very impressive performance though I still wonder how that game goes if Jerheme Urban doesn't fumble in the early going...If indeed that's it for Kurt Warner, it was a heck of a career, see you in Canton...Same to you Ed Reed, though I hope you come back for more, you still have plenty of good football in you...I believe Peyton Manning will one day be revered as the greatest quarterback this league has ever seen and perhaps its best player but for now can we all agree that nobody manages a game better than he does.

- That Chargers-Jets game has been discussed a lot the last couple of days, particularly the decision to onside kick late in the game rather than kick deep. To reset the situation: San Diego trailed 17-14 with about 2:11 left in the game. The Chargers had a timeout and the two-minute warning in their pocket. If they don't recover the onside kick, the Jets need one first down to ice the game and have the ability to run the clock and force San Diego to use its timeout. Seems like the Chargers would be better served kicking deep, right? Well, I would disagree and here's why. San Diego, without a doubt in my mind, needed to score a touchdown there. Kicker Nate Kaeding had missed three field goals, two from relatively easy distances. He looked rattled and shook. His chances of making a game tying field goal with the season on the line simply weren't good. They just weren't. So, you need every precious second left to give Philip Rivers time to try to get the ball in the end zone and win it in regulation. If you kick deep and you even come up with the three and out, you probably have about a minute left in the game (depending on the play calling sequence of the Jets but I don't see any way that Rex Ryan has rookie Mark Sanchez throwing on third down, regardless). And you are probably looking at having to go about 65, 70 yards for the score. If you get the onside kick, you have more than two minutes, you have the warning and your timeout and probably need about 55 yards for the touchdown. An easy call, in my mind.

- As for this weekend, I should probably give more consideration to the Jets in the AFC but I just don't see it happening. I know I'm the type of guy that Rex Ryan is talking about when he discusses people doubting his team constantly but there are a lot of things working for the Colts right now. 1. Peyton Manning 2. They are playing at home 3. They are playing the team they were playing the day they shut down the starters so they have something to prove to those fans. 4. They just played a team with a very similar style to the Jets 5. Peyton Manning.
- Let's call it Indianapolis 20, New York 10. And by the way, Darrelle Revis is fast becoming the new Deion Sanders in coverage. Simply amazing the way he shuts down an entire side of the field.

- In the NFC, this is the game I wanted to see from way back when. The Vikings, so balanced and complete against the high-octane on both sides of the ball Saints. I believed for a long time that this game would come down to which team gets to host it. After some late season stumbles at home, New Orleans looked vulnerable regardless of venue but after last weekend, it's hard to imagine the Saints losing at the Superdome. In fact, I believe the atmosphere at Sunday's game will be one of the best ever at any sporting event. Those people in that city are so connected to this team after all everyone went through that I wouldn't be stunned if they blow the roof off that building with noise on Sunday.

- That said, Minnesota is still playing very good football and Brett Favre has a penchant for playing well in that venue. Still, the Vikings have been just OK on the road this year and they are still struggling to run the football effectively. Plus, I'm a little biased because I want to see Joe Vitt go to a Super Bowl. One of my favorite guys to cover since I've been doing this. Call it New Orleans 34, Minnesota 27.

- Elsewhere in the NFL, the coaching carousel has been relatively quiet. The big news was Pete Carroll going to Seattle. I don't fault him for wanting another crack at the game's highest level and he will have the resources to do well with the Seahawks. How quickly he can turn it around remains to be seen but it's easy to forget that he had a winning record in the NFL.

- There was a terrific piece in ESPN the Magazine a few weeks ago (by my main man and fellow Mizzou grad Seth Wickersham, no less) about the qualities in a head coaching hire that generally lead to success. In it, he determined that many coaches are better the second tour of duty. And Marty Morningwhieg fit the profile of a guy who would make a great hire. Although Chan Gailey's name wasn't mentioned, he has many of the same characteristics. And he was unfairly let go in Dallas as Jerry Jones himself has admitted. Still want to see Leslie Frazier get a job somewhere, he's almost overqualified at this point.

- That will do it for this week. Enjoy championship Sunday and be sure to check in today for my mailbag which is extremely full after my week off.

- The NFL released the list of underclassmen who have declared and been cleared as eligible for this year's NFL Draft.

- There will be 53 non-seniors in this year's draft, the most this decade. Last season's draft had 46 underclassmen declare.

- Below is the list of draft eligible players with three years or more of college experience.

Player                          Pos.            College
Basped, Kevin             DE             Nevada
Benn, Arrelious            WR            Illinois
Berry, Eric                   DB             Tennessee
Best, Jahvid                 RB             California
Bowman, Navorro       LB             Penn State
Bradford, Sam             QB            Oklahoma
Briscoe, Dezmon         WR            Kansas
Brown, Antonio           WR            Central Michigan
Bryant, Dez                 WR            Oklahoma State
Bulaga, Bryan              T                Iowa
Burnett, Morgan          DB             Georgia Tech
Campbell, Bruce          T                Maryland
Clausen, Jimmy           QB              Notre Dame
Curran, Rennie            LB              Georgia
Davis, Anthony            T                Rutgers
Dunlap, Carlos            DE              Florida
Dwyer, Jonathan         RB             Georgia Tech
Franks, Dominique      DB             Oklahoma
Geathers, Clifton         DE              South Carolina
Gibson, Thaddeus       DE              Ohio State
Gresham, Jermaine      TE              Oklahoma
Griffen, Everson          DE              Southern California
Gronkowski, Rob       TE               Arizona
Haden, Joe                 DB              Florida
Hernandez, Aaron      TE               Florida
Jackson, Kareem       DB              Alabama
Jones, Chad               DB              Louisiana State
Jones, Reshad            DB             Georgia
Joseph, Linval            DT              East Carolina
Marshall, Darius        RB              Marshall
Mathews, Ryan         RB              Fresno State
McClain, Rolando     LB              Alabama
McCoy, Gerald         DT             Oklahoma
McKnight, Joe          RB             Southern California
McNeal, Shawnbrey RB             Southern Methodist
Mitchell, Carlton       WR            South Florida
Moore, Joshua          DB             Kansas State
Morgan, Derrick       DE             Georgia Tech
Norton, Jerell            DB             Arkansas
Pierre-Paul, Jason     DE             South Florida
Pouncey, Maurkice    C               Florida
Price, Brian               DT             UCLA
Rogan, Dennis          DB             Tennessee
Snead, Jevan            QB             Mississippi
Spievey, Amari         DB             Iowa
Tate, Golden            WR            Notre Dame
Thomas, Demaryius  WR            Georgia Tech
Thomas, Earl            DB             Texas
Warren, Donovan     DB            Michigan
Williams, Damian      WR           Southern California
Williams, Mike         WR            Syracuse
Worilds, Jason          DE            Virginia Tech
Wright, Major          DB             Florida

 

- The Rams have lost a member of the coaching staff, as receivers coach Charlie Baggett has opted to take the assistant head coaching position at the University of Tennessee.

- Baggett spent just a year in St. Louis working with a young group of wideouts but coach Steve Spagnuolo acknowledged that Baggett did a good job considering the inexperience of the group.

- The Rams will now be in the market for a replacement for Baggett but there is no major rush to do so this week. The coaching staff and personnel department will descend on Mobile, Ala. for the Senior Bowl next week. That often doubles as a job fair for coaches so it's possible a new hire could come from those meetings.

- The injuries to the Rams have been plentiful and serious this year, especially on the offensive line. And when it seemed the Rams might have made it out of the finale without one, the news came Tuesday that guard Roger Allen III suffered a torn ACL against San Francisco.

- According to coach Steve Spagnuolo, Allen will go through about a month of rehabilitation before he undergoes surgery on the knee. His recovery time will be the usual five to six months and the team is hopeful to have him ready in time for training camp.

- Allen joins Mark Setterstrom, Jacob Bell and Jason Smith as key linemen to suffer serious ailments at various points this season.

- Greetings and welcome to the first postseason edition of Around the League. Today, we'll dive into some playoff previews, I'll drop my All Pro team on you and cast my final awards ballot for the 2009 season.

- First, let's get down to business on the awards.

- Most Valuable Player: QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis - Manning had perhaps his worst supporting cast this decade and still found a way to post one of his two or three best NFL seasons. The Colts would be lost in the wilderness without Manning and he is deserving of his fourth MVP award, something that has never been accomplished.

- Behind Manning on my ballot (in this order) would be: Philip Rivers, Chris Johnson, Drew Brees and Brett Favre.

- Offensive Player of the Year: RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee - Johnson put up more than 2,000 yards rushing and set the NFL record from yards from scrimmage. No player in the league was as singularly dominant as Johnson, who is only going to get better as his career continues.

- Defensive Player of the Year: CB Darrelle Revis, New York Jets - Apologies to Elvis Dumervil and Charles Woodson but Revis was incredible in 2009. He limited some of the best receivers in the league to their worst performances of the season and made big plays on the few occasions the ball was actually thrown his way. He joins Nnamdi Asomugha in the elite company of guys you simply don't throw at.

- Coach of the Year: Cincinnati HC Marvin Lewis - There were a lot of great candidates for this award but nobody enjoyed a bigger turnaround and did more with less this year than Lewis. Not many people expected much from the Bengals but in the face of a few tragedies (Chris Henry's death, the death of DC Mike Zimmer's wife), they somehow found a way to win one of the toughest divisions in football and advance to the playoffs.

- Offensive Rookie of the Year: WR/KR Percy Harvin, Minnesota - Call me a snob because I snubbed Baltimore OT Michael Oher but I'm going with the guy whose impact was felt directly on the game when he touches the ball. Harvin was a threat to score every time he touched the ball and gave the Vikings a weapon capable of stretching the field and opening up things in the return game.

- Defensive Rookie of the Year: S Jairus Byrd, Buffalo - James Laurinaitis, Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews all had excellent cases for this award but nobody made more big plays than Byrd. The young safety who attended Clayton High here in St. Louis, posted eight interceptions and was constantly around the ball and wreaking havoc in the Bills' secondary.

- As for the All Pro team, here's what I came up with (and for the record, I'm going with a 3-4 defense).
Offense:
QB - Manning (IND)
RB - Johnson (TEN), Steven Jackson (STL)
FB - Lousaka Polite (MIA)
WR - Andre Johnson (HOU), Wes Welker (NE)
TE - Antonio Gates (SD)
LT - Ryan Clady (DEN)
LG - Logan Mankins (NE)
C - Nick Mangold (NYJ)
RG - Jahri Evans (NO)
RT - Joe Thomas (CLE) - So he's technically a left tackle but I'm cheating.

Defense:
DE: Dwight Freeney (IND)
DT: Jay Ratliff (DAL)
DE: Jared Allen (MIN)
OLB: DeMarcus Ware (DAL)
ILB: Patrick Willis (SF)
ILB: London Fletcher (WASH)
OLB: Elvis Dumervil (DEN)
CB: Revis (NYJ)
CB: Woodson (GB)
FS: Darren Sharper (NO)
SS: Adrian Wilson (AZ)

Special Teams:
K: Nate Kaeding (SD)
P: Shane Lechler (OAK)
KR: Josh Cribbs (CLE)
PR: DeSean Jackson (PHI)
Coverage: John Wendling (BUF)

- On the playoff front, it should be an interesting Wild Card weekend with three matchups that were paired just last week (though most of the teams were resting starters in some fashion).

- I can't remember a year when I thought things were as wide open as this year, especially in the NFC. Any of the six teams and I really mean any of them can win the whole thing. In the AFC, it looks more to me like a two-horse race between San Diego and Indianapolis but Baltimore is dangerous and any team with Tom Brady has a chance.

- As for this weekend, the Bengals vs. Jets should be interesting. New York slaughtered Cincinnati last week, even when the Bengals had the starters in but they didn't have anything to play for at the time. I think things will be different this week as I don't see the Jets having the success they did running the ball last week. The Bengals will win this one in a close one as rookie QB Mark Sanchez makes a few too many mistakes.

- By the way, how about Missouri alum Brad Smith last week? Nice to see the Jets figuring out how to use him.

- The Patriots take on the Ravens in the other AFC matchup. New England is banged up and without Welker. The Ravens have played seemingly every game very close this year. They run the ball well, play excellent defense and Joe Flacco has experience under his belt. It's hard to bet against Brady in January but I'm going with Baltimore in this one.

- In the NFC, we have two rematches from last week.

- Arizona vs. Green Bay is the game that intrigues me the most because both teams have flaws but also incredible strengths and either could easily win the NFC. This one will be much closer than last week when the Cardinals rested the majority of their starters. It's in Arizona, where the Cardinals played extremely well in front of big crowds in last year's playoffs. They have a ton of weapons but Anquan Boldin is banged up. Still, the defense has played well in recent weeks. Green Bay is a bit schizophrenic so it's hard to get a read on them. Aaron Rodgers has been outstanding and the offense is very balanced. The question is which Packers defense will show up? If it's the one that has been around most of the year, the Packers win. If it's the one that surrendered over 500 passing yards to Ben Roethlisberger, the Packers are in trouble. I'm going with Green Bay in this one though it's a coin toss.

- In Dallas, the Cowboys and Eagles square off for the third time. It's very difficult to beat the same team three times in one year but you'd be hard pressed to find a team playing better than Dallas right now. The Eagles don't seem to have the answer for the Cowboys right now but expect a lot more blitzing and a different defensive game plan in this one. Philadelphia has outstanding weapons on offense but the lack of running game will be their downfall as the Cowboys pin their ears back and send Ware and Anthony Spencer after Donovan McNabb. Dallas moves on.

- Now that I'm on the record, be sure to remember who I picked so you can throw it in my face next week after my choices inevitably fall flat. Enjoy the wild card weekend and stay tuned to this space as more Rams information will continue to be posted here in the coming weeks as we build toward an exciting offseason.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo just completed his final day after game news conference and put the finishing touches on a long and difficult 2009 season.

- Let's do the final round of injuries before getting into the meatier stuff.

- Guard Roger Allen III is scheduled to have an MRI on his knee this afternoon so nothing new to report there. Will try to get an update this week in case he has to have surgery or something serious comes of it.

- Receiver Donnie Avery did indeed have a concussion. He is already feeling better according to Spagnuolo.

- Quarterback Keith Null was woozy and had concussion like symptoms but never actually had a concussion. He is OK, Spagnuolo said.

- That's it for the injuries for this season, we all know there have been plenty so here's to hoping for health in the new year for the Rams after taking so many hits during the 2009 season.

- Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe will be the team's winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his service to the community and performance on the field this season.

- The Rams also handed out team awards on Monday. The Most Valuable Player Award goes to, who else, running back Steven Jackson. Linebacker James Laurinaitis takes home the Rookie of the Year Award and defensive end Leonard Little is the Spirit of the Game award winner.

- Before Spagnuolo's final news conference, was able to go to the locker room to catch up with some players. Some interesting tidbits out of that...

- Guard Jacob Bell recently had surgery on his thumb, where he had a torn ligament, an injury that was previously unbeknownst to anyone. He is expected to be recovered from that and his hamstring injury in time to get back to work full time in time for the start of the offseason workout program on March 15. Bell expects to be cleared in February.

- Defensive end James Hall discussed his impending free agency and made it clear he'd like to come back for another go around. You'd be hard pressed to find a more hard luck player than Hall, who hasn't been on many successful teams in his time in the NFL. But Hall is adamant that he'd like to be around when the worm turns. He doesn't get a lot of credit but Hall is a valuable piece in the Rams locker room and a better player than he gets credit for.

- Guard Mark Setterstrom had his surgery for the torn triceps in his left arm. Setterstrom said he should be healed in a couple months and ready to get back on the field in time for training camp. He's look at a four or five month recovery time.

- Defensive tackle Adam Carriker stopped through the locker room and updated on his apparently speedy recovery from shoulder surgery. Carriker is ahead of schedule in his recovery and is now at the four month mark. He was originally told it would be a six month recovery but Carriker is lifting weights again and is right on target to be back and ready to work at the start of the offseason conditioning program on March 15.

- Tight end Randy McMichael says he has no thoughts right now on his impending free agency. But McMichael was visibly emotional about the end of this season and said no matter what happens he would "always be a Ram."

- Defensive tackle Clifton Ryan is scheduled for restricted free agency but expressed his desire to be back for the long haul so he can be a part of the Rams "rich history."

- As for Spagnuolo's final thoughts on the end of the season, he made no bones about how difficult the year has been but also expressed joy about how much he enjoyed the job and the challenge. Spagnuolo says his biggest disappointment now is that there are no more games to prepare for.

- When asked whether he was thinking of making any changes to the coaching staff, Spagnuolo said that was not something he was considering right now. He did say he still needs time to evaluate everything but as of now, that doesn't appear to be in the offing.

- Spagnuolo's favorite thing about the season, he says, was the ability of the team to stay focused and working despite the adversity that continued to hit them all year.

- Spagnuolo says the Rams will aggressively research the injury bug that bit this year. That means taking a long look at the playing surfaces, how the team trains and everything that goes into it.

- With the Rams unofficially on the clock for April's Draft, Spagnuolo didn't want to dive into that quite yet but acknowledged that very soon he will be knee deep in player personnel evaluations for the players already here as well as free agents and draft eligible players.

- Spagnuolo said the Rams won't hesitate to do everything possible to improve the talent on the roster but also said the guys in place now much take more steps ahead and learn how to close out games.

- When asked how his first year as a NFL head coach was, this is what Spagnuolo said: "(It) was wonderful and taxing all at the same time. It really was. There's a lot more to it than anybody can ever imagine until you go through it. It's a tremendous experience with lessons that come from it, the relationships that have developed. But it's not easy. I don't think that would be any different at 15-1. But I enjoy doing it. I love the people that I work with."

- So now it is onward and upward as the second stage of the rebuilding process in St. Louis is set to begin. Stay tuned here in this space as well as the rest of stlouisrams.com for more special features and everything else as we closely chronicle the buildup to April's draft and the No. 1 pick. That includes live coverage from the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine and perhaps a few surprises along the way. Thanks for reading and sticking with us this year but we're only getting warmed up...

- For about 75 percent of Sunday's game against San Francisco, the Rams seemed to be in control, at least on defense. They had a 3-0 lead and it looked like that field goal just might hold up and be enough for a second victory.

- Alas, it came apart at the seams after a couple of big plays by 49ers running back Frank Gore and the 49ers surged to a 28-6 victory at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday.

- On the injury front, the Rams took some hits. Guard Roger Allen III suffered a knee injury and will need an MRI on Monday morning. Quarterback Keith Null and receiver Donnie Avery suffered concussions and were kept out after. Receiver Ruvell Martin had the wind knocked out of him but was able to return.

- With Allen out of the lineup, the Rams had to again reshuffle the offensive line. Adam Goldberg slid over to left guard with Phil Trautwein stepping in at right tackle.

- Kyle Boller replaced Null at quarterback. Martin and Jordan Kent got reps in place of Avery.

- The Rams defense pieced together its best half of the season, shutting down the 49ers in the first half and holding them scoreless. Defensive coordinator Ken Flajole threw out some terrific blitz packages and the Rams found numerous ways to get pressure on Alex Smith. Meanwhile, the run defense was holding up well across the board.

- When San Francisco finally broke some big plays, namely Gore's 34-yard run and 22-yard catch to set up the first touchdown, the game broke open. The Rams answered with a field goal but Vernon Davis' 73-yard touchdown catch down the right sideline essentially put it away.

- Coach Steve Spagnuolo discussed the decision to take the field goal instead of go for it on fourth down in San Francisco territory after the game. He said because the third down play had left the Rams almost 2 yards short and the third down play had lost some yardage, he wasn't comfortable going for it. And with the way the defense had played, Spagnuolo believed it could get another stop and get the ball back for a possible game winning field goal.

- At the conclusion of the game, a pair of fans reaching for souveneirs fell from the stands. One was taken to a local hospital but everyone appeared to be OK. Spagnuolo sent out thoughts and prayers to those injured in the accident.

- Plenty of love for 49ers receiver and Rams legend Isaac Bruce for most of the day. Near the end of the game, Bruce was featured on the videoboard and received the loudest cheers of the day. If indeed it was Bruce's last game in the NFL, thanks for the memories Isaac. Can't wait to see that No. 80 go up in the rafters.

- Although he didn't register any sacks Sunday, Chris Long was playing another strong game, especially against the run before he was ejected for a headbutt late in the game. Long took responsibility for it after and said he needs to do a better job of controlling his emotions. Nonetheless, Long was clearly provoked.

- Tight end or not, Davis is one of the fastest players in the league. His speed on that touchdown was impressive.

- Congrats to Steven Jackson for finishing first in the NFC in rushing yards with 1,416. It was a long, tough year but Jackson's performance this season was nothing short of inspiring.

- Busy day for Donnie Jones, who set a career high with 11 punts for 551 yards, an average of 50.1 with a net of 44.5. It was the busiest day of his career and he was outstanding once again.

- Josh Brown is money from 50-plus yards.

- Another nice return day from Danny Amendola, who had a 56-yard punt return.

- The Rams special teams really made great strides in 2009. One hiccup against New Orleans was the only glaring error but they improved in coverage and return all year and Jones and Brown remain perhaps the best 1-2 kicker/punter combo in the league.

- The loss dropped the Rams to 1-15 and sewed up the No. 1 pick in April's Draft. Let the speculation and rumor mill begin...

- Back tomorrow to wrap this one up and we'll wrap up the 2009 season this week as well.

- The Rams went through the paces on Thursday afternoon with little change to the injury report.

- Mark Setterstrom, Leonard Little, Steven Jackson, Quincy Butler and Paris Lenon did not participate for the second consecutive day.

- Setterstrom will not play this week and Roger Allen III is expected to make his first NFL start.

- The Rams remain hopeful on the rest and they all appear to be headed for gametime decisions this week.

- Chris Chamberlain has taken all the reps in place of Lenon during practice. He would start if Lenon can't go.

- No decision made at quarterback or cornerback for this week. Keith Null and Kyle Boller continue to split reps at signal caller and will again be informed early in the weekend whom will start. At corner, Jonathan Wade is getting reps again on the outside along with Justin King. Danny Gorrer's reps have been scaled back.

- Updating yesterday's reports, it looks almost certain that Isaac Bruce will indeed be active and dressed for Sunday's game against the Rams, giving St. Louis fans a final chance to say goodbye to the likely-to-retire legend.

- Happy New Year to everyone out there. Be safe tonight and let's get started on bigger and better in 2010.

- The Rams got back to work on Wednesday with a practice, their first since Sunday's game against Arizona and in preparation for the season finale on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.

- On the injury front, the Rams got some good news in the form of a returnee to practice. Tackle Jason Smith passed his baseline test on Monday and returned to work out on a limited basis Wednesday, the first time since suffering the concussion.

- Smith is unlikely to play on Sunday but his return to practice is a good sign for the future that he has moved past the symptoms that have been holding him out.

- Mark Setterstrom missed practice and will be out this week with a torn left triceps. Setterstrom is scheduled for surgery in the "near future" according to coach Steve Spagnuolo.
- Steven Jackson, Leonard Little, Quincy Butler and Paris Lenon did not practice. The Rams are hopeful that they'll have Jackson, Lenon and possibly Little this week against San Francisco.

- James Laurinaitis and Donnie Avery were limited in practice but should be OK as the week goes on.

- Spagnuolo said he will again not make a decision on the quarterback for this week until later in the week. Kyle Boller and Keith Null both got a solid share of reps on Wednesday.

- The Rams captains for this week are Donnie Jones, Josh Brown, Jackson, Adam Goldberg, Laurinaitis and Little.

- Spoke with Rams great and current 49er Isaac Bruce via conference call this morning. Bruce said there's a "75 percent" chance that Sunday's game in St. Louis will be his last as a professional. Bruce recently became a father for the first time and cites the opportunity to be with his family as something that will play very strongly in his decision on whether to return or not.

- Bruce also acknowledged how special it would be to end it full circle in St. Louis after so many great years here.

- Although San Francisco coach Mike Singletary had declared Bruce inactive a few weeks back, it sounds like he's warming to the idea of suiting Bruce up for the season finale. There's a chance that Bruce will be up against the Rams on Sunday.

- In addition to Bruce's return for what could be one final bow, Sunday is also "Fan Appreciation Day." Fans in attendance will be randomly given prizes ranging from entertainment centers to merchandise. In addition, food and drink will be available at seriously discounted prices.

- If you want to come out and take part in the festivities, call 314-RAMS-TIX or grab them online at stlouisrams.com.

- Welcome to the final regular season edition of Around the League. The NFL will announce Pro Bowl selections tonight and I will give you my teams on each side for this year's Pro Bowl based on what I have seen as well as a few other random thoughts. First, let's get to the Pro Bowl choices (with my pick for starters listed first).

- AFC
Offense:
QB: Peyton Manning (IND), Philip Rivers (SD), Tom Brady (NE) (apologies to Matt Schaub)
RB: Chris Johnson (TEN), Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX), Ray Rice (BAL)
FB: Lousaka Polite (MIA)
WR: Andre Johnson (HOU), Reggie Wayne (IND), Wes Welker (NE), Randy Moss (NE) (tough call here, apologies to Santonio Holmes, Vincent Jackson and Brandon Marshall)
TE: Antonio Gates (SD), Dallas Clark (IND) 
T: Joe Thomas (CLE), Michael Roos (TEN), Ryan Clady (DEN)
G: Alan Faneca (NYJ), Chris Kemoeatu (PIT), Kris Dielman (SD)
C: Jeff Saturday (IND), Nick Mangold (NYJ)

Defense:
DE: Dwight Freeney (IND), Robert Mathis (IND), Mario Williams (HOU)
DT: Haloti Ngata (BAL), Tony Brown (TEN), Vince Wilfork (NE)
OLB: Elvis Dumervil (DEN), James Harrison (PIT), Lamarr Woodley (PIT)
ILB: David Harris (NYJ), DeMeco Ryans (HOU)
CB: Darrelle Revis (NYJ), Leon Hall (CIN), Nnamdi Asomugha (OAK)
SS: Brandon Meriweather (NE)
FS: Jairus Byrd (BUF)

Special Teams:
K: Nate Kaeding (SD)
P: Shane Lechler (OAK)
R: Joshua Cribbs (CLE)
ST: Montell Owens (JAX)

NFC

Offense:
QB: Drew Brees (NO), Aaron Rodgers (GB) , Brett Favre (MIN)
RB: Steven Jackson (STL), Adrian Peterson (MIN), Ryan Grant (GB)
FB: Naufahu Tahi (MIN)
WR: Miles Austin (DAL), DeSean Jackson (PHI), Larry Fitzgerald (ARI), Sidney Rice (MIN)
TE: Vernon Davis (SF), Brent Celek (PHI)
T: Jason Peters (PHI), Jeremy Trueblood (TB), Kareem McKenzie (NYG)
G: Jahri Evans (NO), Chris Snee (NYG), Steve Hutchinson (MIN)
C: Jason Brown (STL), Jamaal Jackson (PHI - injured but deserving)

Defense:
DE: Jared Allen (MIN), Julius Peppers (CAR), Will Smith (NO)
DT: Kevin Williams (MIN), Jay Ratliff (DAL), Aubrayo Franklin (SF)
OLB: DeMarcus Ware (DAL), Brian Orakpo (WAS), Clay Matthews (GB)
ILB: Patrick Willis (SF), London Fletcher (WAS)
CB: Charles Woodson (GB), Asante Samuel (PHI), Mike Jenkins (DAL)
SS: Adrian Wilson (ARI)
FS: Darren Sharper (NO)

Special Teams
K: Ryan Longwell (MIN)
P: Donnie Jones (STL)
R: Percy Harvin (MIN)
ST: Sean Morey (ARI

- Of course, those are just my picks, always up for debate. Some tough choices in there and plenty of slam dunks.

- I won't get into it ad nausea because it's been discussed at length already but the Colts' decision to sit their starters in the second half was a poor one. Throw out all of the integrity of the game stuff I keep hearing. In a strictly football sense, it doesn't make sense. The Colts have a track record of wrapping things up early, resting their starters then making premature exits from the playoffs. They lose their sharpness in that down time. The ONLY time they won the Super Bowl, they did it in a year when they had to play to the end. And this is a team that has struggled to run the ball this year and is dealing with young receivers that can use every rep possible to get on the same page with Peyton Manning. It obviously could still work out for them. But I'm just a little surprised they didn't opt to make a run at perfection.

- The debate should be over: Manning is the MVP. Chris Johnson and Philip Rivers would take second and third on my ballot.

- Defensive player of the year is a tougher debate. Dumervil, Woodson and Revis have really strong cases. If the season ended today, I'd go Dumervil, Revis, Woodson in that order.

- Is anyone else starting to think this is the year San Diego pulls through and wins the whole thing?

- Scarier team to play in a possible wild card game: Green Bay or Philadelphia?

- It's possible there could be a Minnesota-Green Bay Part III in the playoffs. Can you imagine the hype? It's awfully hard to beat the same team three times.

- Jets coach Rex Ryan gets a gift from the Colts to put his team in charge of an AFC wild card spot and this week he gets a Bengals team that has wrapped up all it can. Talk about the path to the postseason opening up nicely.

- Impressive finish for the Browns. Jerome Harrison seems like he could be a long term answer at RB.

- Recorded the Washington-Dallas game and watched it last night. Dallas DT Jay Ratliff is a man among men. What a player and he gets almost no recognition.

- Quick bowl thought and I won't get into many because I despise the bowl system...I have a bad feeling about Navy in this Mizzou-Navy matchup. Mizzou traditionally struggles with these type of running attacks. I hate to do it, but I'm picking the Middies to pull off the upset.

- Alabama 31, Texas 13

- That's it for this week. We'll begin Around the League: Playoff edition starting next week.

 

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo just completed his second to last post-mortem of the year, discussing Sunday's 31-10 loss to the Cardinals out in Arizona. Before we delve into that, injuries, injuries, injuries.

- The most serious ailment is, as expected, the torn left triceps of guard Mark Setterstrom. Setterstrom is likely to have surgery in the coming days and will not be available for the final game of the year against San Francisco.

- Receiver Donnie Avery had an MRI on his thigh and it revealed a mild strain. He should be OK but will have to tread lightly in practice this week.

- Linebacker James Laurinaitis has an inflamed bursa sac in his left knee. He should be OK but also might have to take it easy in practice.

- Linebacker Paris Lenon has a broken left pinkie toe and will probably be limited in practice but able to play against the 49ers.

- The Rams are hopeful that end Leonard Little will return from the knee infection that has kept him out the past two games. Little has been waiting for the wound to heal in the place where he had the infection taken care of in his knee.

- Running back Steven Jackson and the Rams are hopeful that he'll be able to play in the finale after the herniated disc in his back caused problems and led to some pain in his legs in the pregame against the Cardinals. The extra week off could even allow Jackson to practice this week.

- On the game, Spagnuolo expressed disappointment at the lack of offensive output in the game as a whole and the defensive performance in the second quarter.

- As per usual, when losing the turnover battle, you lose the game. That happened to the Rams again on Sunday.

- Spagnuolo noted the strong performance of the defensive line, especially the undermanned group on the end. He specifically gave props to Chris Long, who appears to be coming into his own. Long recorded his fifth sack of the season, topping his output for last year. And Spagnuolo said he believes Long really is coming on now that he's comfortable in the system and adjusted to his new position just two years removed from playing in a 3-4.

- For the record, Long finished with two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, a sack and a forced fumble and graded out extremely high. Considering he played every snap, that's an impressive day.

- Spagnuolo was pleased with the effort of running backs Chris Ogbonnaya and Kenneth Darby in Jackson's stead. Ogbonnaya, in particular, had a nice outing and could work his way into some more work this week even if Jackson returns.

- Roger Allen III made his NFL debut in place of Setterstrom and Spagnuolo said he fared well for the most part but also had his share of rookie bumps along the way. Allen will start in place of Setterstrom this week.

- For what it's worth, the Rams are high on Allen's future and he could figure prominently into the offensive line of the future should he continue to develop. Getting a sneak peek at him this year could be helpful heading into 2010.

- Spagnuolo would again not commit to a quarterback for this week but acknowledged that part of the reason Null got the start against the Cardinals was for continuity purposes. Considering that, it seems likely Null would get another go this week.

- The Rams will wrap up the season this weekend against San Francisco. It's fan appreciation day at the Edward Jones Dome. There will be discounted food and drink as well as surprises along the way. For tickets, call 314-RAMS-TIX or online here at stlouisrams.com.

- Back tomorrow to go Around the League.

GLENDALE, Ariz. –

- The NFL can be a funny game. It’s been a popular refrain, repeated over and over this year but the NFL is without question a game that comes down to a play or two every week in many games.

- Even when the score doesn’t reflect it, there’s no doubt that Sunday’s 31-10 Rams’ loss to Arizona was one of those games. More on that in a minute but let’s hit the injuries first.

- Without question, the most serious ailment belongs to guard Mark Setterstrom. Coach Steve Spagnuolo said after the game that Setterstrom has a torn left triceps. That injury happened in the third quarter and kept him out the rest of the game. Roger Allen III got his first NFL action in Setterstrom’s place.

- Quarterback Keith Null had the wind knocked out of him and missed a play but came right back in.

- Linebacker Paris Lenon (foot) and cornerback Ron Bartell (elbow) also suffered injuries but were able to return.

- The biggest news of the day happened in the pregame; though as Steven Jackson was declared inactive because of injury.

- In each game since he’s been hurt, Jackson has gone out on Sunday morning and worked out and loosened up enough to be ready to play. He was unable to get loose enough this week and said after the game that he was dealing with injuries to other parts of his body caused by compensating for the pain the herniated disc in his back has wrought.

- Jackson did say he hopes the extra week of rest will have him ready this week to close out the season next week at home against San Francisco.

- Defensive end James Hall was the only other mild surprise on the pregame inactive list. Hall returned to St. Louis on Saturday afternoon to be with his pregnant wife, who gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Sunday morning.

- After playing Arizona to a draw in the first quarter, things appeared to get away from the Rams in the second quarter as Arizona jumped out to a 17-0 lead.

- But as has happened all year, the Rams kept battling until they got a sack/fumble from defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey. Victor Adeyanju pounced on the ball.

- A few plays later, Null floated a pass that appeared to be out of the reach of receiver Brandon Gibson. But Gibson made a tremendous catch for a touchdown.

- On the next series, cornerback Danny Gorrer jumped a quick out route on a three-step drop. He stepped in front and had what appeared to be a sure interception to be returned for a touchdown. But he forgot the ball.

- Still, the Rams got the stop and forced a punt. But on that punt, the reliable Danny Amendola fumbled after a long return and Arizona recovered.

- Those were just two plays in a 60-minute game but sometimes just those two plays can make all the difference. Arizona scored after Amendola’s turnover and never looked back.

- A possible 17-14 game turned into a 31-10 loss. Once again, the Rams just don’t have those couple plays in them right now.

- An extra tip of the cap to Gibson for his touchdown catch. Seriously, an outstanding grab and a well earned first score.

- A nice start by Kenneth Darby and rookie Chris Ogbonnaya really showed some glimpses of his potential, rushing nine times for 45 yards.

- Aside from his fumble, Amendola had another nice day in returns. He had three punt returns for an average of 26.3 per return.

- Chris Long and Victor Adeyanju won’t have the big sack numbers but they played well, especially Long. Long registered his fifth sack, topping his total from last year and he continues to grow and get better. A possible permanent move to the left side next year could really lead to a breakout year.

- In unofficial pressbox statistics, James Butler led the way with 11 tackles. Craig Dahl was second with eight stops. Both did a nice job tackling, leading to a solid performance against Arizona’s rushing attack.

- Tough matchups across the board for any secondary when you play Arizona’s high-octane passing attack. But it’s even more difficult when you have so much youth and inexperience at cornerback. Bartell, Gorrer and King had some rough moments but battled for the most part.
- Is it just me or does it seem like the Rams have come out on the wrong end of a lot of bad spots by the officials this year?

- Another strong performance by punter Donnie Jones. He had five punts, four of which he dropped inside the 20 with a net average of 41.8.

 

- The Rams wrapped up their Thursday practice and moved everything up this afternoon so as to get away and spend time with their families tonight and tomorrow morning. The team will reconvene tomorrow afternoon for practice and meetings.

- The injury report is the same as Wednesday with one exception. Cornerback Ron Bartell (hip) was upgraded from limited participation to full participation.

- No decision yet on the starting quarterback for this week, according to coach Steve Spagnuolo. That decision might not be made until later in the week, possibly leading up to game time.

- Despite that, Keith Null took the heavy majority of the reps again on Thursday.

- Running back Chris Ogbonnaya has been getting more reps with the first team this week. And Spagnuolo said it's possible the team will get its first look at him on Sunday.

- With Daniel Fells out, the Rams are down to just Billy Bajema and Randy McMichael at tight end. It's possible Eric Butler could be called up from the practice squad but that decision won't be made until Friday at the earliest.

- That's it for today. Merry Christmas to all...

- The Rams got back to work Wednesday afternoon in preparation for this week's game at Arizona.

- This workout was a bit shorter than a usual Wednesday because coach Steve Spagnuolo said he'd like to lighten the load around this time of year to give his team fresher legs going into the home stretch.

- On the injury front, nothing real surprising. Marc Bulger, Jason Smith, Leonard Little, Quincy Butler and Steven Jackson did not practice.

- Bulger is off his crutches and walking but not ready to run and practice again.

- Smith is still status quo from the previous weeks.

- Little is still recovering from the infection he had in his knee.

- Butler is in a boot for his knee and ankle injuries.

- Spagnuolo did say Jackson is better than he's been in recent weeks and he might have been able to go on a limited basis Wednesday but the team didn't want to push it.

- Limited participants were Ron Bartell (hip) and John Greco (thumb). Greco did a large portion of the work despite the injury.

- No official decision has been made at quarterback for this week as Kyle Boller returned to practice. Spagnuolo said Null took approximately 70 percent of the reps with Boller taking the other 30. Both players say they are preparing as though they will get the start.

- The captains for this week are Billy Bajema (special teams), Mark Setterstrom (offense) and Victor Adeyanju (defense).

- With Greco limited, Roger Allen III got more reps with the first team, much like last week.

- Defensive end James Wyche has officially been added to the roster. He comes to the Rams after being waived in Jacksonville. He was thrown right into the mix on Wednesday and with Little out, the opportunity could arise for him to contribute. Spagnuolo said Wyche "flashed" during the workout.

- Rams running back Steven Jackson finished second in the NFC among running backs in fan balloting. There's a strong chance he will land on the roster for the second time in his career. The teams will be announced next Tuesday, Dec. 29.

- In this week's edition of Around the League, we'll take a look at the playoff picture as it begins to crystallize, more thoughts on the MVP including a couple of guys making strong late runs for the award and other assorted thoughts.

- Let's start in Pittsburgh where the Steelers and Packers played one of the greatest games I've seen in a long time. It's crazy to watch those two historic franchises, both known for having great defenses for a long time just moving the ball up and down the field on each other.

- Mike Tomlin is taking heat for his onside kick decision and rightfully so but it wasn't a horrible idea considering the Packers were moving up and down the field and the shorter field it created would allow his offense more time to get the ball back and score again.

- Is there a more underrated quarterback with two Super Bowl rings than Ben Roethlisberger? What an epic performance against a defense that has been dynamite against the pass this year.

- Aaron Rodgers is playing like an MVP candidate. Considering that offensive line situation, his performance this year has been unbelievable.

- I thought Green Bay was one of those teams you don't want to play in January. But if the defense plays like it did in Pittsburgh, it's going to be a quick out for the Pack. Especially because they are going to have to hit the road.

- What a mess the AFC playoff picture is. Denver is trying everything possible to not make the playoffs. And there's approximately 1,234 teams with 100 million scenarios still in the mix for those wild card spots. Baltimore is the only one that looks poised to strangle a spot. Of course as soon as I say that, the Ravens could lose to Pittsburgh and be right back at square one.

- I know I have preached the virtues of Chris Johnson in this space but I'm beginning to think there's a player who is just as exciting as Johnson. His name? Cleveland's Josh Cribbs. What a player.

- Speaking of Cleveland, who is Jerome Harrison and why is he running for almost 300 yards? Nice day for him and good times for the Browns right now. Mike Holmgren is a wonderful man and a great hire for them.

- San Diego/Cincinnati, another terrific game. That's what this league is all about. What an emotional day it was for the Bengals and really both teams overall. Seeing Chad Ochocinco point to the sky and fallen teammates Chris Henry after his touchdown will be an enduring image from this season. Can we get a rematch in January? It's entirely possible.

- Still think the Chargers are the most dangerous team int he playoffs and could well win the whole thing. Philip Rivers is quickly surging his way up the MVP debate as well.

- Speaking of that, this is how I'd rank them if I voted today: 1. Peyton Manning 2. Chris Johnson 3. Philip Rivers 4. Drew Brees 5. Aaron Rodgers

- Brett Favre is struggling again and you have to wonder some about Minnesota's long term playoff viability.

- Great performance by the Cowboys against the Saints on Saturday night. Tony Romo was outstanding and DeMarcus Ware's effort was nothing short of inspiring.

- Stream of consciousness, DeSean Jackson belongs in the conversation with Cribbs and Johnson for most exciting player.

- The Pro Bowl balloting ends tomorrow. Get in your votes last minute at nfl.com and be sure to vote for Steven Jackson. He's very deserving of that honor.

- It's the bowl season officially but does anyone really care? There's only one game that matters and you could argue that the most deserving teams aren't necessarily playing in it. I know it's popular to bash the BCS and ask for a playoff but it just seems silly that they can't have a playoff going right now.

- Watched ESPN's 30 for 30, "The U" about the Miami dynasty. It was extremely well done but the thing that stuck out to me most was something I already knew. Back before the days of the BCS, top tier college teams used to play each other all the time on the regular season schedule. Those Miami teams used to play brutal schedules and still come out unscathed. Yes, the final national title could be split and teams wouldn't be matched up according to ranking. But boy, those days were fun.

- That's all for this week. Have a great holiday week everyone. Be back tomorrow with regularly scheduled Rams updates.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo just completed his weekly day after game news conference and had plenty of thoughts on Sunday's near-miss against Houston.

- Per custom, we'll hit the injuries first.

- The most serious ailment belongs to tight end Daniel Fells. Fells suffered a fracture in his right leg and has a ligament sprain. His season is over and he will be placed on injured reserve tonight. Eric Butler will likely get the call to replace him.

- Cornerback Quincy Butler has a mild left knee sprain and a high ankle sprain on the same leg. He is likely to miss at least this week and could be out for both of the remaining games.

- Cornerback Ron Bartell has a bruised right hip that he is expected to work through and be able to play this week.

- Guard John Greco injured his thumb and will have to put a cast on it. He too should be able to play through it.

- Running back Steven Jackson has cuts and scrapes on his face as well as the usual soreness in his back. But again, he will likely be on the same schedule.

- End Leonard Little had the infection removed from his knee last week but the wound is still open from that removal. When the wound closes he can go again but there's no set timetable on when that could happen.

- Quarterback Marc Bulger is closer to getting off his crutches but doesn't appear close to being able to play.

- There's no update on tackle Jason Smith, who hasn't taken the baseline test again.

- When Butler suffered his injury, he was replaced by Danny Gorrer. It was Gorrer's first action of the season as a Ram. Spagnuolo said Gorrer competed well but would like to have the clean shot at tight end Joel Dreessen back.

- With Butler likely out this week, Gorrer will get more opportunities and Jonathan Wade should be back active. Spagnuolo said he spoke with Wade about being inactive and Wade handled it like a professional.

- Left tackle Alex Barron had a nice day against Mario Williams, holding Williams sackless.

- Meanwhile, Houston sent most of its pressure up the middle against the guards Greco and Mark Setterstrom. That was what led to a pair of costly sacks late.

- Leger Douzable showed promise in his start, making some tackles right at the line of scrimmage. Darell Scott also continues to show up on the film, according to Spagnuolo.

- As he thought, Spagnuolo was impressed with the strides made by Keith Null. He is still hesitant to commit to anyone as the starter for the rest of the season but said he will wait to see Wednesday how healthy Kyle Boller is.

- That's all for today and this one. Moving on to Arizona this week with Christmas on the horizon.

- Another Sunday, another close loss for the Rams. Despite having the ball and a chance to take a late lead or tie it, the Rams came up short again against the Texas on Sunday in a 16-13 loss.

- On the injury front, the news wasn't too bad. Cornerback Quincy Butler and tight end Daniel Fells suffered knee injuries early in the game that kept them out. Coach Steve Spagnuolo said Butler possibly could have come back in had another corner suffered an injury but that wasn't necessary. Fells' injury is being called a hyperextended knee for now. More on both tomorrow.

- The Rams have played seven games this season that have been one possession games. They are 1-6 in those contests with the lone win coming in Detroit. It's been said ad nausea in this space, but in the NFL, games can come down to a play or two that can make the difference. The Rams just aren't quite at the point yet where they can make those one or two plays to turn those into victories.

- Hats off to quarterback Keith Null, who bounced back from his five-interception performance with a solid effort. Null was 18-of-27 for 173 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a rating of 81.2.

- Null's interception he'd like to have back. He says he was trying to make something happen and he knows he should have thrown it away. Instead, he threw a costly pick while the Rams were in field goal range.

- Null did a tremendous job of bouncing back from the pick, though, quickly leading a march into Houston territory that led to a tying field goal.

- It appeared that the game slowed considerably for Null, who was calmly suveying the defense and checking out of plays. On one, he settled the line and threw a 20-yard strike to tight end Randy McMichael. Good poise for the rookie.

- That said, by his own admission Null needs to do a better job of handling snaps. He dropped a couple including one that Houston recovered.

- Running back Steven Jackson is just a warrior. No other way to put it. He finished with 123 total yards behind a line featuring two new starting guards.

- Speaking of that line, it allowed three sacks but for the most part kept Null clean and opened some holes for Jackson.

- Andre Johnson is the wide receiver equivalent of Steven Jackson. What a monster.

- Quietly, defensive tackle Leger Douzable has done a nice job in recent weeks. He finished with four tackles and a quarterback hurry in unofficial pressbox statistics. Douzable is making a move lately.

- Danny Amendola continues to be productive, catching his first career touchdown pass and continuing to make a difference in the return game. He had five returns for an average of 31.8 yards per attempt and a punt return for 12 yards in addition to his score.

- Things that won't get picked up in the box score: Kenneth Darby had five touches on offense. He moved the chains for a first down on four of those. That's all you can ask from your third-down back.

- It was absolutely the right choice to punt on fourth-and-10 late in the game with two timeouts and the two-minute warning in your back pocket. Houston had been ineffective running the ball all game and it should have given the Rams good field position with a three and out and plenty of time to at the very least move into field goal range. Alas, for the first time all game, the run defense couldn't get the stop needed to get the ball back.

- For the record, Houston finished with 52 yards on 24 attempts, an average of just 2.2 per attempt. And the Rams forced a pair of fumbles that they recovered.

- We'll be back tomorrow to wrap this one up after Spagnuolo speaks with the media.

- Take note: Because Christmas is on Friday this week, stlouisrams.com will be providing the fans with an early present. Steven Jackson will be chatting live tomorrow at 1:15, answering any and all of your questions. Check back tonight for the application to begin asking SJ39 questions.

- The Rams got back to work on Friday with an extended practice after missing Thursday's work because of confirmed cases of swine flu.

- Coach Steve Spagnuolo was pleased with the energy and effort of the practice despite the number of players unable to go or at least unable to go full speed.

- The Rams have seven players that did not practice on Friday, four because of illness. Tackle Jason Smith (head), quarterback Marc Bulger (leg) and end Leonard Little (knee) missed for other reasons.

- Steven Jackson, Kyle Boller, Darell Scott and Brandon Gibson had flu like symptoms that kept them out.

- LaJuan Ramsey was limited because of a wrist injury but four others were limited with continued effects from flu like symptoms. Those four players were tight end Billy Bajema, running back Samkon Gado, center Jason Brown and tight end Daniel Fells.

- Because Boller missed so much work this week, Keith Null took all of the repetitions. And though he wouldn't fully commit to it, Spagnuolo did acknowledge that Null was the likely starter.

- Little had an infection in his knee that he had to have drained. Because of that, he missed practice and will be questionable for Sunday's game.

- As for the players fighting illness, Spagnuolo was confident they could be OK to play against the Texans but said it was too early to make any determination on how they would react to treatment over the next 48 hours.

- Spagnuolo was pleased with the way the team came back to practice after missing on Thursday.

- The practice was extended by about 45 minutes but started earlier and ended at the same time. Most of the work done was goal line and red zone with some extra special teams sprinkled in because of the missed time on Thursday.

- For most of the players dealing with illness, it's a matter of getting their energy back up in time to be able to compete for 60 minutes in a game.

- One encouraging note from Spagnuolo was his belief that Jackson was likely to practice some had he not been sick. In other words, his back is feeling better.

- That's all for today. Be sure to check in for the chat with General Manager Billy Devaney at 1:30 today.

- The Rams got back to practice on Wednesday with plenty of new faces in different places getting an opportunity to prove themselves because of injuries and changes to the roster.

- First and foremost, the injury front.

- Illness hit the Rams locker room as quarterback Kyle Boller and center Jason Brown missed Wednesday's workout.

- Quarterback Marc Bulger remains listed as out and won't even be listed under did not participate.

- On the did not participate list are running back Steven Jackson (back), tackle Jason Smith (head), defensive end Leonard Little (knee), Boller and Brown.

- Limited participants included linebackers David Vobora (knee/ankle), K.C. Asiodu (abdomen), Paris Lenon (hip) and defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey (wrist).

- No decision has been made on whether to place Smith or Bulger on injured reserve just yet though it remains a strong possibility both could be shut down for the season soon. Jacob Bell (hamstring) did get placed on that list officially on Wednesday.

- In Bell's place, the Rams signed guard Ryan McKee, who was previously with the Jets. The roster spot vacated by Richie Incognito has been filled by tackle Eric Young, who was promoted from the practice squad.

- Center Drew Miller has been added to the practice squad.

- Jackson's back is in about the same condition as it has been for the past few Wednesdays. Coach Steve Spagnuolo noted that Jackson did do some more work on the stationary bike than he has in recent weeks.

- With so many alterations on the offensive line, the Rams had a completely different look on the interior on Wednesday. On the left side was Roger Allen III with Mark Setterstrom at center and John Greco on the right. Nothing changed with the tackles. Upon Brown's expected return from illness, he will plug back into center with Setterstrom on the left and Greco on the right.

- It was Allen's first work with the first team in a long time. Allen figures to be active for the first time after being on the sideline in sweats for the first 13 games.

- Keith Null took all of the reps with Boller sick. No decision will be made on the quarterback for this week until Boller's health status can be determined.

- The captains for this week are tight end Randy McMichael, end Chris Long and running back Kenneth Darby (special teams).

- Per custom, Steve Spagnuolo just spoke with the media about Sunday's loss to the Titans and, of course, updated everyone on his team's rather lengthy injury report.

- At the top of that report is guard Jacob Bell, who suffered a torn muscle in his hamstring. Bell is likely to be out for the rest of the season and could go on injured reserve sooner than later.

- Safety Oshiomogho Atogwe has not yet scheduled his shoulder surgery but is expecting to do it in the coming days.

- Quarterback Marc Bulger had his MRI on Friday and though the leg is healing and the swelling had gone down, he's expected to miss at least two more weeks. Spagnuolo said a decision on Bulger and possibly going to injured reserve will be made soon.

- There is still no change on tackle Jason Smith's status. Smith has not had another concussion test and there doesn't appear to be one in the offing. Spagnuolo also said that it's possible Smith could be shut down if no progress is made soon.

- Linebackers Larry Grant (knee) and David Vobora (knee/ankle) had MRI's on Monday afternoon, the results of which are not yet available. Will update that when more information comes available.

- Outside of the above, the rest of the list is relatively OK. K.C. Asiodu (hip), Kyle Boller (thigh), Jason Brown (illness), Steven Jackson (back), James Laurinaitis (shoulder), Paris Lenon (hip), Leonard Little (knee) and LaJuan Ramsey (wrist) are all dealing with something and some have more pain than others but all are expected to be OK.

- As for the game, Spagnuolo made it a point to praise quarterback Keith Null for his composure and moxie considering the difficulties of the circumstances. Null threw five interceptions but never seemed rattled and handled some of the basic aspects of the position well, according to Spagnuolo. For more on Null's day, check back to stlouisrams.com later for a feature story.

- On guard Richie Incognito, Spagnuolo had no further comment until he gets the chance to speak with Incognito. He had yet to do that and wanted to before any type of decision on his playing status for this week or anything else is made.

- As for the quarterback situation, Spagnuolo indicated that Boller would start this week if healthy but also said the team is a long way from a decision on that. He also said Null could benefit from a full week of practice so it's likely the decision won't drag into Sunday's game against Houston this week.

- Spagnuolo also was asked if he had given more thought to playing more and more of his young players (though many are already playing) for the rest of the season to get a look at who might contribute in the future as opposed to sticking with veterans with a solid resume already. His answer? "That's possible."

- Spagnuolo was also asked about possibly shutting down Jackson for a week or two to let his back heal. He said he had not thought about it and will continue talking with Jackson weekly to make sure he's up to the challenge.

- That's all for today. Back tomorrow with a look around the league.

NASHVILLE, Ten. -

- The circumstances were hard enough for a Rams team hoping to pull an upset against Tennessee on Sunday before it was determined that Kyle Boller was unable to play. When rookie quarterback Keith Null stepped in to take the reins, things became even more difficult.
- Ultimately, the Rams fell 47-7 at LP Field on Sunday to a physically dominant Titans team that once again has embraced the hardnosed approach put in place by coach Jeff Fisher.

- On the injury front, the Rams had a few ailments that need to be monitored. Linebackers Paris Lenon (hip) and David Vobora (knee) were lost at various points of the game and did not return. The extent of either injury is unknown at this time.

- Also, guard Jacob Bell had a hamstring injury that will get a closer look.

- Defensive end Leonard Little battled through a knee injury and was able to finish the game.

- As for the game itself, clearly, it wasn't what the Rams had hoped. Coach Steve Spagnuolo, for the first time this year, acknowledged it as a bit of a "step backward" for a team that had showed progress late in October and into the first part of November.

- Offensively, things were extremely difficult for Null. He did his best but he made some rookie mistakes and finished with five interceptions. Considering the difficulty of the situation, Null was pretty well composed and not too nervous before or during the game.

- Tough sledding for running back Steven Jackson, who had his lowest output of the season in terms of yards. Jackson just couldn't get untracked and didn't have much room to run most of the day. After the game, Jackson was visibly upset and conducted a very brief media gathering before excusing himself. Hard to blame Jackson for being frustrated.

- Richie Incognito had another rough day with a pair of 15-yard penalties. He was benched in favor of Mark Setterstrom aftet the second flag.

- It might not seem like it but the defense actually did a pretty good job against Chris Johnson. Of course, Johnson is the type of home run hitter who killed the Rams with his two big plays. He didn't do much else but then, he didn't have to.

- No decision will be made right away on what to do with the quarterback spot next week.

- Tip of the cap to returner Danny Amendola, who was a busy man in returning kicks. He finished with an average of 24.1 yards per return on nine tries.

- Nobody was openly upset about the way the Titans chose to finish the game in scoring a pair of times after or on plays in which they went for it on fourth down.

- That's it for tonight. Back tomorrow with much more incluing injury updates.

- The Rams wrapped up Thursday's afternoon practice with very little change on the injury front and a running back looking forward to a possibly very entertaining showdown in Nashville this weekend.

- There wasn't much change on the injury report Thursday as once again Marc Bulger (leg), Jason Smith (concussion) and Steven Jackson (back) sat out the workout completely.

- Players that practiced on a limited basis include Kyle Boller (thigh), James Laurinaitis (shoulder), Mike Karney (neck), Darell Scott (neck) and Donnie Avery (shoulder).

- Kenneth Darby returned to practice after a stomach illness kept him out on Wednesday.

- Because of Boller's injury, Keith Null continues to get a lot of repetitions with the first team. Spagnuolo reiterated Thursday that Boller is the guy is healthy but he also said Null gets closer to being ready with more reps.

- Jackson is taking the same approach as the past two weeks and again said he expects to be ready to go on Sunday. This could be something that continues for the rest of the season. Jackson is a fan of Tennessee running back Chris Johnson and says he is excited to see how he stacks up this weekend against the league's leading rusher. No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the league in rushing, should be an entertaining game within the game.

- One thing that could help Jackson a lot is the return of Karney. Spagnuolo said Karney looks good and appears poised for a return against the Titans. Karney did quite a bit on Thursday, including jumping in on short yardage and goal line.

- No time has been set for surgery for safety Oshiomogho Atogwe on his shoulder just yet but Spagnuolo said it would probably come next week.

- The Rams re-convened practice on Wednesday afternoon, but not until after they made a flurry of roster moves.

- Before we get into that, let's do the injury rundown.

- No real surprises on the did not participate list as quarterback Marc Bulger (leg), running back Steven Jackson (back) and tackle Jason Smith (concussion) did not do any of the work. Running back Kenneth Darby also did not participate because of a stomach illness. He's expected to be fine.

- Receiver Donnie Avery (shoulder), quarterback Kyle Boller (thigh), fullback Mike Karney (neck), linebacker James Laurinaitis (shoulder) and defensive tackle Darell Scott (neck) were limited in their participation.

- On the roster front, the Rams officially placed safety Oshiomogho Atogwe on injured reserve because of the torn labrum in his shoulder as well as cartilage damage. It was a tough choice for Atogwe and the Rams but ultimately, coach Steve Spagnuolo said he would have had trouble with it had Atogwe been re-injured. So, Atogwe's streak of 60 consecutive starts comes to an end.

- The Rams also waived linebacker Dominic Douglas. Douglas played in four games and has shuttled between the practice squad and active roster much of the year.

- With those two places open, the Rams brought in quarterback Mike Reilly and safety Clinton Hart. Both have great stories in overcoming odds to reach the NFL. Hart was a college baseball player and never played a down of collegiate football. Reilly is from tiny Kennewick, Washington (the same hometown of Adam Carriker) and played his college football at Central Washington.

- Hart could step in and help the team right away. He knows Spagnuolo from a couple of years the pair spent together in Philadelphia and he has plenty of experience, most recently as a starting strong safety with the Chargers. Hart likely won't start right away but it's possible he could contribute before the season is out.

- Reilly isn't likely to be able to do that. He is a prospect much like Keith Null (who played against Reilly's team in a game last season) and will need some work and seasoning. Reilly says he is working and planning to be here for the long haul and preparing himself for the next four games and beyond. Reilly does come from Green Bay's practice squad where he spent the past few weeks. He says the Packers system is similar to what the Rams are doing.

- Spagnuolo said the move to sign Reilly has no direct connection to Bulger's status. Bulger will have an MRI on Friday and it could be determined soon after if Bulger will go on injured reserve as well.

- Smith met with an independent doctor on Tuesday for further review of his concussion symptoms. The Rams remain concerned about Smith's status as he has yet to pass a baseline psych test.

- The Rams will again take their time with Jackson and hope to get him some reps in practice this week.

- Tennessee also boasts a lengthy injury report, one that includes running back Chris Johnson. Johnson missed today's practice because of an ankle injury.

- The Rams captains for this week are tackle Adam Goldberg, defensive tackle Clifton Ryan and special teamer David Roach.

- Greetings and welcome to Around the League for this week. This will be a bit abbreviated but we'll get into plenty, including some thoughts on the crazy weekend that was in the NFL, a former Ram making a difference in Oakland and some mind-blowing performances on the college landscape.

- Quick hit on the Rams; they will make a couple of additions to the roster official in the next 24 hours. We'll have more on that as it comes.

- As for the week that was, I always like to start with the Monday night game because it's fresh in my mind and I have time to watch it. Green Bay looked very good last night. For them, it's a shame they won't get any homefield advantage in the playoffs but that's a dangerous team. Aaron Rodgers is playing as well as anyone right now. Perhaps the way his situation was handled is the ideal way to bring along a young quarterback.

- In the Sunday night game, I was stunned by Arizona's performance. Does anyone want to see the Cardinals in January? When they control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball like that, nobody beats them. And they actually benefit from the proliferation of dome games they are likely to see.

- Speaking of teams nobody wants to play: How about San Diego? The Chargers are on fire. I got a chance to see a recording of the game and I was thoroughly impressed. Granted, this week's victim was Cleveland but the Chargers just present so many matchup problems. Their receivers and tights ends would make a heck of a basketball team then they throw this mighty mite little running back in Darren Sproles along with LaDainian Tomlinson and a fearless trigger man in Philip Rivers. If they can continue to play good defense and stay healthy, I truly believe they will win the AFC.

- Tough loss for the Titans but they put up a pretty good fight. The Colts continue to roll.

- Peyton Manning's ability to bring young receivers along never ceases to amaze me. Pierre Garcon looks like he's been in the league for 10 years and came from a college power.

- The perfect storm was brewing for an upset in our nation's capital this week. The Saints, coming off a dominant performance in a much-hyped game on a short week playing against a revived Redskins team with a good defense, seemed poised to take their first loss. And somehow, some way, they found a way to pull it out. Love that Sean Payton says his team will play for perfection also. I've never been a fan of resting everybody for the stretch drive.

- If the playoffs started today, Jacksonville would be in. What a weird year for the Jaguars but give credit where it's due. They have found ways to win.

- The NFC East just got a whole lot more interesting. It's a shame Miami lost Ronnie Brown because the Dolphins could make a real run at that division crown.

- The biggest upset of the weekend happened in Oakland where the Raiders knocked off Pittsburgh with former Rams quarterback Bruce Gradkowski at the controls. It's amazing what a competent signal caller can do for a team. Gradkowski was a good athlete and a smart guy when he was in St. Louis but he wasn't very accurate and was outplayed by Brock Berlin in the 2008 preseason. But he's done a nice job in Oakland and proved what a competitor he is. He's also a good guy, glad to see him doing well.

- Obviously he shouldn't get the award but the most valuable player to his team in the league has to be Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu. It's unreal how different that team is without him roaming the backfield. He really does make that much of a difference.

- On the college front, as expected, I was wrong. Alabama was very impressive in handling Florida. Hard to see any way that the Tide don't cruise over Texas in the championship game but considering my recent picks, the opposite is likely to happen.

- I'll be the first to admit this: Watching Ndamakong Suh play makes you think that he was literally put on this earth to play that position. What a beast. I don't know many interior defensive linemen who dominate games like that but he might be the best prospect I've ever seen inside. A couple of years ago, Glenn Dorsey had some impressive game tape but Suh makes that look like nothing.

- I don't have a Heisman ballot but if I did: 1. Suh 2. Toby Gerhart 3. C.J. Spiller.

- I have no real opinion of the bowl situation for Missouri because I believe the bowl system is a farce and a bunch of meaningless games don't really move the needle for me. I will say that it would be nice if the Big 12 got its stuff together and came up with massive improvements in areas like the television contract, its bowl affiliations, its bowl selection process. I realize that Oklahoma and Texas football are the conference bell cows but how about finding ways to make the whole operation better?

- That's all for this week. Back tomorrow after the Rams get back to work.

- As per custom, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo addressed the media for about 20 minutes on Monday afternoon and, as one could guess, the No. 1 topic was the lack of production of the offense in Sunday's loss to the Bears.

- Before we dive into that, though, let's get to the injuries where there are a couple of concerning issues.

- First, safety Oshiomogho Atogwe has a "labral" tear in his right shoulder along with cartilage damage. Atogwe could potentially play the rest of the year in a harness a la former linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, but the injury is going to require surgery at some point. Atogwe is going to weigh all options and get many opinions in the coming days before he makes a choice on the rest of his season. For more on Atogwe, see the main feature story on the front page.

- Tackle Jason Smith is still feeling the effects of a concussion suffered three weeks ago. He took his baseline test for the first time in more than a week and again failed to satisfactorily pass it to get cleared to return to practice. Spagnuolo expressed concern about Smith and said his prized rookie will meet with an independent specialist on Tuesday for further examination.

- Quarterback Marc Bulger will have an MRI on Friday to see how his recovery is coming along from a broken leg.

- Kyle Boller (thigh), James Laurinaitis (shoulder), Steven Jackson (back), Jason Brown (knee), David Vobora (hand) and Paris Lenon (knee) are all a bit sore and worse for the wear but should be OK.

- Receiver Donnie Avery had an MRI on his shoulder but the result is not back yet. Spagnuolo said it was likely a subluxation but Avery is expected to be OK.

- Fullback Mike Karney also had an MRI on his neck, the results of which have not come back yet but Spagnuolo was hopeful he could return this week.

- Defensive tackle Darell Scott also had an MRI on his neck late Monday afternoon. His result is also unknown but it's believed he had some pain similar to Karney's.

- Back to the football side, Spagnuolo made special mention of the special teams, specifically the work of kicker Josh Brown and punter Donnie Jones against the Bears. They flipped field position and provided scoring. Spagnuolo was happy with that.

- What he wasn't as happy with was the offense's inability to take advantage of the field position that group provided throughout the day.

- Spagnuolo spoke at length about the lack of "shots" or throws down field. He acknowledged that it's something the team could do more and would look into but he also re-iterated the point that this offense is centered on Jackson and he doesn't want to change the identity.

- "I guess when you only score nine points I guess you could say that (we need to take more shots)," Spagnuolo said. "You have got to know that those shots have got to work otherwise you are back to second and 10 or whatever. We all know Steven is the featured guy here so I don't think you're going to drive anybody out of what they do to stop that. We'll find other ways to get the ball down field."

- As a coach with a defensive background, Spagnuolo also acknowledged that he isn't too involved in the offense though he occasionally chimes in with suggestions.

- Spagnuolo was pleased with the performance of guard Richie Incognito, who returned from injury and provided the aggressiveness and attitude Spagnuolo is looking for.

- And once again, as has been written in this space many times, Spagnuolo expressed his deep gratitude to Jackson for once again gutting out a superb effort despite his ailing back.

CHICAGO –

- Another near miss in the Windy City left the Rams on the wrong end of a 17-9 decision and dropped them to 1-11 on the season. It was another game that was there for the taking but once again the Rams have just been unable to put it all together for four quarters and come up with the big play or two necessary to find a victory.

- On the injury front, the Rams seemed to be OK but you never know until Monday.

- It appears safety Oshiomogho Atogwe took the brunt of it, leaving with what appeared to be a separated shoulder. He came back and went back out. He will have an MRI on Monday morning.

- Guard Richie Incognito left with a neck stinger but returned and was able to finish the game.
- Quarterback Kyle Boller had the wind knocked out of him but finished the contest. Donnie Avery suffered a shoulder injury also but was able to return and finish as well.

- David Vobora also suffered a shoulder injury and returned to finish the game.

- As for the happenings on the field, the Rams continue to search for those one or two big plays that can turn the game in their favor.

- On Sunday, the Rams played pretty darn well on defense and got a terrific performance from all aspects of special teams. The thing lacking? Offense.

- The Rams’ average drive started at their 36 and they started at their 41 or better on seven of their 13 possessions. On those seven drives, they mustered just two field goals.

- Coincidentally, the best drive of the day from the offense came when the Rams had their worst field position, starting at their 10. They drove 88 yards before settling for a field goal.

- Chicago stacked the box to stop Steven Jackson all day and was pretty effective for the most part though Jackson was able to muster 112 yards on 28 carries despite his banged up back.

- Hats off once again to Jackson for breaking 100 yards while playing hurt and answering the bell once again. He just continues to pour his heart and soul into this team.

- It was a big day for the Rams special teams, a group that turned in a complete and outstanding performance.

- Kicker Josh Brown provided all nine points with three field goals, including blasts of 48 and 50 yards. Heck of a job considering the cold and windy conditions.

- Speaking of great kicking performance, punter Donnie Jones was unbelievable. The Rams can thank Jones for their great field position; He punted seven times for an average of 45.3 yards but actually had a net of 45.7. In other words, he was kicking balls that were unreturnable and the coverage units were doing a great job of getting down the field to down the ball. Of Jones’ seven punts, six were downed inside the 20 and four of those were inside the 7 with two at the 2.

- Jordan Kent, in his first action as a Ram was also playing lights out special teams. He downed both Jones punts that pinned Chicago at its 2.

- Returner Danny Amendola also had a nice day. He had five punt returns for 60 yards, an average of 12 per chance and averaged 27 yards per try on four kick returns with a long of 43.

- Before suffering the shoulder injury, Atogwe was registering another outstanding performance. After a lull on forced turnovers, Atogwe forced and recovered a fumble early and later forced another that unfortunately rolled out of bounds.

- Chris Long racked up his fourth sack of the season, matching his total from last year. That’s four in five games for the youngster.

- The Bears finished with just 248 yards of offense but the Rams allowed most of that damage on just a couple of plays. Chicago hit completions of 71 and 48 yards. That’s good for 119 yards, almost all of the Bears’ passing total.

- Coach Steve Spagnuolo acknowledged after the game that his defensive backs must do a better job of “becoming receivers” when the ball is in the air. In other words, find the ball when it’s in the air and make a play on it. The inability to do that also contributed to a costly pass interference penalty on Quincy Butler that resulted in Chicago’s first touchdown.

- Why did the Bears try that fake field goal? What a strange call.

- James Laurinaitis continues to rack up the tackles; he finished with 12 tackles in unofficial pressbox statistics.

- Tremendous performance from the Bears’ Jamar Williams, who replaced Lance Briggs at weakside linebacker. Williams had 18 tackles in the unofficial pressbox statistics.

- That’s all for this evening. Be back tomorrow to wrap this one after Spagnuolo addresses the media in his weekly news conference.

- The Rams went back outside for Thursday's practice and it was a cold and windy day on the Russell Training Center's field. Should be good preparation for what will be in store by the lake on Sunday in Chicago. No doubt that Soldier Field will provide a serious test from the elements.

- On the injury front, there was only one change and it was expected. Center Jason Brown returned to practice after missing his first on Wednesday. He is officially listed as limited participation but he did quite a bit on Thursday.

- Joining Brown (knee) as limited participants are guard Richie Incognito (foot) and linebacker James Laurinaitis (shoulders). Both are expected to be ready to go against the Bears.

- Sitting it out were running back Steven Jackson (back), quarterback Marc Bulger (leg), fullback Mike Karney (neck) and tackle Jason Smith (concussion).

- Bulger is officially listed as out this week, as expected.

- Jackson did take part in the jog through before practice which was a positive sign. He also said Thursday afternoon that he's hoping to practice some on Friday. Either way, he believes he'll be ready to go on Sunday.

- Nothing new on the Smith or Karney fronts. Smith still hasn't taken the baseline neurological tests to be cleared to play again. He isn't likely to play this week, again leaving Adam Goldberg to starting duties.

- Receiver Danny Amendola fell on his hip during the practice and bruised it. But he returned to the drills and appears to be OK.

- College football is the talk of the locker room right now with plenty of heated debates. Jackson, of course, is extremely interested and vested in the outcome of tonight's Oregon-Oregon State game, also known as the Civil War. Receiver Jordan Kent is an Oregon grad, so he and Jackson aren't exactly on the same page right now.

- Tackle Phil Trautwein, a Florida grad, made his thoughts about the Gators known. Running back Chris Ogbonnaya, a Texas alum, is looking forward to the Big 12 Championship game and says he'll wait for that outcome before he starts running his mouth about the Longhorns.

- Don't forget we'll be chatting live with receiver Donnie Avery tomorrow at 1:30 so get your questions in ASAP. That's it's for today.

- The Rams hit the practice field at the indoor field at the Russell Training Center today in anticipation of rain. But the team will likely be outside the next couple of days in preparation for what will surely be a cold and windy day in Chicago this weekend.

- On the injury front, the Rams are pretty much the same though they have one player back in the mix.

- As expected, quarterback Marc Bulger (leg), tackle Jason Smith (concussion), fullback Mike Karney (neck) and running back Steven Jackson (back) did not participate in the work out.

- Center Jason Brown was a bit of a different story. Nursing a second degree sprained MCL in his knee, Brown wanted to practice but was advised not to. It's the first time in his football career he's missed a practice or game because of injury. And Brown didn't let the streak go without a fight. Brown taped up and put on his gear as though he was practicing before being shut down at the last minute. He did work on the side but even wore his helmet while he worked on the stairstepper.

- The Rams are hopeful that Brown will be able to practice Thursday.

- Jackson is in a similar situation as he was last week and the pain in his back is about the same as it was at this time last week. Like Brown, the Rams are hopeful Jackson will be able to practice Thursday.

- Guard Richie Incognito made his long awaited return to practice. He was listed as limited participation but did most of the work. He worked at right guard with Adam Goldberg at right tackle and Mark Setterstrom at center.

- The captains for this week are quarterback Kyle Boller, end Leonard Little and linebacker David Vobora.

 - It was a wild weekend in the NFL leading up to Monday night's big showdown in the Big Easy. Some of the results were surprising, some were not but as always the greatest league in the world provided thrills across the board. This week, Around the League takes a look at the resurgence in Nashville, the debate over which team is the league's best, continued discussion of what will be a very heated MVP contest, a glimpse at the playoff picture and a variety of other issues.

- How can we start anywhere but with what went down in Tennessee on Sunday as the Titans pulled off a miraculous comeback against the Cardinals on Sunday? Of course, Arizona was without Kurt Warner and that dramatically changed the way the game went. That said, how exhilirating was Vince Young's performance on that final, 99-yard touchdown drive. I'm not sure if Young is going to be a great quarterback in this league but he appears to be on his way. He was like a completely different player, calmly leading the Titans down the field with his right arm and not his legs. If he continues to take care of the ball like that and make accurate, clutch throws at the end of games, the Titans are a team to be feared for years to come.

- And of course, the biggest reason for that fear is running back Chris Johnson. I've raved about him every week but believe me, he deserves it. If he played in a big market like New York, he'd be a superstar on the level of a LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. This guy is going to run for more than 2,000 yards and could challenge for the season record for rushing yards and yards from scrimmage. If Tennessee makes the playoffs after an 0-6 start, Young will get a lot of the credit (as well he should) but Johnson should be the MVP if that happens.

- There was a lot of buildup to last night's New Orleans-New England game. I really thought the Patriots would deal the Saints their first loss but I was clearly oh so wrong. That home field advantage for the Saints can't be underestimated. It would serve them well to continue to play at full speed throughout the season and not rest starters so as to ensure homefield throughout the playoffs. And if you look at their schedule the rest of the way, an undefeated season is very realistic.

- Drew Brees was lights out last night. It's crazy how balanced that offense is but knowing that Brees can light up the sky whenever he feels like it makes the Saints especially dangerous. He pushed himself right back up to at or near the top of the MVP debate as well.
- Great defensive game plan and execution by Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Knowing the offense was on fire, Williams was so varied and unpredictable in his schemes and play calls that the Patriots had no idea what was coming on any given down. It's easier to be unpredictable when playing with a lead but Williams did a tremendous job of mixing it up. The only thing that was consistent about the Saints defense was that any receiver who dared to catch the ball was going to take a shot. Great performance.

- I've written in this space about the talented teams we've seen come through St. Louis this year. It's probably fair to say that three teams stand above the rest of the league right now in the form of New Orleans, Indianapolis and one-loss Minnesota. San Diego, Cincinnati, Arizona and the Patriots are probably a step below.

- Now, clearly the Saints and Colts are undefeated and looking outstanding. Indianapolis' never say die ability makes it dangerous. The Saints are a more complete team than people give them credit for. But I still believe the Vikings are the best team in football. Now, if they have to travel to New Orleans for a possible NFC Championship game, that's a difficult chore for any team. But Minnesota does two things really well that always matter in January: they run the ball and stop the run. The Saints can run but don't stop the run particularly well. The Colts don't do either especially great. All three teams have big time, clutch quarterbacks so that's a wash. But ultimately, assuming he's healthy, Adrian Peterson is the best player on either team and he, along with Minnesota's defensive balance, tilts the scales in the direction of Minnesota. Still, it should be a great playoffs and I'd love to see a Saints-Vikings NFC Championship game and perhaps an Indy-New England rematch in the AFC or something involving the red hot Chargers.

- Big win for Denver. The Broncos still control their destiny in the wild card hunt and could be a dangerous out in January.

- Looking at the playoff landscape, there's not much to watch in terms of the divisional races. New Orleans, Indy, Minnesota, New England, Cincinnati, Arizona and San Diego seem to have strangleholds on their respective divisions. That leaves just the NFC East where Dallas and Philly will fight it out with the Giants also having an outside shot. I suppose San Francisco could still possibly catch Arizona but if Warner is healthy, that's not likely.

- Meanwhile, the race for the wild cards should be outstanding. In the AFC, you have Denver, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Miami and even Houston with shots at staking a claim. In the NFC, you're looking at either Dallas or Philly, Atlanta, the 49ers, Green Bay, the Giants and possibly long shot Carolina. The Packers are a good bet, along with the loser of the Eagles/Cowboys duel but injuries will play a major factor in how that breaks down.

- As for the MVP race, last week I had a top three of Manning, Johnson, Brees. This week, I'll stick with the same but Brett Favre is right there as well. Any of these four could easily win it. Philip Rivers and Steven Jackson deserve mention as well.

- Best/Craziest statistic of the week: This season, Johnson has scored a touchdown from 85 yards out or further on three occasions. No player in the history of the league has accomplished that in a CAREER. When it's all said and done, Johnson probably won't be the best running back of all time but he might end up being the greatest home run hitter ever. It's cliche to say someone is capable of scoring every time they touch the ball. But Johnson truly is.

- On the college scene, it appears we have the expected collision course about to happen. The play in championship game takes place in the SEC on Saturday afternoon. Florida-Alabama is appointment television. Should be a great game. I'm taking the Gators based on quarterback play but this one should be a hard hitting battle to the final whistle. The Big 12 championship doesn't figure to be as much of a battle with Texas taking on underdog Nebraska. But I'm excited to watch monster DT Ndamakong Suh do his best to disrupt Colt McCoy and the Longhorns offense.

- What a fun game in Kansas City the other day, though it nearly gave me a heart attack. Always fun for Missouri to beat Kansas even if it's closer than it should have been. Danario Alexander was once again the man. Shocked at some of the awful coaching decisions at the end of the contest but the good guys won, so how can I complain? I thought Mizzou would be 8-4 before the season started because let's face it, it was a rebuilding year. But it's hard not to look back and be a little disappointed that the Tigers didn't win nine or 10. They should always beat Baylor, especially at home. And they had the Nebraska game right there. Of course, they'd be getting served up as fodder for Texas again this week had they won those but it's still nice to control the North, even if it's way down.

- Still would like to see TCU get a crack at the national championship and that is possible with a Texas loss but Cincinnati and Boise State also have strong cases. It's a shame we don't get to see these teams duke it out for the title.

- That's all for this week. Stick around this week as we'll have updates on the Rams following every practice and another chat coming up on Friday. Have a good Tuesday everyone.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo addressed the media on Monday afternoon, breaking down the game and giving the team's rather lengthy injury report.

- First and foremost, tackle Jason Smith was released from the hospital last night and all tests done came back OK. For more on Smith, see the story on the homepage shortly.

- Center Jason Brown has a second degree MCL sprain in his knee. He could potentially return as soon as Wednesday but Spagnuolo said the Rams would "tread lightly" on getting him back on the field.

- Spagnuolo also said the Rams would take that same approach with running back Steven Jackson. Jackson woke up very sore Monday as usual. His back bothered him throughout the game and he is understandably beat up. He could possibly practice Wednesday but again the Rams will be cautious with him.

- MLB James Laurinaitis suffered a mild AC separation in his right shoulder. He is expected to be OK and able to practice and play this week.

- QB Kyle Boller has plenty of bumps and bruises after taking shots all day against Seattle but he will be fine.

- There's no change on the injuries to Marc Bulger (leg) and Mike Karney (neck).

- End James Hall (knee bruise), Paris Lenon (wrist) and David Vobora (calf) had minor injuries but should be fine.

- Receiver Brandon Gibson had an X ray on his back and it came back OK. Gibson should be able to go this week.

- Some good news on guard Richie Incognito who is expected to return to practice as soon as Wednesday from his foot injury.

- Spagnuolo took a moment to congratulate all of the Missouri High School state champions crowned over the weekend including local schools such as Hazelwood Central and Webster Groves.

- The tone of Spagnuolo's news conference was similar to what he said after the game. He was disappointed in the lack of fundamental play. And breakdowns in tackling, blocking and catching the ball, essentially all of the basics. While he refused to say how many missed tackles his team had against the Seahawks, he acknowledged that it was enough to be concerned about.

- The Rams will stay with just two quarterbacks this week barring some unforseen injury to either Boller or rookie Keith Null.

- Laurinaitis again led the Rams in tackles, racking up 10 on Sunday. Oshiomogho Atogwe also had 10 stops.

- Rookie Darell Scott made his first NFL start against the Seahawks. Though he had some "rookie" moments, Spagnuolo said he also had some nice moments. He finished with four tackles.

- Tight end Billy Bajema got some time at fullback in place of Karney. Aside from one play, Spagnuolo said Bajema did a solid job.

- Although he made a couple of nice catches, Ruvell Martin didn't get much playing time in the second half. Spagnuolo said that it's determined before the game how much work the receivers get based on where they are on the depth chart and in certain packages.

- Spagnuolo again was reluctant to use injuries as an excuse but acknowledged that the offensive lull the team had in the third quarter could have been related to the changes along the line from injuries.

- That's it for today. Back tomorrow with a look around the league.

- Despite numerous opportunities to seize control of Sunday's game against Seattle, the Rams were unable to do it and the Seahawks made them pay in the second half, pulling away for a 27-17 win at the Edward Jones Dome.

- On the injury front, the Rams have some things to worry about but it remains to be seen how they will play out.

- Heading the list is center Jason Brown, who left early in the game with a knee injury. Brown said after the game it is just a sprain after an X ray came back negative. But he will have an MRI on Monday morning to search for anything further. Brown was optimistic he'd be OK in time to practice on Wednesday.

- Linebacker James Laurinaitis had a bruised shoulder according to coach Steve Spagnuolo. It didn't appear that it was anything serious but he will have an X ray in the next day to find out for sure.

- Tackle Jason Smith, who was inactive with continued concussion symptoms, was taken from the Edward Jones Dome to a local hospital for evaluation after some of those symptoms made him sick. He will be monitored closely in the next day or so.

- Quarterback Kyle Boller had a long day, battling behind a banged up offensive line. When Brown left the game and with Smith and Richie Incognito inactive, the Rams hade makeshift right side of Adam Goldberg at tackle, John Greco at guard and Mark Setterstrom at center.
- Running back Steven Jackson played through the back pain after testing it out on Sunday morning. He says he was in pain before, during and after the game but made it out OK. He finished with 23 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. He added five catches for 27 yards.

- Danny Amendola had a nice day, coming up with seven grabs for 55 yards.

- Boller completed passes to 10 receivers.

- Ruvell Martin had his debut effort in terms of performance. He had two grabs for 60 yards.
- Donnie Jones punted five times for an average of 52.4 yards per attempt in another mostly solid outing.

- The Rams continue to have problems stopping the run as the Seahawks rushed for 170 yards on 31 carries, an average of 5.5 per attempt. Until that stop, the Rams will continue to struggle defensively.

- Want a player for the Rams who is quietly making some plays without much notice? How about linebacker K.C. Asiodu on special teams? Asiodu partially blocked a punt on Sunday that set the Rams up with their best field position of the day.

- That's it for this one. Will monitor the Smith and injury situations and have updates as needed.

- First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you Rams fans out there. I can safely say I am thankful for all of you who so passionately follow the team, come the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday, write in to the mailbag and make this job so much fun. Thank you.

- The Rams wrapped up practice Thursday with the same cast of characters on the sideline with injuries save for punter Donnie Jones. Jones returned to the practice field after an illness set him aside on Wednesday.

- Running back Steven Jackson remains on the sideline with back spasms. He did not practice but coach Steve Spagnuolo remains optimistic that Jackson will be available this weekend against Seattle.

- "Steven is a warrior. He's not there yet. There's still a little bit of spasm there. We don't want to take any chances and he hasn't practiced. I guess it could go either way but I guess I am thinking positive because of who he is."

- Tackle Jason Smith (concussion) again sat out the practice and is scheduled to re-take his baseline test this afternoon. Smith could, in theory, play if he passes the test but it's looking like he won't be available. If that's the case, Adam Goldberg would be at right tackle with Mark Setterstrom at right guard.

- Richie Incognito (foot), fullback Mike Karney (neck) and quarterback Marc Bulger (knee) also did not practice.

- Linebacker Chris Chamberlain (head) was limited as well. He's not been cleared for contact yet though he passed his baseline test. He should be OK for Sunday.

- Happy Birthday to linebacker Paris Lenon and Rams PR ace Ryan Anderson.

- Spagnuolo also did not want to commit to any type of adjusted workload for Jackson should he be available but limited against the Seahawks. The Rams want to take a wait and see approach with Jackson.

- Rams players had morning meetings and practiced. Spagnuolo excused them immediately after. The coaching staff will watch the practice tape and prepare for Friday's practice before heading home. Spagnuolo said he was unsure of when he would be able to get home but he'll be there to spend some time with his lovely wife Maria.

- Spagnuolo made no secret of his desire to have his team weigh in on Thursday morning, well in advance of Turkey Day feasts..."That was highly, highly, highly requested that they have the weigh in today and not tomorrow. I have to be honest with you, I bet you all 31 other teams do the same thing. It's kind of the unwritten rule so we go with it."

- More on Thanksgiving and the team's plans according to Spagnuolo - "We ask that everybody takes care of their teammates and nobody is going home by themselves. Guys that don't have family and are from different areas, that every is taken care of. I know certain guys are having a bunch of people over. It's a good thing. That's what you do as a team and I think that's what we have in that locker room...a true team."

- The Rams returned to the practice field Wednesday afternoon to begin preparations for this week's game against Seattle. And they did so with less than a full deck as a number of Rams were held out of practice because of injuries.

- The biggest name held out of the workout was running back Steven Jackson. Jackson has soreness in his lower back and the Rams are taking extra pre-cautions to ensure that he can make it to Sunday. Coach Steve Spagnuolo calls Jackson "day to day" and said the team will know more about his status on Thursday. It's likely that Jackson will be OK and Spagnuolo named him offensive captain for this week but the Rams don't want to rush him back.

- Of course, quarterback Marc Bulger also did not practice and he won't for at least the next three weeks. Bulger is on crutches after suffering a fractured tibia. Kyle Boller took most of the reps with the first team but the Rams made it a point to get Keith Null some work with the ones as well.

- On the concussion front, linebacker Chris Chamberlain passed his baseline test and was able to practice on a limited basis. He is expected to be fine and made it through OK.

- Tackle Jason Smith, on the other hand, did not pass the test and was held out of Wednesday's practice. Smith will likely take the test again Thursday afternoon in hopes he can be cleared and potentially play this weekend. The Rams will not rush Smith, either.

- Guard Richie Incognito is still not back and did some conditioning on the side. Spagnuolo said Incognito is getting closer but it would still be a bit of a long shot for him to be available this weekend.

- Fullback Mike Karney injured a ligament in his neck and did not practice, either. Karney is considered day to day as well.

- Spagnuolo said should Karney be unable to go, the Rams have some options, including all of the tight ends on the roster.

- Speaking of tight ends, the Rams added Eric Butler from the practice squad to the active roster Wednesday to take the place of injured end C.J. Ah You. Butler has experience working as a fullback and could be an option should Karney be unable to go.

- Samkon Gado also could potentially fill in at fullback if Karney is held out.

- Joining Jackson as captains this week are cornerback Ron Bartell (defense) and returner Danny Amendola (special teams).

- Spagnuolo took a minute to congratulate Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols on his National League Most Valuable Player award. "I'd like to throw out my congratulations to Albert Pujols. I think that is terrific. He had an outstanding season."

- The Rams have some emergency options should they need a third quarterback this week. Amendola and Ruvell Martin did some work after practice taking snaps.

- That's all for today. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and be back tomorrow. Be sure to check the homepage tomorrow afternoon for a look at end Leonard Little, who took some time to reflect on his 12-year career and discuss his future.

- Greetings and welcome to this week's edition of Around the League where as promised, we'll examine the happenings around the NFL this week as well as get a closer look at the Rams' quarterback situation.

- Let's start right here in St. Louis where the news broke yesterday that quarterback Marc Bulger is out three to six weeks with a fractured tibia. The injury won't require surgery but it could keep Bulger out for the rest of the season. He will be on crutches for the next few weeks.

- With Bulger out, the Rams will turn again to Kyle Boller to step in as the starter. Boller, as you'll remember played earlier in the year and gave the Rams a spark against Green Bay before struggling some in the ensuing opportunities.

- Rookie Keith Null will become the backup so those of you who continue to hope to see him get a shot, well he's now one play away from that opportunity. It wouldn't be a total surprise if he got some snaps at some point in the final six games.

- As of now, the Rams have not decided to put Bulger on injured reserve though they do have a roster spot created by the placement of defensive end C.J. Ah You on injured reserve. That spot will be filled by a defensive lineman, not a quarterback, though.

- The Rams' offense does have a decidedly different look with Boller instead of Bulger. Remember, Boller is a better scrambler and can make things happen on the move. Look for more play action bootlegs and roll outs in this offense.

- All indications are that running back Steven Jackson will be OK but the Rams want to make sure they don't push their stud back too much.

- Speaking of Jackson, I have written in this space many times that I believe he is the best all around back in the league right now. I still think that is true but my eyes saw the man who is his closest competition last night for the first time this season.

- Tennessee's Chris Johnson has been posting big numbers all year but you don't truly appreciate it until you get a chance to watch him. What an absolute stud he is. Johnson is averaging 6.2 yards per carry. That's a number running backs put up in high school, not the NFL. Johnson reminds me of Barry Sanders. He isn't as elusive and doesn't have the shake of Sanders but his ability to stop and start at or near full speed is unmatched. And he's much faster than just about anyone in the league. He has a legit chance to break 2,000 yards and if he can have another monster outing or two he could make a run at the season record for rushing yards. If Tennessee makes the playoffs, my vote for MVP goes to Chris Johnson.

- Speaking of MVP, it's a heck of a race right now and most people are focusing solely on the quarterbacks. I look at it a bit different. I would likely vote something like this right now: Peyton Manning, Chris Johnson, Drew Brees. Others deserving of mention are Brett Favre, Steven Jackson and Maurice Jones-Drew. Manning is just doing so much with little running game and inexperienced receivers aside from Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark.

- The playoff picture is starting to crystallize across the league. New Orleans and Indianapolis could actually clinch their divisions this week. There should only be a few teams competing for those final spots in the playoffs as we get near the end of the year. But it certainly looks like there won't be much in the way of compelling division matchups. As it stands, New Orleans, New England, Indianapolis, Arizona, Minnesota, New Orleans and San Diego appear poised to run away with their divisions. Cincinnati is in great shape in the AFC North because it has won all of its divisional games. That leaves a battle among Dallas, Philly and the Giants in the NFC East.

- One team that is in the race for a playoff spot that is stunning is Jacksonville. The Jaguars are 6-4 and are minus-36 in point differential. That's amazing and it's a testament to Jones-Drew, who has been a bit underrated for continuing to carry that team.

- What a disaster it's becoming in Denver. The offense has been a bit inconsistent anyway but the defense has really fallen apart. They got shellacked by the Chargers and they probably won't make it to January.

- Who would have thought that Detroit-Cleveland game would turn into such a shootout? Nobody expected either offense to produce much of anything because they haven't all year. But both young quarterbacks played very well. And what Matthew Stafford did was tremendous. His late touchdown pass with an injured left shoulder is the stuff that makes this game so much fun. Congrats to Stafford and the Lions.

- What is up with all of the terrible late game strategy and clock management around football? We all saw and discussed what happened to the Patriots last week against the Colts but that was just the tip of the iceberg. On Saturday, LSU coach Les Miles probably managed the end of his team's loss to Ole Miss as bad as any coach could mishandle a game. Even last night, in the Houston-Tennessee game, the Titans took the lead then kicked a squib kick that gave the Texans great field position and two completions later, Houston was in field goal range. Then, with eight seconds left, the Texas had a gaffe as with one timeout, they had Matt Schaub dive into the middle of the field, losing a yard and gaining nothing in the process. Why not hand it off and try to get a little closer for your kicker who then shanks the potential tying field goal? I guess Will Rogers was right: common sense ain't so common.

- On the college front: does anyone else want to see TCU get a shot to play for the national championship? I know the Horned Frogs don't come from the SEC or the Big 12 or some national powerhouse conference but no team in the nation is more balanced and I truly believe they could give the Alabamas or Floridas of the world a run for their money. I hope an upset happens and we get a chance to see it.

- That's all for this week. Happy Thanksgiving week to everyone and we'll be here with updates from Rams Park all week.

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo addressed the media a few hours ago, listing the lengthy team injury report as well as going over a crazy game in which a lot of decisions had to be made.

- For the full injury report, check out the story on the homepage entitled "Rams Battling Injury Bug." At the top of the list is quarterback Marc Bulger. He is out three to six weeks with a broken tibia.

- Spagnuolo revisited some of the difficult decisions he faced Sunday, especially fourth and short situations.

- In retrospect, he says there is only one thing he would change and that was the play call - a call he made - early in the game on fourth-and-1. That was the play he called where Steven Jackson was lined up to the right of the formation and took the handoff and was stopped short. Spagnuolo said "there was a better play" the Rams could have run and the blame for it falls on the head coach. That was the sequence where Jackson was stopped twice from 1 yard away near Arizona's 20.

- Spagnuolo also explained the thought process behind kicking the field goal in the third quarter rather than going for the touchdown from 2 yards out. Simply, the Rams had a full quarter left to play and wanted to cut it to a two-score game.

- With the news of Bulger's injury, Kyle Boller becomes the starter. And rookie Keith Null will be the backup. Of course, the Rams could potentially bring in a third signal caller whether or not they place Bulger on injured reserve. They are about to have a roster spot open up because of the injury to C.J. Ah You when he goes on injured reserve soon.

- Because of the breaking Bulger news, this has to be an abbreviated version of "Wrapping Up" but I promise to be more Rams-centric in Around the League tomorrow afternoon.

- For the fourth time this season, the Rams were a big play here or there short of a victory, ultimately falling short 21-13 at the hands of Arizona on Sunday.

- The Rams came out of the game relatively injury free, losing Jason Smith to a blow to the head. He was replaced at right tackle by Adam Goldberg with Mark Setterstrom moving in at right guard. Smith will be evaluated again Monday morning.

- Quarterback Marc Bulger played through a hamstring injury and also suffered a shot to the head late in the game.

- Add this game to the list of near misses for the Rams. More often than not, in close games in the NFL, it comes down to a big play here or there that makes the difference. Against Jacksonville, Washington, New Orleans and Arizona, the Rams have been just short of making that play. It's crazy to think about considering the record but if the Rams had a bounce or two in their direction, this season could have a decidedly different feel.

- This time around, the Rams had a number of near misses. The most glaring being the near catch by Brandon Gibson on a fade to the corner as Antrel Rolle got a hand on the ball followed by Donnie Avery just missing on a similar play.

- There was clear contact on the Avery play and it looked like it should have been a flag. After the game, officials said the contact was "incidental." Wow.

- Earlier on the drive, there was a 15-yard unnecessary roughness call on Goldberg. It was a surprising penalty considering the recipient. I didn't see the penalty but there was a lot of surprise on the Rams sideline at the flag. It really hurt the Rams, taking them from second-and-10 at Arizona's 13 to a second-and-25 at Arizona's 28.

- Gutsy effort from Danny Amendola this week after a tough finish last week. His 25-yard catch to set up running back Steven Jackson's 1-yard touchdown run.

- Speaking of Jackson, from the Department of Redundancy Department, he was excellent again. Jackson finished with 116 yards on 24 carries, his fourth consecutive 100-yard outing. In the process, Jackson became the first running back in franchise history to rush for 1,000 yards or more in five consecutive seasons. Jackson remains on pace to potentially pass Marshall Faulk before the end of the season.

- Amazing how different Arizona is without Kurt Warner and with Matt Leinart. The Rams did come out much better against the run in the second half, though.

- Avery made some big plays down the stretch again and is starting to emerge as a clutch receiver.

- In unofficial pressbox statistics, Brandon Gibson was targeted 17 times. Think he's becoming a favorite of Bulger's?

- In those same stats, linebacker James Laurinaitis was credited with 16 tackles which if proved true would be a career high.

- Oh, forgot to mention on Amendola front, he had three kick returns for 91 yards and came close to breaking a couple of them all the way.

- Punter Donnie Jones had a nice day, averaging 51. yards per punt with a net of 46.5.

- Left tackle Alex Barron was not in the game to start the second half because he had to be re-taped and change shoes at the half. He returned to the game on the team's second possession of the half.

- Larry Fitzgerald is still an unbelievable player. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who plucks it better than him.

- The Rams will continue searching for ways to become the team that makes that one or two plays to win games next week against Seattle. They are on the cusp of a breakthrough and like anything else, once they get one, they'll likely get more. Maybe that first one can come against the Seahawks.

- Be back to wrap this one up with injury updates tomorrow.