Roger Goodell must be the man

Tennessee cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was charged Wednesday with two counts of felony coercion in connection with a shooting last February. What more can actually be said. He is in the news still almost daily and he is already suspended for the 2007 season. Still we can not remove him from the public eye, and here I am even putting his name out there more. You have to be impressed with no real law behind him, Roger Goodell is managing to weed out the rif-raf. If only we could get the owners, GMs and coaches to look past the 4.3 speed and great ability of some of these players and simply not put them on their roster. Until we can get 32 teams to black ball a player to make the huge statement that is needed, we may just see one Lawrence Phillips after another.

Joe Klopfenstein Demoted

According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch Joe Klopfenstein has already been demoted to second string, being replaced with Randy McMichael acquired from the Dolphins. I don't really have a problem with the move however...I do have some issues on the bottom line of this move. For one Klopfenstein was a second round draft pick in 2006 and now is already on the bench prior to even going to the 2007 training camp. So this is another high level draft pick now basically wasted by the Rams. In addition the Rams are now paying 2nd round money for a 2nd round draft pick and FA money to McMichael when only one will play at a time. The more disturbing part of this whole issue could be the fact that Linehan known for 2 TE sets while in Miami hardly used the TE position last year with the Rams, as Klopfenstein only saw 20 balls in 16 games. Marc Bulger has never really used the TE as part of the Rams offensive package but hopefully this move will mean the Rams are more dedicated to a TE attack especailly in the redzone. McMichael has been a 600 yard a year TE in a past and hopefully this will continue in 07.

Kennedy Traded to Denver

Jimmy Kennedy was traded on Friday to the Denver Broncos for a 6th round draft pick in the 2008 draft. Denver who is known for taking disappointing players and just plugging them into their lines will try to make Kennedy live up to his potential when he was drafted 12th overall in 2003. The Rams once again have failed to get a high ranked DT draft pick to work out. With 5 career sacks and a label as a bust the Rams finally cut bait and traded Kennedy. I am glad to see that Linehan is finally pulling the string on some of these projects and letting them go even if we have to eat crow by releasing high picks. We may now seem to be a team that has wasted some draft picks but at least the team will not suffer from their salary cap numbers or horrible play anymore and it will also open up roster spots. I love to point out the Rams mistakes because I always want them to improve. However if you look back at the 2003 draft you will see that very few of the 32 picks have had much impact, especailly from #12 on down. As a Rams perfectionist I would however love to use my 20/20 glasses and state that we could have had Troy Polamalu with that pick. What if...

Jerametrius Butler signed by Washington

Jerametrius Butler was signed by the Washington Redskins today. Butler missed all of the 2005 season with a knee injury and played sparingly after returning in 2006. Butler played his college ball at Kansas State. Butler has 9 career interceptions. Butler will join Fred Smoot and Shawn Springs in a secondary that was 23rd in passing defense in 2006. In my opinion this is another reach on the Redskins part like the Archuleta signing in 06. Archuleta had 60 tackles, 1 sack and zero picks in 2006 and now is a member of the Chicago Bears, another curious signing but he will meet back up with Lovie Smith.
The loss of Jerametrius Butler will mean full time duty for Tye Hill and Fakhir Brown along with rookie Jonathan Wade stepping into the nickle situation. I do not believe the loss will hurt the St. louis Rams during the upcoming 2007 season.