Rams Have Good Offseason, But Competition Heating Up in NFC West

Team-By-Team Offseason Roundup

St. Louis Rams

Players Released:
Adam Timmerman, G
Jason Fisk, DT (retired)

Free Agents Lost:
Shaun McDonald, WR
Travis Fisher, CB
Kevin Curtis, WR
Paul Smith, FB

Traded For:
James Hall, DE
Dante Hall, WR/KR

Free Agents Re-Signed:
Todd Steussie, T
Raonall Smith, LB

Free Agents Added:
Drew Bennett, WR
Randy McMichael, TE
Todd Johnson, S
Chris Draft, LB
Mike Rumph, CB
Lenny Walls, CB
Travis Minor, RB

Draft:
Rd. 1 (No. 13 overall) Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
2 (52) Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers
3 (84) Jonathan Wade, CB, Tennessee
5 (139) Dustin Fry, C, Clemson
5 (154) Clifton Ryan, DT, Michigan State
6 (190) Ken Shackleford, T, Georgia
7 (248) Keith Jackson, DT, Arkansas
7 (249) Derek Stanley WR, Wisconsin-Whitewater

Analysis:

The St. Louis Rams, quietly, have had a good offseason.

They didn't make huge moves, but they made solid ones. They didn't add headline-generating players, but they did add contributors. That includes the free agent signings of wide receiver Drew Bennett and tight end Randy McMichael on offense, and safety Todd Johnson, cornerback Lenny Walls and linebacker Chris Draft on defense. They traded for Detroit Lions defensive end James Hall and Dante Hall, the once-dominant kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Rams focused on their offensive and defensive lines in the draft, using five of their eight picks on linemen. That included first-round defensive end Adam Carriker, the draft's 13th overall choice who was one of the more versatile and intriguing players available.

The Rams haven't suddenly transformed themselves into a Super Bowl team. They play in a division, the NFC West, that suddenly looks relatively formidable, with the Seattle Seahawks eyeing a possible return to the Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers making strides toward returning to contender's status and the Arizona Cardinals threatening to break through one of these years. The Rams won't be a pushover, but improving much on last season's 8-8 record against improved competition could be difficult.

By Mark Maske |  June 5, 2007; 2:00 PM ET  | Category:  Rams
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