Monday, April 30, 2007

Another "Old School" Attitude

Well, Linehan with all his smoke screens again kept everyone at bay and was able to get the man he truly wanted for his defensive unit.

As he slightly beefed up the offense during the off season, he would have led you to believe that he might be heading towards trying to pick Ginn Jr in the draft, but once Dante Hall was chosen a few days prior to draft day, everyone knew that Linehan had something more on his mind that shoring up the special teams unit.

He proved that Saturday when he picked Adam Carriker for his first round pick. Adam is a big, strong player who has been taught by the Nebraska staff that stopping the run is primary and the pass rush comes as an after thought.

Just the type of player the Rams have needed for quite some time now. Not only did Linehan choose a player that knows the importance of stopping the run but who also has a similar attitude towards playing the game of football as Pisa Tinoisamoa.

It's been said that Carriker will play through every injury possible, will not complain about it, will just go out and do his job. In fact it's been said that he will refuse to come off the field when injured. Unless he has to be taken off on a cart, Carriker will insist that he be allowed to continue to play.

For Adam Carriker it's all about winning and supporting his team in whatever fashion he can and if that means playing through an injury that might keep some players off the field, then so be it.

His size, skills, attitude and willingness to do what it takes to win football games, could indeed make this rookie an immediate impact player.

I give Linehan an A for this draft pick.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Rumor Mill


No one knows just how much credence can be put into rumors but I suppose it's worth talking about.

Previous news about the Rams interest in Kris Jenkins has been reported as lukewarm at best. But as the draft quickly sneaks up on us, the rumors circulating about the league now is that the Rams have a far stronger interest in Jenkins than previously believed.

As the rumors of his lack of commitment and his not so good work ethics have been circulating, the Rams at first seemed to back off.

But now it seems they've put those concerns behind them and from the rumors floating around now it sounds as if the Rams are willing to make a serious trade offer to the Panthers for Jenkins before draft day. It's certain though that the Rams will not give the Panthers their first round pick for him. Originally they considered a third round pick but the Panthers would have no part in that one. Perhaps they are now considering a second round pick and some other sort of compensation. Whatever might be on their minds in the order of a trade for him, should the trade manifest itself, and barring the rumors about him are false, Jenkins could be an immediate impact on the Rams defense.

This would also leave the Rams wide open on the first round pick to try and address their return problems that have been plaguing them for eons now. Rumors have it that they are extremely interested in WR/KR Ted Ginn with the 13th pick. Ginn could revive the team's return game and be groomed to replace WR Isaac Bruce in a year or two.

Only time will tell what Linehan and the Rams have up their sleeves.

GO RAMS!