As of Sept 7, here's who is still out there: Offense - Defense. Pickings appear to be slim in general, but with several appealing options at running back/fullback, if we need to place Gado on the PUP list with his busted rib cartilage. Remember that Gado's value is at least halfway as a blocker ... really tough to do with a bad ribcage. Unless you're as pain-tolerant as this guy: One name popped out of the available linebackers: Nate Webster. I thought, this guy might be pretty good, right? I mean, I don't make it my business to know every player, but I know his name... But that might be because he was the centerpiece of one of the worst defenses ever, and has inspired a whole subset of angry Broncos fans to protest his lack of inclusion on the year's list of worst players. (Scroll down to the comments.) Infamy is not as good as fame. There's a reason most of these guys are on this list -- they aren't very good, or never were in the first place. Especially when looking at the wide receivers, it becomes understandable why the Giants and Eagles (both very likely targets for Spagnuolo to raid) kept seven WRs apiece. They see short supply, and figure they can earn something of value in return. The Rams appear confident, but their roster is glaring with only seven total skill players -- 4 WRs, 3 RBs. (4 RBs if you count Karney.) I'd personally like to see a Dominic Rhodes or TJ Duckett signed right away for insurance, at the expense of a guy like Roger Allen III, who had his "nice to be here" moment but would be very easily passed through waivers to the practice squad if the Rams wanted a longer look. no comments

Howard Balzer, via his Twitter account, dropped two mini-bombshells on Rams fans after last night's game: And the latest news from Jim Thomas at the P-D: Carriker needs surgery, could be season-ending. These injuries shouldn't come as much surprise, given both players' history in the training room. But given this news and our look at the players potentially on the cutdown list, depth is now a serious concern in a few position groups: Defensive Tackle, Running Back (blocking ability a plus), and Linebacker. With that in mind, here's a look at a few players that either are available now, or are on the bubble with their respective teams. Defensive Tackles Nick Hayden -- Carolina Panthers (bubble). I look toward Carolina for defensive front seven players, taking advantage of the Ken Flajole connection, and Hayden's name immediately popped out. Here's a quote from his scouting report: He fell to the sixth round, and did not do much with the Panthers last season, but could be a guy that fits the Spagnuolo "strong, high-motor" mold. Willie Williams -- free agent (cut by Eagles). Not much here, except that he was a Rams practice-squad guy last season before Philadelphia snapped him up during camp. Big guy. Blocking/Running Backs TJ Duckett -- free agent. Why would the Seahawks' trash become our treasure? For one, Duckett absolutely blew us up last year, so there's little doubt in Rams land about his freshness. For another, Duckett spent the entire camp and preseason with one of our most critical opponents, and would be a great source of game-planning intelligence. And finally, he has always run in a rotation or as a backup, and has never groused about his role. He has short-yardage ability and blocking ability, and may be on Devaney's radar from their days together in Atlanta. Warrick Dunn -- free agent. Not so much a blocker, but still fresh-legged for a veteran, and an upgrade in the "danger" factor from anyone below SJ on the depth chart. A veteran who has shown he can run under any scheme, any circumstance, he would fit in and contribute quickly. Also known as a good citizen who would certainly pass any of Spagnuolo's Four Pillars tests. Again, like Duckett, the Atlanta/Devaney connection is there. Casey Cramer -- released from Tennessee Titans. Cramer caught on with the Dophins' power running team last season, and was seen as a potential fit in Tennessee, another team who does very well what the Rams are trying to do, in terms of power running and pass protection. Linebackers Derrick Brooks -- free agent. When needy defenses like the Saints and Raiders work you out, and then turn you down, it's hard to imagine that you've got much left in the tank. Still, it might be worth a call from the Rams. He was always one of the smartest players on the field, and could help coach up Laurinaitis as much as any contribution off the bench. Jarvis Moss -- Denver Broncos, on the bubble. Not a pure linebacker, but an edge rusher and disruptive player in the Demarcus Ware mold who could be lined up in a number of ways, Moss has been working hard to restore his reputation after an ignominious start to his NFL career, and an even worse start to this year's camp. Moss is a player that we looked at in depth earlier this summer, and are still following form the sidelines.

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I hope to add to this list in the coming days, but there are some intriguing possibilities here to say the least. no comments

Well, the Rams gave a good show for the hometown fans, which is in itself a rarity. A defense that gave up a few big plays managed to not be killed by any of them, and showed a resiliency and aggressiveness that resulted in game-changing turnovers. In striking contrast to the Chiefs, the Rams did not play any of their first-string skill players all game, and as such the offense did not do a lot. But this did give us an extended look at several players on the bubble. Here are my snap reactions from the game, on who played well and who might be packing their bags, using Jim Thomas' Countdown to Cutdown as my guide. Quarterbacks: Marc Bulger, Kyle Boller, +1 It may be heresy for those Rams fans who saw the face of Kurt Warner in 6th-round-pick Keith Null, but he failed to overtake Brock Berlin this preseason. In this game, the two quarterbacks had a reversal of type, with Berlin hitting his wideouts on the corners and out in space, and Null playing it safe with checkdowns. Berlin went 9-for-17, but several of his incompletions came on passes that hit his receivers in the numbers. (Carter got the ball popped out twice, Fells was clearly interfered with on another.) Null does have a nice arm and upside, and it's tempting to argue that he played the entire preseason with the Rams' lowest-string talent. But at the same time, Berlin showed a more complete grasp of the offense, and appears to be as comfortable under center as he is in shotgun, while Null clearly is more effective in the shotgun set. I wouldn't be disappointed to be wrong here, and see the Rams keep Null and attempt to coach him through his progressions, and eventually tap gold from that cannon arm. But on pure preseason performance, Berlin has gamely held on. Running Backs: Steven Jackson, Samkon Gado, Mike Karney, +1 or 2

On the bubble • Kenneth Darby, Chris Ogbonnaya, Antonio Pittman

Chris O(g)bonnaya was clearly showcased in this game's second half, which could mean one of two things -- either the Rams have declared him the guy, or they are giving him a chance to latch on with another team. If he sticks, it must have been the product of an amazing week in practice, as he has seen minimal game action to this point. On the other hand, in a game in which so many bubble players were used, Darby barely got a look, and it's possible that his ship has sailed. However, Pittman is clearly the man on the bottom of this totem pole. I can't fault his effort, but I don't see him sticking with this group. Tight Ends: Randy McMichael, Daniel Fells, Billy Bajema

On the bubble • Joe Klopfenstein

Klopfenstein was the only wildcard here, and Fells clearly beat him out. Bajema continues to look like a reliable blocking/receiving threat. And we hope McMichael still has some magic left. However, this is one area that the Rams will have to improve next season. Wide Receivers: Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson, Keenan Burton, +3

On the bubble • Tim Carter, Ronald Curry, Derek Stanley, Sean Walker, Nate Jones

I differed from Thomas here -- I am positive the Rams keep six receivers total, as insurance for Avery, and I bumped Walker and Jones up to the "bubble" group. In part, because I think Tim Carter's star has fallen. His drops tonight after contact, and his brittleness this preseason, have hampered his comeback. This keeps the door wide open for Stanley to continue to be the primary return man and fifth/sixth receiver. (Stanley could have cemented a bigger role if he hadn't dropped a sure TD in Thursday's game.) Curry has played well enough to stick, and Walker has made a succession of nice connections with Null. Nate Jones had one really nice route and catch that led to the Rams' only offensive touchdown on the night, but I don't think it's enough to completely make up for an unremarkable preseason. Walker is not a strong sixth, though. This is definitely one area, as Van at TurfShowTimes has already strongly suggested, that the Rams could make noise in this coming week. Offensive Line: Alex Barron, Jacob Bell, Jason Brown, Richie Incognito, Jason Smith, Adam Goldberg, John Greco, Mark Setterstrom, +1

On the bubble • Renardo Foster, Roy Schuening, Phil Trautwein

I didn't see enough tonight to change my opinion here -- I think Schuening is the keeper as a backup guard, for his run blocking. However, line play has to be studied more closely, and it seems that there is positive copy floating around Trautwein, the rookie from Florida. As a Gator fan, I wouldn't be displeased with that. Defensive Line: Jake Long, Adam Carriker, James Hall, Leonard Little, Clifton Ryan, Darell Scott, +2

On the bubble • C.J. Ah You, Gary Gibson, Eric Moore, Hollis Thomas, Victor Adeyanju

On the basis that Adeyanju was the lowest-rated lineman by the guys at Pro Football Focus, and that he was a product of the historically bad 2006 draft, I thought for sure he would be a bubble player. Or rather, I hoped someone would come along and clearly outplay him. Jim Thomas was more confident in Adeyanju's ability to stick on the roster than I was, though, and last night #94 showed us why. He was really disruptive against the Chiefs, and showed a nasty edge in pummeling Brodie Croyle all night long. Gary Gibson is a player that has made noise early in the preseason, but little this week, while CJ Ah You was all motor all over the field. CJAY literally played as though his life depended on it. That has been his M.O. all throughout camp, and I think he makes the team if only because coaches like a guy like that to motivate the men in front of him on the depth chart. If Gibson moves someone, it may be Clifton Ryan, who just doesn't have much speed. I admit I had high hopes for the Hollis Thomas signing, but it increasingly appeared that he had little in the tank. He barely saw action, if at all, last night and is probably done. Linebackers: James Laurinaitis, Chris Draft, Will Witherspoon, David Vobora, Chris Chamberlain, Larry Grant, +1?

On the bubble • Quinton Culberson

His name wasn't exactly ringing out Thursday night, on defense or on special teams. The tape may reveal more. My guess, he's out and the Rams cast eyes around the league for his replacement --especially on special teams -- on cutdown day. Depth here is still a major concern, even with the emergence of Larry Grant. I've often wondered, why haven't the Rams given a free agent tackling machine like Derrick Brooks a call? Secondary: Ron Bartell, OJ Atogwe, James Butler, Tye Hill, Jonathan Wade, Todd Johnson, Justin King, Bradley Fletcher, Craig Dahl, +1 or 2

On the bubble • Quincy Butler, Cord Parks, David Roach

First of all, there's no doubt Quincy Butler makes this team, with the release of Tye Hill and with Butler's big-play instincts. I bumped Parks and Roach into the conversation, hoping they would show something. Parks saw a lot of time on special teams as a return man, while Roach was literally hit-and-miss all night. Parks may stick -- he has steady hands and speed potential, and a lack of fear that I like. But the odds are not with him. no comments

In a policy so asinine that it puts the "ass" back in "asinine", the Guvna's Cup tonight is both sold out and blacked out! What's a Rams fan at home to do? Check out @RamsHerd on Twitter, I will be at the game, on the 50 yard line in the FanBall Executive Suite, giving you the latest on these do-or-die position battles. For more Rams pregame chatter, check out Van's fight card and 3k's bilingual breakdown at TurfShowTimes, and game preview at RamsGab. no comments

Imo's Pizza versus Gates Barbecue. Schlafly Pale Ale versus Boulevard Wheat. East St Louis vs Kansas City, Kansas. Jazz vs Blues. The Arch versus ... a spiny blowfish of a convention center. Once and for all, in Governor's Cup XX, we will settle tonight the question of Who's Better! That is, at least until next year. I caught up with FanBall's brand-new Chiefs correspondent, Ryan of Chiefs Chatter, to exchange views on what we'll be watching -- the desperate battles and still-unanswered questions marks in the teams' final exhibition game. Here's a snapshot of that conversation, after the break. RamsHerd: What are the major position battles that will be settled for you? Chiefs Chatter: [Note: I then proceed to piss all over Brodie Croyle, and generally act like a jerk. Something about that guy just sends me up a wall. But it's still hard to believe that the team's most productive QB, Tyler Thigpen, would be simply edged off the roster in this way. For more on this, check out "Chiefs Depth would go to Jacksonville with Thigpen"] Chiefs Chatter continues: RamsHerd: What sort of question marks about the upcoming season are you looking for answers, or reassurance on? Chiefs Chatter: [Note: for more on this, check out "Todd Haley Better Be Superman"] RamsHerd: Big picture, with the Chiefs massive draft-day bonanza last year, and the hiring of Scott Pioli, how far do you think this Chiefs team is from contending? Chiefs Chatter: I thank Ryan for his time, and good luck to both teams. We want a good clean battle -- and of course, a Rams win to take that trophy home once again.

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Five things to watch on the Rams' side of the field:

1. Will Bulger play, and can his ouchie pinkie handle taking snaps? Hopefully yes on both counts, even if only for a series. Same question - Donnie Avery.


2. A lot of fans have already anointed Keith Null as the next Kurt Warner -- but so far he has yet to significantly outplay Brock Berlin for the 3rd-string spot. I expect both to get a big portion of snaps, who will emerge? (Related: "Bubble Battle, Null vs Berlin")


3. Jason Smith gets the start at right tackle, but only because Richie Incognito tweaked his knee, causing Smith's primary competition to slide over to left guard for the game. Does Smith show enough to take full ownership of the starting job? (Related: "Rebuilding the Offensive Line. Observations from PFF, Part 3")


4. Position battles at cornerback -- Jonathan Wade vs Tye Hill for the starter, undrafted Quincy Butler vs 3rd round pick Bradley Fletcher for the dime package spot (and last roster spot), do Cord Parks or David Roach manage to enter the conversation? Position battles at running back -- Samkon Gado can seemingly lock down the backup spot, leaving Ken Darby to fight for his life against Antonio Pittman and Chris "Silent G" Ogbonnaya. Positon battles all over the field, naturally. Chris Chamberlain vs all-name CJ Ah You at linebacker. Darell Scott and Gary Gibson at DT. Sean Walker versus the two-headed veteran tag-team of WRs, Tim Carter and Ron Curry. (Related: Jim Thomas' 53-man predictions)


5. The Rams racked up 6 sacks last week against the Bengals' retooled o-line. Can we continue to get this kind of pressure this early in the season? If so, it bodes well for a better start than I've predicted. (Related: "Rams 2009 Predictions -- September")

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Part 1 and Part 2 of our ongoing preseason conversation with ProFootballFocus focused on the defense: key factors in the front seven and in the secondary. This week, we look holistically at the offensive line, and specifically at the key offseason moves -- signing Jason Brown from the Ravens, drafting Jason Smith, and moving Alex Barron to left tackle. What kind of impact do their player ratings foresee from these moves? And what rookie comparables can we use on Jason Smith? First, a big-picture look from Neil, the lead author at PFF. Emphasis on that last sentence there is mine. Considering that both Football Outsiders and FanBall's own Bryan Douglass ranked the 2008 Rams' offensive line 28th in the NFL, a middle-tier ranking sounds positively peachy. Let's go position-by-position after the break. Neil: Sam: So true, so true... Neil: No credit given to the guards for playing alongside a new center. I find this a little surprising, but Neil explains his reasoning for this: Well, Jason Brown certainly gives a better interview, for one thing. But this is one of the more pessimistic reviews of Brown's potential impact that we've seen. For a second opinion, we turn to our other correspondent. Sam The Rams gave up 7 sacks in their two games against San Francisco ... this is a stat that Brown should be able to immediately improve this season. Neil: Sam: Agreement all around. Neil: Yee-ouch. I had to look up Gosder Cherilus -- the Lions' first-round pick of the 2008 Draft, and his story is not a pretty one. He's a big guy (6-7, 315 lbs) who earned a golden reputation while playing for Boston College, protecting Matt Ryan. However, he was beaten in camp all preseason by one of the worst linemen in the league, George Foster. He finally earned the job in Week 3, but had a very rough year. He is back in competition for the right tackle spot against a journeyman (Jon Jansen) this year, not an encouraging sign. Nor a positive comparison for our Mr. Smith. Again, we turn to Sam for some sunshine. Sam: So we went from a Gosder Cherilus comparison to a Jake Long comparison! I think we could live with that second one. Overall, the range of thinking in this assessment is guardedly optimistic, which is how I think we Rams fans have to operate this season. If we can achieve (or maintain, as Neil would say) a middle-tier ranking from this rebuilt line, and operate our offense more smoothly behind it, the Rams will go along way towards improving their lot. Neil: no comments

Five players got the axe Tuesday from the Rams, including official "bust" Joe Klopfenstein. A sixth player, WR Brooks Foster, was placed on Injured Reserve, meaning that 21 more will be cut after this final preseason game. So we will have position battles all over the field, played out as the Rams and Chiefs players battle for the Governors' Cup -- and their professional livelihoods. There will also be battles for starting jobs. Jason Smith continues to battle, and this will form the basis of our next conversation with ProFootballFocus, later this week. Bill Coats also suggests Jonathan Wade versus Tye Hill and Gary Gibson vs Adam Carriker as two notable competitions for starting spots. But in the "do-or-die, make the roster or get a goddamn job" battles, here is a key matchup to watch: Quarterback: Keith Null vs Brock Berlin With Boller already having shaken off his significant rust, expect these two to get significant time behind center. For Berlin, at age 28, this may be his last gasp. He's playing with a slightly torn MCL in his knee (when you hear "sprained", it means "slightly torn". It hurts, and it's unstable.), gutting it out because there's no getting up at this point if he goes down to injury. Null, meanwhile, had his best appearance in the preseason's first game, coming in as emergency relief and throwing two crisp passes to finish a touchdown drive. He has also looked good running the drill no-huddle offense. Here's a comparison of their preseason so far:

Stat	Berlin	Null
Raw Passing	13-21, 119 yds (5.7 yd/att)	9-15, 96 yds (6.4 yd/att)
TD/INT	1 TD (20 yd to Stanley vs ATL) 0 INT	1 TD (13 yd to Walker vs NYJ) 1 INT (in end zone vs ATL)
Drives/outcomes	7 Drives 4 first downs (passing) 5 punts 2 scores	6 drives 6 first downs (passing) 2 punts 2 scores 2 turnovers (1 was a missed FG)
Favorite targets	WRs: (9) Carter: 3 Stanley: 3 Walker: 2 Curry: 1 TEs: (7) Bajema: 3 Fells: 2 E Butler: 1 Klopf: 1 RBs: (6) Pittman: 3 Gado: 1 Ogbonnaya: 1 J Johnson: 1	WRs: (8) Walker: 3 N Jones: 3 Carter: 1 Stanley: 1 TEs: (6) Bajema: 3 Klopf: 2 E Butler: 1* (might have been for Walker) RBs: (1) Ogbonnaya: 1

As you can see from the favorite targets chart (source: NFL.com gamebooks), Null has been much more active in stretching the field, targeting his wideouts, while Berlin has been much more comfortable hitting his checkdowns. In fact, many of Berlin's completions to WRs have been screens and short passes. Another factor involved, though, is that Null has been operating a large portion of his snaps out of the shotgun set, while Berlin has been mostly under center. I believe that even though Berlin has taken more snaps, Null's performance should have him a step above -- however, not so significant a step yet that the Rams should consider this competition over. In an otherwise meaningless game, this battle should prove to be very meaningful. no comments

Wow. Devaney is not afraid to go bold. In announcing four of their five cuts, the Rams included the ostensibly still-battling-for-the-3rd-string-job Joe Klopfenstein. This declares one camp battle over, as there is almost nothing Daniel Fells can do, outside of punching the Pope, to lose the 3rd-string job to Eric Butler. Then, rather than placing WR Brooks Foster on injured reserve, the move that many were expecting the Rams to make, they trade still-competing-for-a-starting-spot Tye Hill to Atlanta for a late-round draft pick. The ripple effects of this move simultaneously award the taller and more physical Jonathan Wade with the starting CB job, and all-but-guarantees both the undrafted Quincy Butler and 3rd-round-pick Bradley Fletcher spots on the roster. In doing so, Devaney almost completely cuts the cord on the disastrous 2006 draft, the last draft before his arrival in St Louis. All that's left is 4th-rounder Victor Adenyaju, who has no guarantee of surviving the final cuts, and backup center/guard Mark Setterstrom, a late 7th-round selection who has played very well in the preseason and should be safe. Suffice to say, any player that is a holdover from the old regime has now been duly warned. The trade of Hill to Atlanta is particularly curious, since the touchdown catch by Tony Gonzalez over Hill was one of his worst moments of the preseason. I suppose that by joining the Falcons, Hill can no longer be beaten by them. But he now has to face the Saints' receiver corps, perhaps the second-best in the game behind Arizona, twice a year. Out of the frying pan, as they say... But the trade also says, in bold letters, "I trust my third round pick, and even my undrafted guys, over the previous regime's idea of top-round talent." Bradley Fletcher was on his way out of the roster, having been outperformed by Quincy Butler in the late going. But he has showed flashes of a very competitive attitude, and when he's gotten beat it has been in being too aggressive -- by looking in for the ball and missing a step, or by hitting his man just before the ball arrives. That can be coached out of a player, essentially by adding smarts and experience. Much harder to coach out of a player is Fear, and there's no question that Tye Hill had become afraid out there, tentative. Now they can keep Fletcher on board, spend the time with him that is necessary to make him into a better player than Hill turned out to be, and at the same time, hope that Q Butler continues to blossom. A guy with Butler's ball skills could flourish in nickel and dime packages.... These deals also short circuit a couple of my upcoming "Bubble battles," sending us back to rewrite. Expect to see that posted later today.

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Bonus Link: Mike Sando shows us just how little draft value the Rams have left from the 2006 class, and puts it in perspective with the last several years of NFC West drafts. http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/4054/putting-rams-horrific-2006-draft-in-perspective no comments

I'm traveling to Atlanta on business Monday and Tuesday, but will try to keep you rolling in fresh content as I can. Here's what's on tap: The Rams will begin making roster cutdowns, from 80 to 75. Via his Twitter account, Howard Balzer weighed in with his predicted first five: "Brooks Foster (IR), Mark Rubin, Daniel Sanders, Marcus Brown, Ian Campbell. Debated between Brown and Eric Young." Of his five and our predicted five, we had only Marcus Brown in common. Though putting Foster (and his scheduled ankle surgery) on the IR makes too much sense at this point not to do, and also gives Jarrett Byers a one-week reprieve. A look at the "bubble battles" The Rams must cut an additional 22 players from their roster by week's end. Naturally, these bubble players will be seeing a lot of time in this Thursday's game against the Chiefs, as the first teamers had just completed their most significant walkthrough. Key among these battles -- will Keith Null firmly take hold of the #3 QB job? After a strong early start to camp and a thrilling TD in his first preseason action, Null has essentially moved sideways, keeping pace with Berlin rather than dramatically outshining him. A report from Thursday's game -- I hope to attend in person, and will be live-tweeting as usual. A look at possible help coming to the Rams after cutdowns Where do the Rams need the most help? And which bubble battles around the league might yield interesting fruit for the Rams' practice squad or depth chart? For that matter, which as-yet-unsigned free agents might be most helpful as well? A look at the Rams' December games, completing our preseason predictions. Jim Thomas just posted his cliff notes of a predicted 6-10 record, and we see eye to eye on many of the games' matchups -- though not necessarily their outcomes. In case you missed it, check out our November predictions. Good week ahead, and the actual season is almost upon us. Am I the only one hearing all these Seahawks injury reports and thinking we might have a bit more of a fighting chance in Week 1? no comments

The opening story of the last coach to come through St Louis on a mission of complete rebuilding. A year-long story of the difficulties of that rebuild, sparing no punches at the cast of losers, malcontents and foot-draggers that we suffered through along the way. It's interesting to compare the harsh, physical camp -- all conditioning and attitude, much like what Mike Singletary is trying to do in San Francisco -- with the more upbeat, quick-paced Spagnuolo camp. Yes, the Rams have been somewhat physical, tackling for the first time in years, but what they've done is nothing compared to the hell Vermeil put them through. The depth of this article is staggering. I hope we get to read something similar by the end of this season. The intensity of the workouts stuns the players. "Surprised isn't the word," defensive tackle D'Marco Farr says. "Try shocked. Horrified. I looked around at guys who were wavering or couldn't make it, and I said to myself, This one's dead. That one over there's dead. They'll never make it through this camp." no comments