Another office at Halas Hall should be vacant soon as pro scout Dennard Wilson is expected to join the Rams as a defensive assistant coach, NFL sources said. Wilson’s anticipated departure would leave the Bears thin in pro scouts leading up to free agency, as assistant director of pro personnel Kevin Turks and pro scout James Kirkland are the only men at Halas Hall who have been committed to studying NFL personnel. Wilson was well-respected at Halas Hall for his work ethic, intelligence and keen eye. He made it known,... [Read More]
The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission today came to terms with the St. Louis Rams on an agreement that would allow the team to play a game in London's Wembley Stadium in the 2012 season. The agreement would allow the Rams to play one of their eight home games there in exchange for giving the CVC greater convention scheduling flexibility during the football season, which is also a busy time for conventions. "St. Louisans will benefit from the arrangements for additional access to the Edward Jones Dome... [Read More]
Stump Mitchell, a former Cardinals running back and currently head football coach at Southern University-Baton Rouge, interviewed for the Rams' running backs coach position Monday according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Mitchell, 52, met at Rams Park with coach Jeff Fisher and visited with members of the coaching staff. The visit went well, though it was uncertain Monday night if Mitchell has been offered the job. League sources said Fisher could be interviewing another candidate or two for the... [Read More]
The NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reports that a source close to the Rams has informed him that they will not be using their franchise tag on free agent WR Brandon Lloyd in the coming weeks. Lloyd joined Pro Football Talk Live this afternoon and mentioned that he was open to the idea but that doesn’t appear to be part of the team’s plan. Lloyd also mentioned that he would like to stay with the team and mentioned that contract negotiations could begin at some point during the week. The Rams acquired Lloyd from Broncos... [Read More]
It's no secret that free agent wide receiver Brandon Lloyd wants to continue playing wherever Josh McDaniels is coaching. He stated so last season, saying that he's tied to McDaniels, and reiterated those sentiments Monday during an interview with Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. “Yes, I find that very interesting,” Lloyd told Florio when asked about joining the Patriots. “I would like to entertain that and see where that goes. There’s no bones about that. I’ve been very successful in Josh McDaniels’ offense, I really... [Read More]
If Brandon Lloyd wants to reunite with Josh McDaniels and sign with the New England Patriots, then agent Tom Condon will apparently work toward that end, says the Boston Herald. Condon apparently has not worked with the Patriots directly in seven years since intense negotiations involving tight end Ben Watson. "We pretend there are 31 franchises in the NFL now and they pretend we don’t exist, even though we represent 140 (now over 160) of the best players in the NFL. That’s fine,” Condon once said of the Patriots.... [Read More]
St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has several vacancies remaining on his inaugural staff, most notably the running backs and linebackers coaching positions, but Fisher is in no rush to fill them, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "I still have several vacancies I'm in the process of interviewing," Fisher said. "As I mentioned to you, I will be rewarded for patience. I'm really excited so far. It's an exhausting process but I hope to have everything done — probably before the end of... [Read More]
Former Rams FB Mike Karney tweeted that strength coach Rock Gullickson and his assistant Adam Bailey were “cancers to the lockerroom” according to Ron Clements of CBSSports.com. The coaches are holdovers from Steve Spagnuolo’s staff and were retained by new head coach Jeff Fisher. Karney did not offer an explanation for his statements but tweeted "fisher couldn't get his guy out of Tennessee, it's a quick fix 4 now."
Randy Moss had a forgettable stint with the Tennessee Titans, his most recent NFL team, during the 2010 season. The coach he played for in Nashville, however, isn't ruling out a reunion with the wide receiver in St. Louis. New Rams coach Jeff Fisher told SN correspondent Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that despite Moss' paltry production as a Titan (just six catches for 80 yards in eight games), he had no issues with Moss as a player both on and off the field. “I thought the world of him over the six or... [Read More]
Rams wide receiver Nick Miller has been suspended for the first four games of next season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Under NFL rules, Miller can take part in the offseason workouts and preseason games with his suspension beginning before the regular season. Miller returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. He averaged 16 yards on eight punt return and caught one pass for eight yards. Rams wide receiver Austin Pettis is suspended for the first two games of... [Read More]
Chuck Cecil, a longtime assistant under Rams coach Jeff Fisher with the Tennessee Titans and a former Pro Bowl safety as a player, will become the team's secondary coach, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch who cites league sources. Given Cecil's playing and coaching style, suffice to say he will not be teaching finesse football. During seven seasons as an NFL player for Green Bay, Arizona and the Houston Oilers, Cecil had a reputation as one of the game's biggest hitters — and then some.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has named Jeff Fisher, Mark Murphy, and Ken Whisenhunt to the Competition Committee according to NFL Spokesman Greg Aiello. They join chairman Rich McKay, Stephen Jones, Marvin Lewis, John Mara, Ozzie Newsome and Rick Smith on the Competition Committee.
Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd told the Post-Dispatch at the end of the season that a big factor in where he play next season is where Josh McDaniels ended up per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lloyd's career took off after he joined McDaniels in Denver in 2009, and the pair reunited in St. Louis following the trade, but after one ill-fated season as Rams offensive coordinator, McDaniels now has the coordinator's title in New England. The Patriots could be a desirable landing spot for Lloyd for a couple of... [Read More]
When George Paton pulled out of the running with the St. Louis Rams it made it a one-horse race for the team’s general manager job. Les Snead won that race today when he was hired as the GM, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As recently as last night, Paton was the favorite to land the job, but he decided to remain with the Minnesota Vikings and was promoted to the role of assistant general manager. Snead comes from the Atlanta Falcons where he spent the last 13 years, the last... [Read More]
After visiting 15 NFL teams before signing with the St. Louis Rams, offensive lineman Jovan Olafioye is returning to the B.C. Lions after failing his physical with the Rams, Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail reports. "The St. Louis Rams have notified Jovan Olafioye that they have released him from his contract due to their concerns about a medical issue," Dan Vertlieb, Olafioye's agent said. "Given the closing window to explore opportunities in the NFL in Jovan’s current CFL contract, he will return to... [Read More]
