Brown Sets Sights on Starting
Friday, March 31, 2006
By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer
On the surface, the Rams’ signing of cornerback Fakhir Brown on March 14 might have been a simple afterthought in the grand scheme of the team’s many offseason moves.
But, if Brown has his way, the move will be much more than a simple under the radar signing.
“I am expecting to be a starter,” Brown said. “That’s what I want to be…a starter. I have got big plans for myself.”
It didn’t take much for Brown to agree to a five-year deal with the Rams considering what he perceived as a prime opportunity to have his breakout season.
Soon after his arrival for a free agent visit in mid-March, Brown put pen to paper on a contract. The reasons for his choosing St. Louis were obvious.
Jim Haslett, his former head coach in New Orleans is now in charge of the Rams defense, giving Brown a chance for a comfortable transition to St. Louis.
“I look at him like he’s still the head coach because that’s the only thing I know him as,” Brown said. “It seems to me that he will be just the same as he was in New Orleans.”
But, perhaps more important for Brown was what Haslett and the rest of the coaching staff told him about his potential role in St. Louis. In his time with the Saints, Brown had been limited almost exclusively to a role as the nickel back and on special teams until 2004 when he started the final 10 games of the year. He finished that season with two interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 65 tackles.
Brown seemed to be on the verge of a breakout after that performance, but things changed again after he chose to stage a holdout in hopes of a new contract. He didn’t miss any minicamp or training camp, but it didn’t help to miss a chunk of the offseason conditioning program.
Brown started the year as the team’s starting cornerback in 2005, but suffered a knee injury that cost him four games. By the time he returned from that injury and a legal issue, Fred Thomas had the starting job essentially nailed down.
When he was on the field, he was playing in nickel or sub packages, only called upon when opponents went to three or four receiver packages. Brown started four games and finished with 31 tackles, six passes defended.
Now, Brown has the contract he had been looking for after 2004 and the opportunity that he has long sought.
“It feels very good for me,” Brown said. “I talked to the defensive coaches once I made it here. I have talked to the coaches and everyone is making me feel comfortable and at home. They are just telling me to keep doing what I have been doing and everything will work out well.”
In signing with St. Louis, Brown joins a crowded defensive back field that is wanting for talented cover men. As it stands, the Rams are counting on Jerametrius Butler to return from injury to handle the top corner job with
Ron Bartell, Travis Fisher and DeJuan Groce in place behind him.
It seems likely that Butler will regain his starting spot and Bartell, Fisher, Groce and Brown will compete for the spot opposite Butler. At 5’11, 192 pounds, Brown has the type of size to win the job. Coach Scott Linehan has made it clear that Brown will get a chance to win the job.
In Arabic, Brown says Fakhir means “superb,” something the Rams’ 30th ranked defense wasn’t anywhere near a year ago. But Brown thinks that could change sooner than later.
Whether Brown starts or not will ultimately be decided by how he performs in the preseason. And it certainly won’t be the first time he has been forced to fight for a job.
“There will be a lot of competition, but I am up for it,” Brown said.