Brandon Chillar heading to Green Bay

[onslaught11]

I am sad to see him go. Letting a talent you develop and who knows the system and is a starter go; not sound football sense. He was developing every year. He had a good year. He has been solid all this time. 2.6 mil/avg is not alot to spend on a starting LB in the NFL. Maybe if we did not give so much money to the human crutch, we could have given Chillar a decent contract. What did we give Pisa - 5 mil/yr.

Chillar has outperform Pisa the last 3 years. Don't like the decision. You are putting your hand on a 32 yr old backup who could not wrestle away a starting job and a UFA who though did good in ST; I am not sure will be anything more that mediocre.

[txramsfan]

He just turned 32.

I think there's a level of validity to the suggestion that Draft should have been starting over Chillar if he were in fact better. But the question becomes, is Chillar $5.2 million better than Draft? Meaning, is Chillar so much better than draft that you give him $5.2 million over two years to stay?

I think the answer is no, especially since we're talking about a strong-side linebacker who isn't going to be on the field all the time. Draft's contract over three years is still less than what Chillar signed for in two. Financially, if the difference between Draft and Chillar is minimal, why spend that money to bring Chillar back?

So Draft could move into the starting line-up, with Culberson serving as the back-up for either OLB spot. The Rams could also spend a mid round pick on an outside linebacker as well.

I think if you are just looking short term you may be right, but long term I'm sorry Nick I disagree. When NFL players get into their 30's, they start to rapidly regress. Much faster than younger players. Chillar was just starting to find himself as a LB in the NFL. He had a very productive year last year and was going to get better. Is there upside for Draft to get better or is it more likely his skills erode some due to the physicality of the game?

I think when we only look at stats, we don't see the whole picture.

[moloch41]

Meh, I've always stated that I thought the guy was overrated and the Rams shouldn't pay him top outside linebacker money to keep him, but that's not what the Packers offered him. We couldn't have matched that 2 yr deal? This defense was already weak last year and has only gotten worse over the offseason. I really don't think we're getting Chris Long- so I don't see our passrush changing much and now it looks like we might lose our best cover corner. I know most of you have said this team has a plan- but it's beginning to look like that plan might be a two or three year rebuilding process- which a new coach at the helm. And that might push it another 2 or 3 yrs down the line. If they're rebuilding, they should just come out and say it.

[Nick]

I think if you are just looking short term you may be right, but long term I'm sorry Nick I disagree.

I don't think anyone is looking at Chris Draft as a long-term answer.

He had a very productive year last year and was going to get better.

Maybe, maybe not. I think if Chillar was the guy you described, he would have gotten more attention as a free agent. Instead, he basically had three teams interested in him and didn't break the bank.

Ultimately he's a two-down strong side linebacker who is going to come off the field in certain packages. How great is he ever going to get in that role? True strong-side linebackers have been slowly fading out of the NFL over the last few seasons.

I think this idea that Chillar was going to continue to get better is a bit exaggerated. Maybe he does improve, but by how much? I don't think he has very much upside, in part because of where he plays on the defense.

I really don't think we're getting Chris Long- so I don't see our passrush changing much

Chris Long is the only player in this draft that can affect our pass rush?

[txramsfan]

Well, Pisa's majorly inflated contract for what Pisa actually produces had a lot to do with this decision also.

[Rambos]

I think there's a level of validity to the suggestion that Draft should have been starting over Chillar if he were in fact better

Not always the case, Tom Brady.

is Chillar $5.2 million better than Draft? Meaning, is Chillar so much better than draft that you give him $5.2 million over two years to stay?

No and the fact the this deal is the best he could get in this crazy FA market is to get a two year deal says a lot. He is in his prime right.

So Draft could move into the starting line-up, with Culberson serving as the back-up for either OLB spot. The Rams could also spend a mid round pick on an outside linebacker as well.

I agree, we let Alston walk last year, the Rams must have seen something they liked in Draft and Culberson.

[moloch41]

Chris Long is the only player in this draft that can affect our pass rush?

I think he's the only one that can come in first year and make a dynamic difference. I'm not a huge fan of the guy from LSU and the adjustment period for DTs into the NFL is usually longer than DE anyway. Gholston might be a decent NFL player, but I don't think you take him at #2 because he's mostly a passrusher and needs work against the run.

[Nick]

More on the Chillar situation, including what the Rams' contract offer was. Looking at their offer, it's hard to think they really wanted to bring him back enough to justify the cost at a position where a lot of money was already being spent...

Chillar would have preferred to stay with Rams
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Thursday, Mar. 20 2008

Had the money been similar, free agent Brandon Chillar would be a Ram in 2008.

"Yeah, yeah. Of course," Chillar told the Post-Dispatch Wednesday. "I told them
that from the beginning."

But in the end, it wasn't close. Chillar signed a two-year, $5.4 million
contract with the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday. According to one of Chillar's
agents, Jim Ivler, the contract includes incentive and escalator clauses that
could add an additional $1 million to the deal.

As for the Rams. . . .

"One year, $1 million," Chillar said. "It just wasn't cutting it. That made me
think that they had very little interest."

So after four seasons with the Rams, including two as the team's starting
strongside linebacker, Chillar is headed to Green Bay.

"It's got great tradition," Chillar said. "It's going to be an experience for
me to play at Lambeau Field, and I'm really looking forward to that."

Chillar paid free-agent visits to Arizona and Green Bay. From the outset,
Arizona was thought to be the frontrunner, in part because Chillar is from San
Diego and would be close to the West Coast.

"I think (the Cardinals) just had some in-house issues that they're trying to
get fixed; that they were going through with the (Larry) Fitzgerald deal and
everything like that," Chillar said. "Once Green Bay offered this kind of
contract, I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity. You can't wait forever."

The Cardinals have renegotiated Fitzgerald's contract, but the contract has yet
to be finalized with the NFL, so they didn't have the salary cap room to pay
for Chillar.

Although Chillar said he heard regularly from Rams defensive coordinator Jim
Haslett and linebacker coach Rick Venturi during the process, Chillar said he
didn't get a contract offer from St. Louis until the past week or so.

"I think the defensive coaches liked me and wanted me back," Chillar said.
"Ultimately, the front office is the one that makes the (offer). And they
didn't really contact me or anything. So I don't think they were very
interested."

Chillar recorded a career-high 85 tackles last season in 15 games. He
registered 2 1/2 sacks, forced three fumbles and had four pass breakups.

"I really enjoyed playing in that scheme, and thought that we were going places
with that scheme, too, because I was starting to get used in different ways,"
Chillar said.

Chillar said he will miss his Rams teammates but added, "I'm excited about next
year, and just want to go somewhere where I know I feel appreciated, too."

But with nearly $59 million committed to linebackers Will Witherspoon and Pisa
Tinoisamoa, and more pressing needs at other positions, the Rams felt they
couldn't afford to invest much in trying to retain Chillar.

"We wish him well," coach Scott Linehan said. "He played very well for us.
Unfortunately, we can't keep everybody. We've had to let other players go. ...
We've had to kind of figure out what can stay and what can't."

Minus Chillar, veteran Chris Draft and second-year player Quinton Culberson
will compete for the starting job at strongside linebacker. "We'll consider
both scenarios," Linehan said.

Draft and Culberson competing for Chillar's vacancy sounds fine. Still wouldn't rule out the Rams looking at an OLB in the draft, though it could be as a guy to push Pisa on the weak side.

Well, Pisa's majorly inflated contract for what Pisa actually produces had a lot to do with this decision also.

Very true. Could be asked to restructure or find himself a June 1st cut if he doesn't stay healthy over the next season or two.

Not always the case, Tom Brady.

Apples and oranges, though. Brady didn't start over Bledsoe because he was an unknown behind a veteran leader. Draft is the veteran in this scenario with Chillar the younger guy. I don't think it's quite as simple as saying Draft should have been starting over Chillar if he were better, but I do think that position has a point.

I think he's the only one that can come in first year and make a dynamic difference.

Well, I disagree. I think Gholston is equally capable of disrupting things from the edge, and teams regularly find guys in the later rounds who may not be able to start full time right away but can contribute. Remember, we're only two seasons removed from Mark Anderson racking up 12 sacks as a situational player for the Bears.

[txramsfan]

Well, our FO hasn't done such a bang up job when it comes to evaluating our young talent. Dre Bly? Too much money, so they said. However, we've been searching ever since he left for another CB of his talent. London Fletcher? Let him go, we'll get Jaime Duncan. Worst decision in the history of the St. Louis Rams letting him go. Ryan Pickett? Don't need him, however he played very well for the Rams and we lost him for $500K.

I wouldn't put much stock into what our FO thinks of young defensive talent. The track record isn't pretty.

[Rambos]

Apples and oranges, though. Brady didn't start over Bledsoe because he was an unknown behind a veteran leader

Bad example. I look at it this way the Rams went with Chiilar over Draft because he had more upside. Does not mean Draft could not have out played Chillar. Chillar would have been the long term guy. He did not play as well as many here give him credit for, if he did he would have gotten more then a one year offer.


Go back to 1999

Flutie started the first 15 games of the season, throwing 19 touchdowns and leading the Bills to a 10-5 record. Wade replaces him with Johnson, who had more upside long term, but never lived up to it, Flutie was the better player at the time. IMO still might be a bad example.

[keith m. klink]

CULBERSON had a monster game when he came in and started for the last game. i wouldn't count him out as becoming the starter this year , and that would be a great story .

[ScottD413]

I don't think you guys understand. We needed more cap room for tight ends!

[Ram Dragoon]

Problem with letting Chillar go to Green Bay is that his departure creats another hole to fill...and one more hole in a team with plenty of holes doesn't help matters. So what do the Rams do use their #2 pick to fill that hole? Letting Chillar go, I don't like because is is solid and consistant--that is a known value. Getting a replacement is an unknown value; who you might replace him with could be worst then what you got!

Second issue behind this story is that Scotty had a hand in the decision and who here is comfortable with Linehan's decisions? I am not, and fully expect much the same repeat of 07 in 08.

[Nick]

Problem with letting Chillar go to Green Bay is that his departure creats another hole to fill

Except it doesn't, because the Rams already have two guys on the roster they feel they could plug in there.

[ScottD413]

We could always move one of our 5 TEs over to OLB...