Bruce released

[Nick_Weasel]

This is so sad. All ties to LA are now cut I suppose...

[Mooselini]

Man...this is a sad day. We BETTER get a good receiver. I'm serious...

[live4ramin]

1) Perhaps the last gentle man in the game.

2) Please RAMS gods don't waste this hallowed void.

3) Good things don't last.

4) Thank you #80.

[prof22693]

If Bernie is right, if Isaac really was cut (having not heard anything official elsewhere), we may still be able to get him to resign. I sincerely hope the FO can.

[jquarando]

** NO LINKS**

I think this makes it official.

[RamWraith]

I know you are all hurt and feel betrayed (I am too). But keep in mind a few things.

For the money Bruce wants (needs) this is just not good business sense. We can sign ALL of our draft picks with this money.

In the long run this will allow us to get younger and force us to grow as a team.

He will be missed but never forgotten. But right now we need to think of the team and its future.

[Mooselini]

Originally Posted by RamWraith

I know you are all hurt and feel betrayed (I am too). But keep in mind a few things.

For the money Bruce wants (needs) this is just not good business sense. We can sign ALL of our draft picks with this money.

In the long run this will allow us to get younger and force us to grow as a team.

He will be missed but never forgotten. But right now we need to think of the team and its future.

Ofcourse we're all hurt by this move. But youre right...Time to move on. Build from the bottom up. We can now get a good wide receiver who's got more that 7 years in him.

[RamWraith]

Rams cut Bruce, Frerotte
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
02/28/2008


***Update***

For years the face the of the Rams franchise in St. Louis, wide receiver Isaac Bruce was released by the club on Thursday, according to league sources.

With a $2 million roster bonus due on Friday, Bruce apparently declined to accept a pay cut proposed by the club, leading to his release. Bruce, 35, was due $5 million overall — $3 million in the form of base salary for ’08, plus the $2 million roster bonus.

The team’s final offer to Bruce apparently was $3 million — in other words, the base salary minus the roster bonus.

Bruce ended the 2007 season third on the NFL’s career list for receiving yards (14,070), trailing only Jerry Rice (22,895) and Tim Brown (14,934). Bruce also finished the season with 942 catches, ranking sixth on the NFL’s all-time list. The four-time Pro Bowler, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the Rams’ Super Bowl XXXIV victory over Tennessee, was a second-round draft choice the club in 1994. He has been with the team ever since, save for four days in March of 2006 when he was released and then re-signed by the Rams.

Rams officials also confirmed Thursday that backup quarterback Gus Frerotte has been released.

As the final hours ticked away before the start of the free agency period Friday, the Rams weren’t expected to extend tender offers to restricted free agents Jerome Carter and Trevor Johnson. Meanwhile, rumors circulated at Rams Park that defensive end James Hall might join Frerotte as a cap casualty to help the team free up salary cap room for the free agency period.

The release of Frerotte creates $1.9 million in additional cap room; he was scheduled to make $1.4 million in base salary plus a roster bonus of $500,000 in 2008. It also frees the Rams and new offensive coordinator Al Saunders to pursue free-agent quarterback Todd Collins of the Washington Redskins.

Collins, 36, has been with Saunders for the past seven seasons, first in Kansas City and then Washington. Collins was a late-season sensation in place of the injured Jason Campbell in ’07, posting a 106.4 passer rating and completing 63.7 percent of his passes to lead the Redskins to a playoff berth.

Bruce’s release saves the team $5 million. If Hall is released it would save the Rams $3.5 million in cap money, representing Hall’s scheduled $3 million roster base salary in ‘08 plus a $500,000 roster bonus.

Johnson, a defensive end, and Carter, a safety become the equivalent of unrestricted free agents once it becomes official that the team has not made one-year tender offers.

[prof22693]

This really sucks. If only we could get him back. Why can't they restructure Pisa, he's always injured. Also James Hall and Bennett. I have not lost faith in Bennet, but we are paying him too much.

[mcpeepants232003]

Originally Posted by RamWraith

I know you are all hurt and feel betrayed (I am too). But keep in mind a few things.

For the money Bruce wants (needs) this is just not good business sense. We can sign ALL of our draft picks with this money.

In the long run this will allow us to get younger and force us to grow as a team.

He will be missed but never forgotten. But right now we need to think of the team and its future.

Thank you. Yes we will all miss Isaac but he is not worth 5 million a year. Right now we need to let go of the past because this is team needs to start rebuilding. We have spent too much money on trying to patch holes and remain a fringe playoff team. We aren't going to contend next year so we might as well cut our losses and let our over priced veterans go.

[txramsfan]

Then quit wasting money on signings like Bennett and get smart about the money.

[Mooselini]

Originally Posted by txramsfan

Then quit wasting money on signings like Bennett and get smart about the money.

I think we need to reconstruct Bennett's contract....it's really high and he doesnt deserve it.

[prof22693]

Originally Posted by Mooselini

I think we need to reconstruct Bennett's contract....it's really high and he doesnt deserve it.

Of course he doesn't, the $30 mil is way to much. He needs to restructure, and the Rams have to do something about Pisa and James Hall. I wonder who will be our #3 receiver if Bennett is the #2.... Bruce can still produce big time, I wouldn't be surpirsed to see him hit 1,000 yards elsewhere.

[Keenum]

It's not over yet. We did the same thing either last year or the year before, whenever they were re-doing all that CBA stuff. The Rams cut him, then they extended the deadline for the CBA agreement, and then they were able to work out a deal.
Aeneas Williams was also released onced, and then signed another contract.

Hopefully Bruce will be back in maybe a few days after getting a new contract in order.
Because I do NOT want to see him in Forty-Niners.
Or how about Arizona if they lose Fitgerald? Do the Rams really want to see the possibility of Warner to Bruce HURTING us this time around?
Sometimes you gotta pay a bit more just to keep players away from other teams, and we KNOW the Forty-Niners are about to go after him BIG TIME.

Keeping him without redoing the contract, or releasing him, either way as advantages and disadvantages.

[Mooselini]

Originally Posted by prof22693

Of course he doesn't, the $30 mil is way to much. He needs to restructure, and the Rams have to do something about Pisa and James Hall.

Definately. Pisa needs reconstructing, Hall is getting cut.

It's unfortunate that Bruce wouldnt reconstruct...how greedy.