Coakley Story from PD

[AvengerRam]

THE CAP NUMBER IS MUCH LESS THAN REPORTED BY LEN PASTABELLY!

Rams sign free-agent LB Coakley


BY JIM THOMAS
Of the Post-Dispatch
Wednesday, Mar. 02 2005

Striking quickly on the first day of free agency, the Rams signed linebacker
Dexter Coakley of the Dallas Cowboys.

Coakley will sign a five-year, $14.5 million contract that includes a $3
million signing bonus.

Coakley was a cap casualty Tuesday in Dallas, where he was due a roster bonus
of $502,000.

Besides the signing bonus, he will receive a $1 million base salary this
season, meaning his salary cap count for 2005 is only $1.6 million.

Coakley, 32, has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys,
making three Pro Bowls.

With Pisa Tinoisamoa moving to strong safety, he will be the Rams’ starting
weakside linebacker.

Coakley, 5 feet 10 and 236 pounds, finished with 91 tackles last season. It was
the first time in his career he has logged under 100 tackles.

While still productive, Coakley didn’t figure in Dallas’ plans. They are
switching to a 3-4 defense and planned to use Coakley only in their nickel
defense.

The Rams don’t appear to be finished at linebacker, either. They have targeted
Minnesota’s Chris Claiborne at middle linebacker.

Two other free-agent linebackers are visiting elsewhere Wednesday. Baltimore’s
Edgerton Hartwell was headed to Kansas City for a free-agent visit.

[AvengerRam]

And this story... from StLouisRams.com:


Rams Sign Coakley
Wednesday, March 2, 2005


By Nick Wagoner
Staff Writer

Dexter Coakley has spent his entire eight-year career with the Cowboys. But when Dallas released Coakley on Tuesday night, his search for a new home began. Apparently, that search started and ended in St. Louis.

Coakley reached an agreement with the Rams on a five-year, $14.5 million contract. He will receive a $3 million signing bonus.

Coakley was due a $502,000 roster bonus Wednesday and Dallas attempted to restructure his contract, but in the end, decided to let him go. Coakley would have counted $4.7 million against this year’s salary cap.

It seemed like a possibility that Coakley could return to Dallas, but he halted that speculation when he made his first stop Wednesday. Coakley visited the Rams only hours after receiving his release from the Cowboys.

After spending the morning touring Rams Park, Coakley agreed to the contract. He is a weakside linebacker and will fill a serious need for St. Louis.

St. Louis had interest in Coakley three years ago when he hit the free agent market, but he re-signed with Dallas. This time, the Rams didn’t allow him to go back to the Cowboys.

Although he is a bit on the small side at 5-feet-10, 231 pounds, Coakley has been productive in the league. He has 687 career tackles, 10 interceptions and eight sacks. He has made three Pro Bowl appearances.

The Rams altered their linebacking corps earlier this off-season when they moved Pisa Tinoisamoa to strong safety. The addition of Coakley is probably not the end of the additions to the defense as they search for a physical middle linebacker and help along the defensive line and in the secondary.

Chris Claiborne of Minnesota, Washington’s Antonio Pierce and Pittsburgh’s Kendrell Bell appear to be some of the guys that St. Louis is targeting.

[AvengerRam]

Welcome to the Rams!!!

[Shadesofgrey]

He's a London Fletcher type player...good move..Now we need the big boy gap stuffer !!!!

[sbramfan]

Sounds like a good deal for an OLB. I'm not thrilled with his age, but I hope the MLB they get is younger...

How old is Claiborne?

[general counsel]

We are trying to win now. Younger is of course better all things being equal, but with thomas and chillar we have some youth. What we really need is guys that can TACKLE and are cap friendly and coakley is apparantly both.

general counsel

[Nick]

Sounds like a good deal for an OLB. I'm not thrilled with his age, but I hope the MLB they get is younger...

How old is Claiborne?

Mid to late 20s. 26 or 27 I think.

[Yodude]

Mid to late 20s. 26 or 27 I think.

He's gotta be 30 or 31 at least if he played with Dallas for 8 seasons.

[sbramfan]

We know that Coakley is 32, as the article stated. It is Claiborne I was asking about. Apparently he is 27. Although it lists him as OLB? Is he not a Middle Line Backer?

I like his size...but do we really wany ANYONE from Minnesota's sorry defense?


# 55 Chris Claiborne
Position: OLB
Height: 6-3
Weight: 259
Born: 07/26/1978
College: USC
NFL Experience: 6

[RamsFanSam]

If Claiborne is also signed, maybe it will be the beginnings of the FO getting serious about the need to win another ring....

Just for the record and to satisfy my curiosity, how did our sorry defense compare to the vikings sorry defense?

[HUbison]

If Claiborne is also signed, maybe it will be the beginnings of the FO getting serious about the need to win another ring....

Just for the record and to satisfy my curiosity, how did our sorry defense compare to the vikings sorry defense?

Vikes sorry D - 243.5 pass ypg, 125.4 rush ypg, 24.7 points per game
Rams sorry D - 198.4 pass ypg, 136.2 rush ypg, 24.5 points per game

Ask and ye shall receive.

[ZigZagRam]

...and that's why I love this place. ClanRam: Stats...In A Snap!

Dexter Coakley is just one piece in the Rams defensive overhaul. I don't know what to think about Chris Claiborne though.

Why was he released last year?

[Nick]

He's gotta be 30 or 31 at least if he played with Dallas for 8 seasons.

You're talking about Coakley. sbramfan was asking about Claiborne.