Holt tells Rams he wants out

By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Thursday, Mar. 05 2009
Seven-time Pro Bowler Torry Holt, a mainstay of the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf
teams, has asked for his release, league sources told the Post-Dispatch on
Wednesday. But the Rams still have 12 days to grant his wish.

Holt, 32, is due a roster bonus of $1.25 million March 17, so it's highly
unlikely he will be a Ram beyond then. But the Rams could still try to trade
him until then, meaning any potential trade partner wouldn't have to compete
for his services, as would be the case if he were released.

Today marks only the seventh day of the free agency period. But more than 100
players already have either signed with new teams or re-signed with their old
squad. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been committed in new contracts.

Realizing he no longer fits in the team's plans, Holt is seeking closure on his
time in St. Louis, as well as an opportunity to find a job ASAP.

Many of the top available receivers in free agency have gotten new contracts.
Laveranues Coles (Cincinnati), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Seattle), Nate Washington
(Tennessee), Brandon Jones (San Francisco), Bryant Johnson (Detroit) and Jabar
Gaffney (Denver) have signed with new teams.

Michael Clayton (Tampa Bay) and Devery Henderson (New Orleans) have re-signed
with their old squads. Antonio Bryant was given the franchise tag by Tampa Bay.

As of Wednesday evening, there were some older receivers still on the market,
however, including Marvin Harrison, 36, Joey Galloway, 37, Bobby Engram, 36,
Amani Toomer, 34, and Ike Hilliard, 32. In addition, the New York Giants may
eventually dump Plaxico Burress at some point because of his off-field problems.

Holt, the No. 6 overall draft pick by the Rams in 1999, has caught more passes
(817) for more yards (11,872) than any receiver in the NFL this decade. Over
his entire 10-year career, his average of 80.1 yards a game is the highest for
any receiver in league history. Overall, Holt is 11th in career receptions
(869) and 14th in career receiving yards (12,660).

At the start of the 2008 season, Holt said he wanted to make his 10th NFL
campaign special — both from a team standpoint and an individual standpoint. At
the start of training camp at Concordia University Wisconsin, he indicated that
winning was more important than money or individual achievements at this stage
of his career.

But 2008 turned out to be disastrous on several fronts. Coach Scott Linehan was
fired four games into the year, and the team finished with a 2-14 record,
struggling mightily on both sides of the ball.

Holt's production plummeted. He finished with 64 catches for 796 yards and
three touchdowns. The TD total was a career low. His totals for receptions and
reception yards were the lowest since his rookie season. And his string of
eight-straight 1,000-yard seasons was snapped.

Near the end of the 2008 season, Holt issued a blunt "no comment" when asked if
he wanted to return to the Rams in 2009. He has one year left on his contract
and currently counts $10.2 million against the Rams' salary cap. Trading or
releasing him would save the team $8 million this season, which comes in the
form of a $6.65 million base salary, a $100,000 offseason workout bonus and the
$1.25 million roster bonus.

League sources indicated over the weekend that the Rams were trying to trade
both Holt and another Rams seven-time Pro Bowler, left tackle Orlando Pace. But
so far there appear to be no suitors for either player.

Holt could not be reached to comment Wednesday.

Rams general manager Billy Devaney, when reached Wednesday night, said, "Our
only comment is no comment."

Well there's another nail in GSOT's coffin. That will leave us with 2 players from that team. (Little & Pace)

I wonder if the RAMS have asked Torry if there are any teams he would prefer to play for? Or maybe the RAMS don't care at this point?

T.J. Houshmandzadeh went to Seattle. That is not so good for us.

There are a lot of older receivers out there looking for work. Lots of competition for Holt.

TO is now free

Unfortunately, everyone knows we're going to release him, so there's not much we can do other than ask for rock bottom prices for him. At this point I doubt we could get much more than a 5th, or maybe a pick next year depending on his production.

Thank you Tory, and Godspeed . . .
however, who would want a relatively "old" WR with knee problems and whose production is in free fall (of course is not all his fault), specially when you have a wide range of options in the FA inlcuding TO and Harrison?
I don't think we're gonna get much
I for one would like him to stay, not becuase what he represents or production but to keep mentoring the young-blood and maybe crabtree.

This is too sad. Two years straight, I've watched my two favorite players I watched growing up go.

But it's rebuilding time. Thanks Torry for all the memories. Hope you find employment elsewhere. I will always root for you buddy.

sigh:disapointed:

I think at this point Holt is making a mistake. To leave the Rams after a dud year, 2008. If anything to garner marketability, he ought to have restructured his deal, played one more year, to get his stats up. Right now with a lot of Older WR out there in the market

Well, as on old (very old) football fan I have many wonderful memories of #81 (both Jackie Smith AND Tory Holt). I truely believe both the Rams and Holt are making a mistake. The Rams; because Tory has maybe 2 seasons left in that body to really produce some decent numbers, if you will throw to him. Tory Hold: because Tory has maybe 2 seasons left in that body to really produce some decent numbers, [B]if you will throw to you and the fact that the Rams went shopping to see what they could possibly get in trade for you should be a burning itch to come back and try and produce some stellar numbers in the 2009 season

What ever happens, my man, as Bob Hope's theme song goes, "Thanks for the memories........."

A holt departure just means one more NEED for the Rams

Would it be wrong of me to give out negative rep to anybody that mentions us signing T.O.? Because, fact is, anyone that does not understand the negative ramifications of that probably deserves a negative hit ...

Why not, heck get rid of little and pace also, while the team is at it they just as well take down the champ banners, ring of fame names and unretire all the jersey's hung around the dome, they they will have no ties to the past. Then and only then will this organiziation have truly taken a full dump on everything it stands for. This team is a sinking ship and only when its sunk to the bottom can it be brought back to the surface again. History of some of the Rams dumbest moves.

1. Not paying Dickerson 1.5 mill a year..........
2. letting kevin greene leave as a FA
3. letting henry ellard go as a player
4. drafting defensive players in the top 15 of round 1 (to many years to count)
5. Forcing Vermiel out and making martz the HC he was never HC material he is a OC not a HC
6. Letting london fletcher go
7. letting pickett go
8. releasing Bruce
9. letting s-jack hold out all training camp with no repercussions
10. Not drafting a QB for the future in the last 4 years with them top picks.
11. parting ways with HOLT
12. getting away from offensive FB as we all know a great offense and medium D can beat a super D & a 3 and out O more times than a super D & a 3 and out O can beat a great O and medium D. Look at Past 10-15 years of SB winning teams 90% or more had great Offenses and decent D's.

thats just the tip of the iceburg and see the ship slowly sinking, so we ride it to the bottom and hope in 3-5 years the team is sold and the owner who wants run his biz in the same town the biz operates in or the current owner moves the team back to LA, as absentee owners don't build a succesfull biz in any market you need to be hands ON & present daily.

As a fan for over 31 years it frustrating to see a team keep repeating mistakes year after year then when they have a succesful formula they dont repeat them moves, the only hope for this year is that the 9 is the year of the rams (i just pray to the good lord they dont win the big dance with a 2000 yd rusher & 1200 yd QB and scoring 13 pts a game while only allowing 12pts because thats a annomoly and wont happen year after year, ask the bears ravens, bucs, boys, skins ect), but the oxygen is about out as this ship sinks to the bottom.

Offenses win titles you defense is there to get your offense the ball back to score more points!!!!!!!!! Not win you games!!!!!!!

T.O.---oh No not even on a dare

No Plax--or Harrison either

These guys have a "me first" attitude and some are at the end of their careers and have no real long term prospects with a team.

T.O.--all you can say is that the best thing he is noted for is ruining a locker room. He had a chance to become a Hall of Fame player with the Eagles and blew it. His production in Dallas fell off and was a distraction. Unless there is another Jerry Jones out there, stick a fork in T.O.

Right now the Rams need new blood and get positive Leadership. Harrison might provide that, but he too has his troubles with the law and off field problems. And Plex, just isn't a team player and can't get control over hsi own life.

IT might take a couple of seasons to get top end WRs but better to to find talent and develope it then to invite trouble into your locker room

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RamsInfiniti

Would it be wrong of me to give out negative rep to anybody that mentions us signing T.O.? Because, fact is, anyone that does not understand the negative ramifications of that probably deserves a negative hit ...

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I'm w/ ya, man. Sounds like a GREAT idea. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McKnight

well I think it would be, because by you doing that it's like you're saying that Your opinion is the only one that matters. I don't want Terrell, but others are intitled to there opinion.

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Everywhere T.O. has played, there have been problems that have never translated into winning except early in his 49'ers career ...

Implying that we should sign T.O. is implying you would be willing to sign a death warrant for this team ...

What is the purpose of negative rep anyway if it cannot be awarded for RIDICULOUSLY dumb ideas?