Inside Slant
As rumors flew early in free agency that the Dolphins were pursuing a quarterback to replace Gus Frerotte as the starter, Rams coach Scott Linehan waited patiently. Linehan has a history with Frerotte at both Minnesota and Miami, and it was no secret Linehan wanted an experienced backup behind
Marc Bulger.
So it was that shortly after Miami acquired Daunte Culpepper in a trade, the Dolphins terminated Frerotte's contract. Within three days, Frerotte was a member of the Rams.
"Marc's obviously got a great future," Linehan said. "Marc really is in the prime of his career. And Gus is at the tail end, but still has some good years left in him. ... He'll help the team because if, God forbid, something ever happens to Marc, you've got an experienced quarterback that's started a lot of games."
Last season, Frerotte started all 16 games for Miami and passed for 2,996 yards and 18 touchdowns. He helped engineer a late-season winning streak as the Dolphins finished with a 9-7 record.
Added Linehan, "He certainly hasn't lost anything in his arm strength and his ability. He had his career-best season as far as touchdown passes were concerned last year. I've got a great working relationship with him, and he does a great job of working hand in hand with the starter. And that's what was important to me in this position."
To that point, Frerotte understands his role.
"I know Marc's played extremely well," Frerotte said. "He's done a lot of great things. Just to be a part of the Rams' organization, I'm pretty excited about it. Things ended on a little bit of a sour note for me in Miami, but I would rather go with Scott to be a backup than go anywhere else."
The signing of Frerotte came after the Rams had signed several defensive players, prompting Linehan to joke, "I told (defensive coordinator)
Jim Haslett: 'Is it OK if we sign an offensive guy here in free agency? Or do we have to do all defense?'"
Frerotte's signing leaves the Rams with four quarterbacks on their roster. Battling for the No. 3 job will be Jeff Smoker, the team's sixth-round pick in 2004 and Ryan Fitzpatrick, last year's seventh-round choice. Fitzpatrick beat out Smoker last summer, but Smoker returned when Bulger was sidelined by a shoulder injury.
As for the competition for the No. 3 job, Linehan said, "I think Ryan's got the upper hand on that at this point. But we wanted to keep Jeff around. We feel he's got a chance to develop, too. They'll be in position now to battle for that."
NOTES, QUOTES
—The Rams reached a one-year contract agreement with running back Tony Fisher, who spent last season with the Packers. After deciding not to tender an offer to restricted free agent running back Arlen Harris, the Rams needed depth at the position.
Fisher visited St. Louis and decided to sign a one-year contract rather than make further visits to Buffalo and Pittsburgh.
"Nobody knows what Marshall Faulk might do," Fisher said.
"I'll do the third-down stuff. Play a little fullback; I'll do tailback and special teams. I'm going to be versatile throughout the whole system.
"I loved it in Green Bay. I love the fans and I was always out in the community. Unfortunately, things didn't work out the way I would have liked up in Green Bay."
In four seasons, Fisher rushed for 880 yards and caught 125 passes for 900 yards.
—In the first two weeks of free agency, two Rams free agents have wound up with their former head coach, Mike Martz, in Detroit. Martz is now the Lions' offensive coordinator.
Detroit signed offensive lineman Rex Tucker to a three-year contract and also added running back Arlen Harris on a one-year deal. In addition, safety Mike Furrey visited Detroit. Furrey was switched to safety last season from wide receiver, but was not given a tender as a restricted free agent by the new coaching staff.
—It turns out the contract former Rams defensive tackle Ryan Pickett signed with the Packers wasn't as pricey as first believed. Initial reports pegged the deal as averaging $3.75 million a year.
However, it turns out the average is $3.5 million, and the contract was just a four-year deal. The total value was $14 million, but the cap number was high for this year.
Pickett received a $2 million signing bonus this year, along with a $3 million roster bonus. Combined with a base salary of $1.475 million, he counts $4.975 million against the cap this year and will receive $6.475 million in cash in 2006.
There have been reports the Rams supposedly offered Pickett $3.25 million a year, but the length of the deal is unknown. If it was a 4-year offer, that would make the difference over four years a total of $1 million.
Certainly, the Rams wouldn't have wanted a cap hit of nearly $5 million this year, but they could have given the Pickett the identical money, with a $5 million signing bonus. That would have put the cap charge at $2.725 million.
However, it is likely the Rams balked at paying him almost $6.5 million this year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "There's nothing that I can do about it. They don't consult me before they make decisions on moves. It's business, and that's how it goes. ... But personally, it was a little disappointing." - Linebacker Trev Faulk on seeing the Rams sign new middle linebackers each of the last two off-seasons: Chris Claiborne and
Will Witherspoon.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: P Bryan Barker; RB Aveion Cason; CB Terry Fair; DE Tyoka Jackson; QB Jamie Martin; OG Tom Nutten; TE Roland Williams.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers): S Mike Furrey; CB Chris Johnson; LB Jeremy Loyd; OT Matt Morgan.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: WR Kevin Curtis; DE Brandon Green; CB DeJuan Groce; WR Shaun McDonald.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: CB Dwight Anderson; DT Jeremy Calahan; S Dwaine Carpenter; TE Jerome Collins; DE Clifford Dukes; LB Mike Goolsby.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED: WR Isaac Bruce; LS
Chris Massey; OG Blaine Saipaia; QB Jeff Smoker; LB Drew Wahlroos.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED: CB Fakhir Brown; S
Corey Chavous; RB Tony Fisher; QB Gus Frerotte; DT La'Roi Glover; LB
Will Witherspoon.
PLAYERS LOST: S Adam Archuleta; LB Chris Claiborne; RB Arlen Harris; CB Corey Ivy; DT Damione Lewis; NT Ryan Pickett; OL Rex Tucker.
Hmmm... Found that to be rather interseting...
Linear Mode
