MARCH 15: RAMS SIGN FAKHIR BROWN
Pete Prisco--This signing might surprise some people, but new Rams defensive coordinator
Jim Haslett pushed the team to sign Brown. Two years ago, Brown was a rising player, a guy the Saints thought could be an elite corner. He showed good man cover skills and he was a willing tackler. But he missed time last year, which is why he fell down the free-agent lists. He is certainly an upgrade over what the Rams had at corner. He will start and he should be a good signing for Halsett.
Clark Judge-- A safe move by defensive coordinator
Jim Haslett. He had Brown in New Orleans, where the cornerback served as a backup to Fred Thomas. He gives the Rams depth at a vulnerable position, and that's always good. More than that, though, he brings depth to the special teams, an area of concern in the past. There's really no downside here. Brown knows the defense, and he will help a special teams unit that needs a little TLC.
MARCH 15: PACKERS SIGN RYAN PICKETT
Pete Prisco--The Packers needed to get better against the run, and Pickett has the ability to do that. Notice the word "ability." He has never lived up to being a first-round pick, but the talent is there. He is a big force at 320 pounds, but he has a tendency to get a little too heavy. The Rams didn't think enough of him to bring him back with a big-money deal. They instead decided to sign La'Roi Glover from the Saints, a penetrating defensive tackle. Pickett, if motivated, will help the Packers. But that's a big if.
Clark Judge--That 2001 Rams' draft doesn't look so good to St. Louis fans. Pickett's departure makes it a perfect three-for-three with the team's first-round picks that year, and he needs a change of scenery. Though he showed flashes as a starter with the Rams and has decent power and quickness, he was too inconsistent -- and, in the end, he was a disappointment. He will take over as the run stuffer in Green Bay, and maybe he perks up with the move. He has the ability; he just hasn't produced as expected.
Linear Mode
