Rams, DE Hall agree on two-year contract

[Nick]

Rams agree to terms with Hall
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/24/2008

James Hall, who started 15 games last season at right defensive end, is back with the Rams. Financial terms of his new two-year contract weren’t immediately available, but it’s a more cap-friendly deal according to team sources.

Hall was released 3½ weeks ago in a salary cap move. He was scheduled to make $3.5 million in 2008 under the old contract, including a $500,000 roster bonus due the first weekend of the free agency period.

Bothered much of last season with a high ankle sprain, Hall tied for seventh on the team with 59 tackles. He registered a team-high 20 quarterback pressures, but posted only 2½ sacks.

"He was definitely a guy that we had high expectations for," coach Scott Linehan said Monday night. "But he played hurt most of the year. We think he has a couple of more years left."

Hall made free-agent visits earlier this month to Buffalo and Minnesota.

Linehan doesn’t think the addition of Hall will have any impact on what the Rams do with their first-round pick in the upcoming draft. Defensive ends Chris Long of Virginia and Vernon Gholston of Ohio State are prime candidates to be taken by St. Louis.

"We still could (take a defensive end)," Linehan said. "It’s just as wide open as ever."

[smizzhfx]

I'm all for depth along the defensive line.. I'd still like to see us pick up C. Long but there's nothing wrong with a deep rotation.

[itsguud]

My ideal situation would be for us to trade back about six spots aquiring an additional 2nd or 3rd round pick and still end up with Golhston

[Ramblin` Ram]

depth i pray.

[bruce4life]

Hall if healthy last year would of had 5- 8 sacks.... hes a solid player... not spectacular but good enough to give us help...

I LOVE THE DEPTH WERE CREATING THIS SEASON,,

[rams4life88]

I agree, this is a good depth signing.

[RealRam]

Hall if healthy last year would have had 5 - 8 sacks.... He's a solid player ... not spectacular but good enough to give us help.

I LOVE THE DEPTH WE'RE CREATING THIS SEASON...

:bash: Ditto that my friend!

[Mooselini]

We'll still get a DE in the first round. If not the second. They're doing this for depth. Adeyanju isnt going to cut it.

[Bald_81]

To me, this screams out that Dorsey is the best defender on the Rams board. If he checks out at the pro day on Wednesday, I can see us snatching him up then taking a situational pass rusher like Groves or Jackson in the 2nd round, atleast until they are groomed to take over as a starter. Call me biased because I am a big Dorsey fan, but that is what it looks like to me, especially when the entire team was high on Hall last year and Little was praising him saying "he is going to make my job alot easier this season". Had both stayed healthy, that could've been the case.

[chiguy]

To me, this screams out that Dorsey is the best defender on the Rams board. If he checks out at the pro day on Wednesday, I can see us snatching him up then taking a situational pass rusher like Groves or Jackson in the 2nd round, atleast until they are groomed to take over as a starter. Call me biased because I am a big Dorsey fan, but that is what it looks like to me, especially when the entire team was high on Hall last year and Little was praising him saying "he is going to make my job alot easier this season". Had both stayed healthy, that could've been the case.

I think this screams much more loudly that the Rams were thin at this position than that they feel Dorsey is the best player available. No matter how you slice the pie, the Rams need at least one (if not two) young DE's this year. Little has had one good season in the last three, Hall is probably a rotational player, and Adeyanju will never be more than a good run stopper. Signing Hall means that they don't have to pursue two DE's no matter what, thus giving them a little more flexibility in the draft.

Given the age of our team and lack of depth at DE and OT, I think it would be a real surprise if we drafted Dorsey instead of one of the Longs or Gholston. The only way you do that is if you think Dorsey is the next big thing, but there are enough question marks out there about him and enough value in the other options that I doubt that's how they're seeing this.

I appreciate that you like Dorsey, but I think you've over-read into this situation.

[tomahawk247]

This signing means that drafting two DEs in the draft would be a luxury instead of the necessity it was previously

[txramsfan]

What's so great about depth? I've never really understood why fans get so excited about depth. Depth at cow patties means you just have to go through more cow patties.

[moloch41]

Depth behind nothing!!! Our season is saved!!! Let's sign another kicker so we have depth there too!!!

[Rambos]

My take, if C. Long is on the board the Rams take him, if not Jake Long is the pick. Later in the draft get a edge rusher. type (Curtis Johnson OLB/DE). Second round WR, third SS,DB or LB.

[AvengerRam]

Nothing wrong with this signing, but it should not have a major impact on the draft.