Rams invite Kreider to camp ...

By MIKE GROSS, Sports Writer

Dan Kreider's NFL career may be hanging by a thread, but it's not over yet.

Kreider, a Manheim Central graduate who's been with the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2000, has been invited to attend the St. Louis Rams training camp next month.

Kreider is an unrestricted free agent. He's been the Steelers' starting fullback for most of the last five seasons, but tore an anterior cruciate knee ligament after appearing in 10 games last season.

The Steelers announced in January that Kreider was unlikely to return.

Mike Williams, Kreider's high school coach, said last week that the knee is fully rehabilitated.

The Rams begin training camp for rookies and veterans July 25 in Mequon, Wis. Their first preseason game is Aug. 9 at Tennessee.

The Rams went 3-13 last season, the worst record in the NFC. Third-year head coach Scott Linehan survived, but the offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and three other assistants did not.

There are two fullbacks on the Rams' roster: Brian Leonard, a second-year player from Rutgers who's first on the depth chart, and fifth-year veteran Richard Owens, who also has experience as a long snapper.

Kreider is 5-foot-11, 250 pounds, and 31 years old. Known as a blocking specialist, Kreider had only two carries last season for two yards, and caught one pass for 15 yards.

Calls to his cell phone last week were not returned.


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if he is as stated indeed fully rehabilitated he would be a nice pick up...am sure Jax would prefer to run behind him than leonard or owens...i like brian for his all purpose abilities but he aint gonna strike fears into the hearts of any D yet thro his lead blocking!

a fit Kreider leading jax would!

kreider has made holes for a lot of succesful backs in pittsburg, ill take him blockin for 39 anyday

Love this news if Kreider is indeed healthy. He was considered among the top pure blocking fullbacks in the league for a while there. This is the kind of FB I think we need rotating with Leonard.

i would still dearly like an explanation of why linehan cut hedgecock, who was an effective blocker, solid on special teams and made minimal money.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

I hope he makes it. We need him.

As much as I want Leonard to succeed, I don't think FB is the position he will do so. I really hope he becomes our back up, so we have two power backs.

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Originally Posted by general counsel

i would still dearly like an explanation of why linehan cut hedgecock, who was an effective blocker, solid on special teams and made minimal money.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

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Yeah well I bet Hedgecock doesn't care much now. He seemed mad at the organization but hell I bet he's happy with that ring now...

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Originally Posted by general counsel

i would still dearly like an explanation of why linehan cut hedgecock, who was an effective blocker, solid on special teams and made minimal money.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

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Remember, we had to build the corp of tight ends. Tough choices have to be made when you lead the league in tight ends on your roster. Certainly Lombardi would have done the same.

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Originally Posted by general counsel

i would still dearly like an explanation of why linehan cut hedgecock, who was an effective blocker, solid on special teams and made minimal money.

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I would guess it was because the coaching staff did not agree with your assessment. :D

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Originally Posted by Mooselini

As much as I want Leonard to succeed, I don't think FB is the position he will do so. I really hope he becomes our back up, so we have two power backs.

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Wasn't that the plan when we drafted him - that he'd be Steven Jackson's back up and could spell him on certain occasions? Now he's a situational fullback.

This is exactly why I didn't like the pick at the time - because you don't spend a second round pick on a back-up player, and Leonard simply is not an every down fullback. He's not a strong lead blocker. You have to wonder under what scenario this pick is going to look smart now.

To think we could have taken a DE there or even Ryan Kalil to potentially solve our question mark at center.

And richard owens was such an intimidating presence as a blocker and in the passing game last year.

I appreciate the coaches didnt agree, i am just curious as to why and what it was about hedgecock specifically and a pure lead blocker generally that was a problem for them. When we waived hedgecock, we had NO true lead blockers out of the backfield on the team, which may have been the difference between us making and not making the playoffs last year (only kidding on that one)

I defy anyone to name a worse personnel decision that linehan has made than the hedgecock move. Cant blame that one on the front office, it had nothing to do with money.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

I like Kreider, I hope we pick him up. As long as he stays healthy.

IF he's healthy, Kreider would be a nice pickup. In their 75 year history, the Steelers have only had 19 backs run for at least 240 attempts in a season. Of those 19 backs, 5 did so behind Dan Kreider.

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Originally Posted by general counsel

I appreciate the coaches didnt agree, i am just curious as to why and what it was about hedgecock specifically and a pure lead blocker generally that was a problem for them.

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According to Jeff Gordon: "Hedgecock really slipped as a blocker here. The Giants may love him, but there was lots of bad tape on him here. His exit wasn't mourned by many at Rams Park."

We can discuss the topic to death and offer various theories, but you'll likely never get a true answer verified by the coaching staff. You rarely do when it comes to non-star players. Also, the ease in which he publicly trashed Linehan after leaving, IMO, makes it reasonable to wonder if there wasn't a character/locker room issue that contributed to his departure. Not saying there definitely was or wasn't, but that his comments opened the door for that kind of speculation.

I do agree with you though that it was a horrible decision to waive him without an established back-up or second option already on the team. I like the potential Richard Owens brings to a FB/TE role, but I think if you're going to cut a starter during the season, you need to have a guy that is capable of stepping in to replace him.

Linehan probably thought he did in Owens but it turned out he did not. Ultimately I think that - rather than releasing Hedgecock - was the mistake.

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Originally Posted by general counsel

I defy anyone to name a worse personnel decision that linehan has made than the hedgecock move.

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I think there are a couple of others that could be argued. The entire third round of the 2006 draft isn't looking too hot, nor is the Leonard pick from a year ago.

Fair point nick on some of the drafting issues, but i view those as only partially being on linehan, as i strongly doubt that he had sole decision making authority on the draft the same way he does on most of the roster related decisions.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

Quote:

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Originally Posted by general counsel

i would still dearly like an explanation of why linehan cut hedgecock ...

ramming speed to all

general counsel

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It could be that Madison and Scott simply couldn't stand one another. It was noted in the PD after Hedgecock was released, that the coaching staff was not happy with his blocking, but it likely went deeper than that. Particularly when you factor in Hedgecock's comments after he was claimed by the Giants. It will all be water under the bridge however, after we hand the Giants and Maddy their lunch in our home opener. This unexpected drubbing early in their season as defending champs will stun the G-men, and Hedge will regret that he wasn't more respectful to Mr Linehan .. ;)