Spagnuolo Speaks!

[Nick]

Spagnuolo Speaks
Posted Tue, February 16, 2010 05:12
by Nick Wagoner

- Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo spoke to the media today for the first time since the end of the season. During the course of the conversation, he hit on a variety of topics including free agency, the combine, potential free agent signees and draft picks, injured players and their recoveries and gave his thoughts on the newest additions to his staff.

- Of course, one hot topic around the team right now is what the quarterback situation will look like heading into 2010. This is what Spagnuolo had to say about any decisions on that front...

"There is still a long ways to go here," Spagnuolo said. "This is all in layers. Free agency, draft and what happens afterward. To make any rash decisions, no we wouldn’t do that. But I will say what I said before: good, bad or indifferent, in playing three quarterbacks last year it gave us a pretty good feel of what all three of them can do. So that’s a bonus. This time last year when I was standing here, I didn’t know a lot about them. So it’s good to have a comfort level of who we have and where we are going.

"I see all the scenarios. I have said this before, I have a great deal of respect for Marc (Bulger) and I think he is a good football player and a competitor. He grabs me all the time on the sideline with suggestions. I think a lot of Marc as I did Kyle (Boller) and certainly Keith (Null) getting in there and playing a few games, it helps us."

- Spagnuolo said he has talked to Bulger recently but like with most players at this time of year, he said those conversations are mostly just to catch up and talk about what's going on rather than football. Something more concrete should crystallize in the coming weeks before free agency.

- Speaking of free agency, Spagnuolo was asked directly about a pair of free agents already on the market whom he already knows.

- The Giants released linebacker Antonio Pierce last week after an injury-plagued season. Spagnuolo had Pierce in New York and has a good relationship with him.

"I haven’t talked to Antonio," Spagnuolo said. "When I saw it the other day, I meant to text him. I didn’t get a chance to do that but I will because Antonio is a close friend of mine and when you get in this business the players become close friends. I think the world of him. I know he had the injury last year. I was sorry to see that but I will have to visit with him."

That doesn't necessarily mean the Rams are interested in signing Pierce but Spagnuolo's relationship indicated it's something that would be discussed. One obstacle is Pierce's position. He plays middle linebacker and the Rams already have one in James Laurinaitis. That leaves a question of whether Pierce could handle an outside position or if he'd handle a backup role if the Rams chose to pursue him.

"I guess all those situations are possible," Spagnuolo said. "I think the health of the player is the most important thing first."

- The other player Spagnuolo knows who recently came available is receiver Donte Stallworth. Stallworth played for the Eagles when Spagnuolo was in Philadelphia. Stallworth is on the free agent market after getting his release from Cleveland.

"I was with Donte in Philadelphia," Spagnuolo said. "I think he’s a heck of a football player. I know that he has just become available so we are looking at everybody. I happen to know Donta personally and kind of like him. That’s going back a while, now."

- In a more general sense, Spagnuolo also addressed the free agent market and the strong possibility that it will be watered down by the uncapped year.

"The numbers are a lot less going into free agency," Spagnuolo said. "I am not talking about our players, I’m talking about other players that we could add. It’s just slim, numbers wise. That will make it a little bit more challenging. It is the same for every team so all 31 other teams are going through the same thing. Whatever the landscape, whatever phase you are in this thing, you just deal with it and you move on. It doesn’t do any good to hope it changes because if it doesn’t you have got to have a plan for it."

- As usual, Spagnuolo also sees a bright side to free agency: the opportunity to retain the free agents on his own roster.

"It allows you to keep players that normally might have gone out there so there’s two ways to look at it," Spagnuolo said. "Certainly the pool is less of guys you might have wanted to go grab but guys you want to keep in the fold here, it gives you an avenue to do that."

- Spagnuolo will head to Indianapolis a week from tomorrow with the Rams contingent for the scouting combine. He says he has just begun the process of looking at tape of college players as he and the coaches just put the finishing touches on the film of the free agents.

As for highly rated Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Spagnuolo said he is just starting to get to see him on tape.

"Not as much as I have wanted to," Spagnuolo said. "We just finished yesterday was the film on the free agents. Now we are just starting to dig into the college guys. I have seen clips of him here and there and he is an impressive football player but to say I have sat there and studied him I can’t do that."

- On the injury front, Spagnuolo says all of the players working back from various ailments are coming along just fine. Specifically, he said cornerback Bradley Fletcher is coming perhaps ahead of schedule and looks to be doing well. Chris Massey, C.J. Ah You, Keenan Burton, Eric Bassey and Adam Carriker are also coming along just fine.

- Among some of the players who have had surgery after the season, Spagnuolo said cornerback Ron Bartell (bursa sac/elbow) and John Greco (thumb) are doing fine after some minor procedures.

- That's it for today. Be sure to keep an eye on this space in the next week or so as I will once again be providing quick updates with tidbits from Lucas Oil Stadium.

[Fortuninerhater]

No mention of Laurent Robinson's progress concerns me.

[C-Mob 71]

No mention of Laurent Robinson's progress concerns me.

Little inside info, LR started running last week. At least according to his college quarterback's cousin.

-lol sounds crazy typing it, but former Illinois State QB Luke Drone is a bit of a legend in little ol Mt. Carmel, Illinois.

I did find it interesting no mentioning of him though...

[shower beers]

Good news about Fletcher though! Hope to see him in camp and turning heads.

[01d 0rd3r]

Good news about Fletcher though! Hope to see him in camp and turning heads.

I am also excited to see Fletcher next year. Maybe with some softer Turf he may not bend his knee the wrong way. My leg started hurting when i saw him land on the ground that play.

[tomahawk247]

Not sure i like his comments on Stallworth, because it seems tha Rams could be interested. But i dont want him on this team. It has nothing to do with his conviction, however, as it wouldnt be right to support Leonard Little and be against signing Stallworth for the same reason. But i dont think he offers anything more than we already have at the WR position, and adding him could ruin the development of younger WRs with more potential

[Battering_RAMS]

lol sounds crazy typing it, but former Illinois State QB Luke Drone is a bit of a legend in little ol Mt. Carmel, Illinois.


Hey!!! Thats where I'm from...lol

[Nick]

Not sure i like his comments on Stallworth, because it seems tha Rams could be interested. But i dont want him on this team. It has nothing to do with his conviction, however, as it wouldnt be right to support Leonard Little and be against signing Stallworth for the same reason. But i dont think he offers anything more than we already have at the WR position, and adding him could ruin the development of younger WRs with more potential

News today is that Stallworth has signed with the Ravens, so you're safe there.

[RebelYell]

Hey!!! Thats where I'm from...lol

And I've been there several times. Weird world.


edit: Spags certainly does keep things close to the vest. Good thing IMO.

[Mooselini]

I really like Fletcher's progression through the season until he got hurt. Hope he comes back and starts for us. He certainly looked good out there.

As for the QB, I'm intrigued in what is going to happen

[Trevor]

No mention of Laurent Robinson's progress concerns me.

Exactly what I was thinking anyone care to fill us in on his status?

[tomahawk247]

News today is that Stallworth has signed with the Ravens, so you're safe there.

Yep thats good to hear!