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Rams' move makes it obvious that Barron is on the market
BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/01/2010
INDIANAPOLIS — The process of making tender offers to the Rams' 13 restricted free agents has taken an unusual twist for offensive tackle Alex Barron, a move that can only be interpreted as the club is dangling him as trade bait.
Under league rules, the Rams must pay Barron 110 percent of his 2009 salary, or $2.73 million in 2010. That's a dollar amount that entitles the Rams to a first-round draft pick as compensation if they decided not to match any outside offer.
But here comes the curveball: Although they have to pay Barron at a first-round level, they don't have to ask for first-round draft pick compensation.
And they're not.
According to multiple league sources, the Rams informed Barron's agents Sunday night that they will be asking for only second-round draft pick compensation when they turn their tender offers into the league office later this week.
In essence, the Rams are throwing out a fishing line to the rest of the league, with Barron as the trade bait.
It's another deep year for offensive tackles in the draft. Early indications point to Jason Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, moving to left tackle next season. Some of the Rams' best right tackles since the team moved to St. Louis were middle-round picks. Ryan Tucker was a fourth-rounder; Fred Miller, a fifth-rounder.
LITTLE LEAGUE TERROR
Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy realized football might be his calling at an early age growing up in Oklahoma City.
"One time in little league play, I tackled three people," McCoy said.
At the same time. In other words, he tackled the entire backfield.
"The quarterback, he didn't know who to give it to, so I just grabbed everybody," McCoy said. "It was right then that I was like, 'I might (be able) to play this.' Everybody just looked at me like, 'Did he just grab three people?' That right there should let you know how big a kid I was."
McCoy said he was 11 at the time. By the time he was 12, McCoy said, he weighed 238 pounds.
LITTLE LEAGUE TERROR II
Growing up in Portland, Ore., Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh realized his future probably wasn't as one of the largest soccer players in little league history.
"I got a ton of fouls," Suh said. "That's kind of the reason why I moved away from soccer, because I got too many red cards."
With his soccer background, Suh said he wouldn't hesitate to try kicking a field goal in the NFL if called upon.
"I did it in high school," Suh said. "Why not?"
RUMOR CENTRAL
Contrary to some Internet speculation, the agents for Marc Bulger are not pressing the Rams for a decision on the future of the veteran quarterback, league sources familiar with the situation told the Post-Dispatch.
COMBINE BITS
Tennessee's Eric Berry looked surprised when asked Sunday if he planned to work out at the combine.
"I'm working out here. I'm doing everything," said Berry, the highly regarded safety. "It's the combine, not a fashion show."
— Speed-wise, Clemson running back C.J. Spiller lived up to his billing, unofficially posting sub 4.3-second times in the 40. But Mississippi running back Dexter McCluster ran a disappointing 4.58.
— Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had a 38 1/2-inch vertical leap, which is believed to be a combine record for quarterbacks.
BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/01/2010
INDIANAPOLIS — The process of making tender offers to the Rams' 13 restricted free agents has taken an unusual twist for offensive tackle Alex Barron, a move that can only be interpreted as the club is dangling him as trade bait.
Under league rules, the Rams must pay Barron 110 percent of his 2009 salary, or $2.73 million in 2010. That's a dollar amount that entitles the Rams to a first-round draft pick as compensation if they decided not to match any outside offer.
But here comes the curveball: Although they have to pay Barron at a first-round level, they don't have to ask for first-round draft pick compensation.
And they're not.
According to multiple league sources, the Rams informed Barron's agents Sunday night that they will be asking for only second-round draft pick compensation when they turn their tender offers into the league office later this week.
In essence, the Rams are throwing out a fishing line to the rest of the league, with Barron as the trade bait.
It's another deep year for offensive tackles in the draft. Early indications point to Jason Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, moving to left tackle next season. Some of the Rams' best right tackles since the team moved to St. Louis were middle-round picks. Ryan Tucker was a fourth-rounder; Fred Miller, a fifth-rounder.
LITTLE LEAGUE TERROR
Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy realized football might be his calling at an early age growing up in Oklahoma City.
"One time in little league play, I tackled three people," McCoy said.
At the same time. In other words, he tackled the entire backfield.
"The quarterback, he didn't know who to give it to, so I just grabbed everybody," McCoy said. "It was right then that I was like, 'I might (be able) to play this.' Everybody just looked at me like, 'Did he just grab three people?' That right there should let you know how big a kid I was."
McCoy said he was 11 at the time. By the time he was 12, McCoy said, he weighed 238 pounds.
LITTLE LEAGUE TERROR II
Growing up in Portland, Ore., Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh realized his future probably wasn't as one of the largest soccer players in little league history.
"I got a ton of fouls," Suh said. "That's kind of the reason why I moved away from soccer, because I got too many red cards."
With his soccer background, Suh said he wouldn't hesitate to try kicking a field goal in the NFL if called upon.
"I did it in high school," Suh said. "Why not?"
RUMOR CENTRAL
Contrary to some Internet speculation, the agents for Marc Bulger are not pressing the Rams for a decision on the future of the veteran quarterback, league sources familiar with the situation told the Post-Dispatch.
COMBINE BITS
Tennessee's Eric Berry looked surprised when asked Sunday if he planned to work out at the combine.
"I'm working out here. I'm doing everything," said Berry, the highly regarded safety. "It's the combine, not a fashion show."
— Speed-wise, Clemson running back C.J. Spiller lived up to his billing, unofficially posting sub 4.3-second times in the 40. But Mississippi running back Dexter McCluster ran a disappointing 4.58.
— Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had a 38 1/2-inch vertical leap, which is believed to be a combine record for quarterbacks.
I'd take the 4th
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