| I doubt too many people would disagree with me
when I say the Rams remain the NFL’s most exciting, most fun-to-watch franchise. Win
or lose.
Two of the last three Super Bowls (1999 and 2001) have been among the best ever from a
spectator’s standpoint, and the presence of the Rams has been the biggest reason.
The Rams are the one team that always seems to play the game at a breakneck pace —
on both sides of the ball. Whenever I watch them, my heart seems to beat a little faster.
They are never, ever boring.
While some of head coach Mike Martz’s decisions have definitely been open to
question, his freewheeling, constantly creative offensive system, featuring the two best
players in the league in many critics’ eyes (RB Marshall Faulk and QB Kurt Warner),
continues to be the NFL’s featured attraction.
And this past season, the defense, which was horrendous just one year earlier, was just
as exciting as the offense, with first-year defensive coordinator Lovie Smith instilling a
new system borrowed from the Buccaneers that the Rams defenders fell in love with right
away.
So how do the NFC champion Rams look on the first Tuesday of the 2002 free-agent
period, following a busy weekend around the league predominated by the re-signings of many
players considered to be among the best available on the open market?
Not bad, the loss of London Fletcher notwithstanding.
The Rams really didn’t want to lose Fletcher, their starting middle linebacker the
last three seasons. Not only was he extremely productive, he was a fan favorite who played
with a rare fire that could be hard to replace. But with the Rams having a hard time
trying to reach Fletcher’s agent, they made a decision to go in another direction and
re-sign the very serviceable Jamie Duncan from the Bucs to replace Fletcher.
Smith, who coached Duncan in Tampa Bay, is confident Duncan will get the job done in
the middle — and provide better pass coverage than Fletcher.
In addition, the decision to part ways with Fletcher cleared up more money to re-sign
DE Leonard Little, which was considered the Rams’ top offseason priority.
Little emerged as one of the NFL’s most productive outside pass rushers with 14.5
sacks last season. Smith, who looked like he just won the lottery Sunday morning at the
Combine in Indy following the moves involving Little and Duncan, thinks Little is still a
developing force. Smith said Little will gradually receive more opportunities to play in
rushing situations and become a more well-rounded weapon worthy of the five-year, $17
million deal he just signed.
So two of the Rams’ "Big Three" heading into free agency have been
accounted for — with Little staying and Fletcher going.
The No. 3 man on the list is WR Az-Zahir Hakim, perhaps the most dangerous No. 3
receiver in the game the last few seasons. As early as two days after the Super Bowl loss
to New England, Hakim was privately telling teammates he wouldn’t be back. Kansas
City, among other teams, is rumored to be willing to pay him starter’s money, which
the Rams say they can’t afford to dole out.
Enter Cris Carter, the longtime star receiver of the Vikings, who is scheduled to visit
with the Rams Wednesday. There are many around the league who feel Carter — coming
off a disappointing season in Minnesota that was marred by a couple of well-publicized
incidents with teammates that left his character open to question — could be a bad
risk.
I say Carter will be rejuvenated in a manner similar to veteran CB Aeneas Williams, who
excelled in the Rams’ secondary last season after escaping from Arizona in a trade
that turned out to be the steal of the year by a wide margin.
With Carter effectively filling Hakim’s role, with a lot less potential for
turnovers, and reliable veteran free agent Ricky Proehl being re-signed for one more year,
the Rams’ offense won’t miss a beat.
And the beat will go on for pro football’s best team.
On paper, of course. |
