RAMS FANTASY NEWS

March 9, 2006 9:00 AM ET

The Mad Scientist's reign is finally over! The Rams fired head coach Mike Martz just one day after the 2005 regular season ended. He was eventually replaced by first-time head coach Scott Linehan, who had previous stints as an offensive coordinator with the Vikings and Dolphins.

Initial speculation suggested the franchise would hire a defensive-minded coach following five seasons with the notoriously pass-happy Martz. Instead, they opted to hire a coach who shares an offensive philosophy with his predecessor.

If nothing else, the Linehan hiring appears to be good news for fantasy owners who would be happy with the status quo. Quarterback Marc Bulger should thrive in Linehan's system, assuming he can stay healthy for a change. Likewise, wide receiver Torry Holt should continue to produce big numbers as the No. 1 receiver, just as Randy Moss and Chris Chambers did during their respective runs as top wideouts in Linehan's offense.

Fans who were concerned the Rams would continue to ignore their defensive needs had some of their fears put to rest when Linehan hired former Saints head coach Jim Haslett to serve as his defensive coordinator. With Linehan focused primarily on the offense, Haslett will call the shots on the other side of the ball. His hiring has already paid off, as free agent signee La'Roi Glover cited Haslett as one of the reasons he opted to ink a three-year contract with the Rams earlier this week.

Needs
The Rams have a slew of needs on both sides of the ball. They have a pair of bookend tackles in Orlando Pace and Alex Barron, but the three inside linemen leave plenty to be desired. This is one area that must be addressed if team officials hope to keep Bulger off the trainer's table.

The release of wide receiver Isaac Bruce was hardly a concern given that he was scheduled to cost the team $8.1 million in salary cap space this year. Team officials offered him several contract proposals before releasing him. They are still hopeful of resuming negotiations, but the Lions, Redskins, and Texans are among the teams who have reportedly expressed interest in the veteran wideout.

If Bruce signs elsewhere, we do not expect the Rams to actively pursue a replacement via free agency or the draft. Restricted free agent Kevin Curtis has performed well when he's been asked to fill in for Bruce on several occasions over the last two years, and fellow RFA Shaun McDonald appears ready to take on the No. 3 receiver role.

This team has some serious issues on the defensive side of the ball. Glover's signing sets them up with a quality pass rusher to go along with defensive end Leonard Little, but the rest of the line consists of no-name, expendable players. Likewise, Pisa Tinoisamoa is the only proven linebacker on the roster. And things are so ugly in the secondary that converted wide receiver Mike Furrey actually started 11 games at free safety. Needs? Yeah, the Rams defense has a few.

Salary Cap Situation
The Rams were roughly $18 million below the salary cap prior to signing Glover on Monday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Unrestricted Free Agents
QB Jamie Martin, RB Aevion Cason, TE Cam Cleeland, TE Roland Williams, TE Jeff Robinson, FB Chris Massey, C Andy McCollum, G Darnell Alford, T Matt Willig, T Rex Tucker, S Adam Archuleta, DT Ryan Pickett, DT Damione Lewis, DE Tyoka Jackson, CB Corey Ivy, CB Terry Fair

Restricted Free Agents
WR Kevin Curtis, WR Shaun McDonald, RB Arlen Harris, RB David Allen, DE Brandon Green, CB DeJuan Groce, CB Chris Johnson, S Mike Furrey

Free Agent Signings
The Rams signed the aforementioned Glover to a three-year contract on Monday. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the deal is worth $12 million, including a $3.5 million signing bonus.

The Draft
The Rams hold the No. 11 overall pick in the draft. As much as they will be tempted by offensive playmakers, we can only hope they address one of their numerous defensive needs. With any luck, cornerbacks Jimmy Williams (Virginia Tech) and/or Michael Huff (Texas) will still be available. If not, the team could always fill a need at linebacker if A.J. Hawk (Ohio State) falls or if Chad Greenway (Iowa) is still on the board. The Rams have several needs to fill, so trading down for additional picks is always an option.

Injury Watch
Bulger sat out the last six games of 2005 to rest his injured shoulder. There was speculation at the time that he was healthy enough to play, yet team officials wanted him to rest since the squad was out of the playoff hunt. Given the long layoff, Bulger should be ready to take part in all offseason workouts. He's already been meeting with Linehan and studying the new offense.

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