Rams: Camp report | RapidReports | Camp tour | 
Questions | Bartell
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Observations from St. Louis Rams camp:
1. The Rams are one or two offseasons away from really being able to compete for a playoff berth. New coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney have some work to do to turn this team around. They're off to a good start with a solid draft, including top pick Jason Smith, a tackle from Baylor. Spagnuolo, who comes over after serving as the Giants' defensive coordinator the past three seasons, brings an up-tempo personality to the Rams. Interim coach Jim Haslett had the same type of demeanor, but previous coach Scott Linehan did not. Haslett was well liked by Rams players, and many wanted him to get the job. But they've also taken to Spagnuolo, especially the defensive players. Spagnuolo doesn't buy into the rebuilding talk. "I will not use that word," Spagnuolo said. So I will. The Rams are rebuilding.
| Out of Nowhere Man |
 The Rams have Steven Jackson to handle the main load at running back. But they also might have found a quality backup in Samkon Gado . He has been impressive in camp and is off to a good start in the preseason. Gado has had stops in Green Bay, Houston and Miami, but he has never looked this good. He has a chance to get backup carries. |
| LiLSpike0738 picks CB Justin King |
| He tore his toe ligament last season before it started, and he was supposed to have a lot of promise.. I think he will be a solid CB if he can get in there and prove himself. |
| Who is your Out of Nowhere Man? |
2. The offensive line should be much better. Alex Barron moves over from the right side to his more natural left tackle spot, a position he has played in the past. That opens the door for Smith to play right tackle, although the second overall pick in the April draft is battling Adam Goldberg for the job now. The addition of free-agent center Jason Brown in the middle will help the run game. Brown is a power player who excels at handling people on his nose. The line was awful last year, in part because of injuries, but it should be better this time around.
3. It's strange watching the Rams practice and not seeing either Isaac Bruce or Torry Holt. The receivers from the Greatest Show on Turf are gone. Bruce left for San Francisco two years ago, while Holt signed a free-agent deal with Jacksonville when the Rams released him. That leaves the receiving spots in the hands of inexperienced players. The starters are expected to be second-year players Donnie Avery and either Keenan Burton or Laurent Robinson, a third-year guy who came over in a trade with Atlanta. Former Raiders receiver Ronald Curry is also in the mix. It is a raw group, but Rams insiders feel that the young players will emerge and they'll be fine. It is a position they will address in the offseason.
4. The Rams drafted defensive end Chris Long second overall last season and he didn't play up to expectations. He flashed at times, but the consistency wasn't there. He needs to be more explosive in his pass rush. He's not a big end, so he has to get by with his speed. The Rams need him to create pass-rush troubles opposite aging Leonard Little. If not, the improved secondary could be facing long days.
5A. Before the 2007 season, quarterback Marc Bulger signed a $60 million contract extension. Since then, he hasn't played well. A lot of it has to do with troubles on the offensive line, but some Rams insiders say Bulger's work ethic waned after getting the new deal. He wasn't at as many offseason workouts in 2008. That changed this spring with the new staff in place. Bulger suffered a fractured pinkie last week and will miss two preseason games. He should be fine for the open of the regular season.
5B. The Rams will start rookie second-round pick James Laurinaitis at middle linebacker. He has been impressive. He's smart, instinctive and knows how to find the football. He loves the game too. He took a big load of classes last summer to make sure he finished his degree in March. Why? So he could take part in all the offseason work. If he hadn't graduated, he would have missed a ton of time because players can't practice until their class gets out of school. Ohio State players usually can't take part until mid-June, but since he graduated he was there for all the work. That's dedication.
Blackshirys9495 
