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HOT TOPIC
The Rams have finished their minicamps and OTAs for the off-season and won't have players and coaches together until the July 26 reporting date for training camp.
But count new coach Scott Linehan among those pleased with what has transpired in the off-season.
"I was surprised with what we were able to accomplish," Linehan said. "We stayed simple to a certain level, but we've added so many new things that you can't move on until you are comfortable with it.
"We are a whole lot more comfortable with things (now). If you don't teach it now, it can be a free for all for a while so we got some confidence in it. I feel like we got a lot of things done."
While talk of chemistry is usually confined to players, it is equally important for a coaching staff to come together. Linehan believes that is happening.
"Everybody wants to help out," Linehan said. "The biggest thing is making sure everyone's got a logical assignment. And making those adjustments now is crucial."
As poor as the Rams were on defense last season, Linehan is guardedly optimistic about that unit.
He said, "We're much more talented (on defense), I think. That's a good place to start. But we're also more veteran-like. There's just a good feeling over there."
Some time off will allow everyone to recharge and for many of the coaches to complete their moves to St. Louis.
"A lot of (the coaches) have got to still get moved," Linehan said. "I've got to get back to Washington at some point and see my mom. We've got to have that (off) time. If you don't take it, it starts to wear you down. And I don't think that's good. So we all need to get away for a little bit.
"The main thing now is that we all take care of our business until we come back. We feel we are accountable. If you can't accomplish that, then you start taking (that time) back. We need it as a staff. The break is necessary."
PLAYER NOTES
--Despite frequent rumors that Dexter Coakley would be a post-June 1 salary-cap casualty, there was the Rams' veteran linebacker running around at minicamp following his recovery from a broken leg that ended his 2005 season.
Coakley worked hard during the off-season, and dismissed talk that he considered retirement.
"Obviously, when you have two young kids at home, you give it some thought, but I didn't want to go out like this," Coakley said. "They brought me here when the old coaching regime was here to help this ball club win games. We didn't do very much of that last year. It never really crossed my mind to just lay it down and leave the game.
"I wanted to show that I was still capable of playing the game and helping a team win ball games."
Coakley is ticketed for a backup spot, so it will still be the team's decision whether to keep a highly-paid player who isn't a starter. But he is just concentrating on showing what he is still capable of doing.
"It's going well," Coakley said during the recent minicamp. "I'm able to get out there on the field and compete. I'm able to get out there and do everything that everyone else is doing. I feel pretty good. I'm still not 100 percent, but I'm very encouraged by what is going on."
--After getting accustomed to the team's new offense, and the early growing pains that can come with that, quarterback Marc Bulger is enjoying his off-season.
Said Bulger, "It's so much more relaxed in the offseason. The tempo is less, the coaches are in a better mood, and there's not any pressure. You're just enhancing your skills and learning the system."
--During the minicamp, watching the team's offensive line do wind sprints was a frequent occurrence after workouts.
It turns out line coach Paul Boudreau is instituting consequences for false starts. During one practice, Boudreau let out a string of expletives when he was unhappy with what the line was doing.
"I've always thought that it was a good thing within the group to have some kind of a penalty," coach Scott Linehan said, when asked about the line running. "One thing we've really addressed is the pre-snap penalties that were a problem for this team a year ago. We're really putting the hammer down when we don't do a good job."
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--P Bryan Barker (not tendered June 1).
--RB Aveion Cason (not tendered June 1).
--CB Terry Fair (not tendered June 1).
--G Tom Nutten (not tendered June 1).
--TE Roland Williams (not tendered June 1).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
--CB Dwight Anderson got a second chance late in 2005 season and can develop if he matures.
--DT Jeremy Calahan is somewhat undersized, but works hard and gives great effort.
--S Dwaine Carpenter was signed late in the season, and could be in the mix at a position that needs help.
--TE Jerome Collins has excellent athletic ability, but remains very raw at the position.
--LB Mike Goolsby was added to the roster late in the season, and contributed on special teams.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--WR Isaac Bruce (had been released; $15M/3 yrs, $1M SB/$5M base guarantee; 2006 cap: $7.273M.
--WR Kevin Curtis: RFA; $1.573M/1 yr.
--DE Brandon Green: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--CB DeJuan Groce: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--LS Chris Massey: Potential UFA; $2.73M/4 yrs, $300,000 SB.
--WR Shaun McDonald: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--OG Blaine Saipaia: Potential ERFA; $385,000/1 yr.
--QB Jeff Smoker: Potential ERFA; $385,000/1 yr.
--LB Drew Wahlroos: Potential ERFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--CB Fakhir Brown: UFA Saints; $12M/5 yrs, $2.5M SB.
--S Corey Chavous: UFA Vikings; $16M/5 yrs, $4M SB/$1M RB; 2006 cap: $3.3M.
--RB Tony Fisher: UFA Packers; $625,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2006 cap: $465,000.
--DT Jason Fisk: FA Browns; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--QB Gus Frerotte: FA Dolphins; $6.3M/3 yrs, $2.1M SB/$500,000 RB '07-08; 2006 cap: $1.51M.
--DT La'Roi Glover: FA Cowboys; $12M/3 yrs, $3M SB; 2006 cap: $3.506M.
--WR Brad Pyatt: Not tendered as RFA by Colts; $432,500/1 yr, $7,500 SB).
--FB Paul Smith: UFA Lions; terms unknown.
--LB Raonall Smith: UFA Vikings; $750,000/1 yr, $150,000 SB.
--OT Todd Steussie: UFA Buccaneers; $850,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2006 cap: $465,000.
--P Matt Turk: FA; $850,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2006 cap: $465,000.
--LB Will Witherspoon: UFA Panthers; $33M/6 yrs, $9M SB/$2M, $4M base guarantee 2006-07; 2006 cap: $3.5M.
PLAYERS LOST
--S Adam Archuleta: UFA Redskins; $30.18M/6 yrs, $5M SB.
--LB Chris Claiborne (released; failed physical/knee).
--S Mike Furrey: Not tendered as RFA/Lions; $540,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB.
--RB Arlen Harris: Not tendered as RFA/Lions; $500,000/1 yr.
--CB Corey Ivy: UFA Ravens; $2.16M/3 yrs, $250,000 SB.
--DE Tyoka Jackson: UFA Lions; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--CB Chris Johnson: Not tendered as RFA/Chiefs; $940,000/2 yrs, $5,000 SB.
--DT Damione Lewis: UFA Panthers; $3.9M/2 yrs, $1.5M SB.
--LB Jeremy Loyd: Not tendered as ERFA/Patriots; terms unknown (subsequently cut).
--TE Brandon Manumaleuna: Traded Chargers.
--QB Jamie Martin: UFA Saints; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--OT Matt Morgan: Not tendered as ERFA/Bills; terms unknown.
--NT Ryan Pickett: UFA Packers; $14M/4 yrs, $2M SB/$3M RB.
--OL Rex Tucker: UFA Lions; $3.65M/3 yrs, $1M SB.
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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