Training Camp has finally arrived for the St. Louis Rams, and the Rams are looking to take the next step in Head Coach Jeff Fisher’s second season.
Last season a lot of us didn’t know what to expect out of this football team, including its head coach and new general manager. In 2012 the Rams played hard, showed some resilience, and flirted with the playoffs.
Oh, and how could anyone forgot about the improved play inside the now-rugged NFC West division, with the Rams only losing once and that was on the last game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams finished 2012 with a 7-8-1 record, which was a stark contrast to 2-14 and 1-15 in years prior. They finished strong down the stretch, winning four of their last six games. In the last two games, the offensive line didn’t allow a sack. The defense was tied for first place with 52 sacks and had five defensive scores, with four of them coming from cornerback Janoris Jenkins.
When the season was over, some hard choices had to be made. Familiar names like Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola were gone via free agency. Sam Bradford was in need of help on offense. His two most reliable targets are no longer with the franchise. Division rivals San Francisco 49ers added Anquan Boldin, and the Seattle Seahawks added Percy Harvin in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings.
The fanbase here was getting anxious because it was looking like another off season when the Rams don’t make any bold moves. So they signed tight end Jared Cook, who adds speed and size to the receiving corp. But that wasn’t going to be enough.
Then Jake Long agreed to a four-year contract for him to play left tackle, moving Roger Saffold to right tackle. With Long signed, it’s less likely the Rams will be drafting a tackle in the first couple rounds of the draft.
On paper, the Rams hit a home run adding Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Zac Stacy for the offense. Now Sam Bradford has a plethora of speed all around him. There are so many young playmakers that it’s not hard to conjure up thoughts of the good old days of “The Greatest Show on Turf,” when they scored at will putting up 500 points in three straight years.
That’s just one of many stories happening out in Earth City. There will be a lot of healthy battles along the way during camp. And you can‘t ever have enough competition on your roster.
This is one of the most competitive rosters the Rams may have ever had, on both sides of the ball, though there is also an abundance of youth and inexperience. This is the time of the year where you can watch the young talent grow. I’m ready for some football! But, will settle for training camp.
