Rams News

St. Louis Rams
Team Report posted March 22, 1998
by tsn correspondent
JIM THOMAS St. Louis Post-Dispatch

First, the Rams were unable to land a starting guard in free agency. Now, they're having trouble landing a backup.

Leo Goeas, recently cut by the Baltimore Ravens, and utility man Matt Elliott, an unrestricted free agent from Carolina, both failed their physicals during recent visits to Rams Park. Elliott subsequently signed with Atlanta.

Center/guard Roman Fortin, released by Atlanta in February, turned down a more lucrative offer from the Rams to sign with San Diego. Fortin played at San Diego State, and former Falcons head coach June Jones is on the Chargers' staff. The Rams have since turned their attention to guard/center John Flannery, an unrestricted free agent from Dallas, and Washington offensive lineman Ed Simmons.

Flannery, 29, started four games for the Cowboys last season, three at right guard and one at left guard. Simmons, 34, has started 106 games in 11 seasons with Washington, but all but four of them at right tackle. He was released last month to free up salary cap room when the Redskins traded for Dan Wilkinson. . . .

The Rams lost their special teams captain from 1997, Keith Crawford, to Atlanta. Crawford signed a two-year, $1.2 million contract with the Falcons, a deal that included a $200,000 signing bonus and incentives that could add $700,000 to the deal.

Crawford was lured to Atlanta by the opportunity to be the team's third receiver. In St. Louis, he would have been no better than fourth receiver behind Isaac Bruce, Eddie Kennison and Ricky Proehl. Through hard work, Crawford has become a credible receiver.

He caught 11 passes for 232 yards last season, averaging a healthy 21.1 yards a catch, but saw little playing time at receiver after Kennison recovered from some nagging injuries.

Crawford is reunited with two familiar faces in Georgia: Dan Reeves brought Crawford into the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 1993 while head coach of the New York Giants; Falcons assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Rich Brooks brought Crawford to St. Louis in 1996 while head coach of the Rams. . . .

The Rams might fill their hole at right defensive end by replacing one 33-year-old (Leslie O'Neal) with another (Clyde Simmons). The Rams are expected to pursue Simmons, who was released by Jacksonville on March 6.

Simmons led the Jaguars in quarterback sacks in '96 and '97, but the team feels third-year man Tony Brackens is ready to take over the position. Chicago, Cincinnati and Green Bay also have expressed an interest in Simmons, but in St. Louis he would be working for his former defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, Bud Carson.

"I played for Bud for three years," Simmons said. "It was a lot of fun playing for him. He's got a great mind . . . He's a good man, and he's fiery, and I like that."

At this stage of his career, Simmons is more suited for 30 to 40 snaps a game. But at 6-5, 290, he's about 25 pounds heavier and plays the run better than O'Neal, who was released in February. Signing Simmons might give the Rams a year or two to develop a younger prospect.

With Florida State's Andre Wadsworth apparently out of reach in the draft with the club's No. 6 overall pick, that could be North Carolina's Greg Ellis or Nebraska's Grant Wistrom. . . .

Starting right guard Zach Wiegert should be able to participate in the team's first minicamp, April 24-26, after undergoing minor shoulder surgery in mid-March. The shoulder had bothered Wiegert since the training camp last summer. . . .

Linebacker Thomas Homco, who missed all of the '97 season and all but three games of the '96 season because of knee problems, has decided to retire. . . .

The Rams are looking at cornerback Willie Clark, an unrestricted free agent from Philadelphia, as a possible nickel and dime back. Clark also would help on special teams. Another former Eagle, defensive tackle Andy Harmon, also visited Rams Park recently.

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