Rams News

Rams pursue linebacker; Jets get 1 week to match offer

Thursday, April 9, 1998

By Jim Thomas
Of The Post-Dispatch
The Rams' search for linebacker depth has taken them down an unfamiliar path: an offer sheet for a restricted free agent.

They signed outside linebacker Chad Cascadden of the New York Jets to a three-year, $2.3 million offer sheet Wednesday morning.

Because Cascadden is a restricted free agent, the Jets have one week - until midnight April 15 - to decide whether to match the offer.

If the Jets match, Cascadden stays in New York. If they decline, he becomes a Ram.

After speaking with Jets coach Bill Parcells on Wednesday morning, Vermeil was uncertain if the Jets would match.

"Only time will tell," Vermeil said.

Since moving to St. Louis, the Rams have signed only one other restricted free agent to an offer sheet - San Francisco offensive lineman Derrick Deese. But the 49ers matched that offer in April 1995.

Normally, teams signing restricted free agents must make draft pick compensation to the player's old club.

But that will be unnecessary in Cascadden's case, because he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Wisconsin.

"Obviously, we liked what we saw on tape," Vermeil said. "We had him in here for a visit (March 31) and liked him. He's a high-character, high-motor player."

And a versatile player.

"He's been a very solid backup linebacker," Vermeil said. "He plays well on the tight end; he rushes the passer pretty good. He does a very good job on special teams."

Cascadden, 6 feet 1 and 240 pounds, finished second or third on the Jets in special teams stops in each of his three NFL seasons. His best season at linebacker was 1996, when he started eight games and registered 44 tackles, including three sacks and two forced fumbles.

If Cascadden comes to the Rams, he would be the team's top reserve at outside linebacker, and maybe more.

"If he beats out somebody, he plays," Vermeil said.

The Rams have front-loaded the contract to make it more difficult for the Jets to match.

Cascadden gets $1.3 million in the first year, in the form of a $600,000 signing bonus and a base salary of $700,000.

The Rams also have included a couple of features known as "poison pills," making the contract more difficult for the Jets to swallow:

* The $700,000 base salary is guaranteed in '98.

* There is a no-trade clause for '98.

"Those are two things that no Jets have in their contract," said Cascadden's agent, Brian Levy.

Levy said the contract also includes playing-time and sack incentives that could increase the overall value of the deal to nearly $3 million.

Just visiting: Draft prospects visiting the Rams on Wednesday included running back Robert Edwards of Georgia, offensive guard Alan Faneca of LSU, wide receiver Chris Brazzell of Angelo State and defensive end Lorenzo Bromell of Clemson.

Due in today are Florida running back Fred Taylor and Iowa offensive tackle Jeremy McKinney.

Friday is the last day draft prospects can visit an NFL club.

Edwards and Taylor generally are considered among the top three running backs in the draft pool, behind Curtis Enis of Penn State.

Faneca, 6-5 and 322, is considered among the top two or three guard
prospects.

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