Rams News

St Louis Rams
Team Report posted April 13, 1998
by tsn correspondent
JIM THOMAS St. Louis Post-Dispatch

When free agent Mark Rypien signed with Atlanta, Dick Vermeil let it be known he was looking for someone to compete with Will Furrer for the backup spot.

Within a matter of days, he found his man: Steve Bono. The Rams traded a seventh-round pick in 1999 for Bono, who backed up Brett Favre last season in Green Bay but was a starting quarterback two years ago in Kansas City.

"He's paid his dues. He's moved around the league. He's been a very effective guy coming off the bench," Vermeil said. Vermeil, who once broadcast Chiefs preseason games, saw Bono play a lot in Kansas City. In addition, Rams vice president of football operations Lynn Stiles, was with San Francisco and Kansas City during Bono's stints there.

So the Rams' brass is familiar with Bono. Now Bono must get familiar with the Rams' offense. He has been in varieties of the West Coast offense for the past nine seasons.

The Rams run a hybrid of the H-back style of offense popularized by Don Coryell in San Diego and Joe Gibbs in Washington. In picking up Bono's contract, the Rams will pay him $550,000 in 1998, which is exactly what they were offering Rypien.

But Rypien went to the Falcons with a two-year deal that averages $900,000 a year, and includes a $400,000 signing bonus. There is no signing bonus with Bono. So if he struggles in training camp and is cut, the Rams won't owe him a dime, which makes it a low-risk proposition for St. Louis.

Bono had some concerns over the trade and isn't scheduled to report until the team's post-draft minicamp at the end of the month. Privately, he was miffed that Vermeil stressed publicly that he would compete with Furrer for the backup job rather than with Tony Banks for the starting job.

"Hey, Tony's our starting quarterback," Vermeil said once the trade was made. "Right now, Will Furrer is our backup, and Steve Bono will be given the opportunity to compete for it." Bono was a Pro Bowl quarterback in 1995, the last season Furrer appeared in an NFL regular-season game. . . .

For the first time since 1995, the Rams have some breathing room when it comes to facing San Francisco. In each of the last two seasons, the Rams have played the 49ers twice within the first six weeks and suffered wrenching losses that sapped young teams of some much-needed confidence. This coming season, the Rams don't play San Francisco until the seventh game of the season.

The Rams have a favorable early schedule, with four of their first five games at home. But they pay the price later, with six of their final nine games on the road in November and December. A highlight for Vermeil is a Dec. 3 Thursday night game in Philadelphia on ESPN.

Vermeil still has a permanent home in the Philadelphia area, and coached the Eagles from 1976-82. In the 1980 season, he led the franchise to its only Super Bowl appearance.

"It'll be something special," Vermeil said. "I have a tremendous attachment to Philadelphia and the people there, and some very, very close lifelong friends.". . .

The Rams probably must wait untill Wednesday to see if the New York Jets will match their three-year, $2.3 milion offer sheet for restricted free agent Chad Cascadden. Cascadden, 6-1, 240, would provide depth at outside linebacker, and is a very good special teams player.

In each of his three season with the Jets, Cascadden has finished second or third on the team in special teams tackles. His best season at linebacker was 1996, when he started eight games, recording 44 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. Cascadden joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent from the University of Wisconsin.

So the Rams would not be required to make any draft pick compensation if they sign him and the Jets don't match. . . .

Look for recent free-agent acquisition John Flannery of Dallas to compete with Mike Gruttadauria for the starting center job and provide depth at guard. Flannery signed a two-year, $1.175 million contract. The word on his play with the Cowboys wasn't very flattering, but he'll be a definite upgrade over Vernice Smith, who filled Flannery's role last season.

The Rams will now wait till after the draft to decide whether to continue pursuit of free agents Greg Hill and Clyde Simmons. The club has made contract offers to Hill, a running back from Kansas City, and Simmons, a defensive end from Jacksonville, but has yet to reach an agreement on terms.

Obviously, the Rams' interests lessens if they fill their needs at those positions in the draft. Defensive lineman Cedric White, a seventh-round draft pick last season from North Carolina A&T, has been released. . . .

Director of player development Les Miller, will not have his contract renewed by the team. . . .

The Rams have agreed to hold training camp at Western Illinois University in Macomb the next two seasons. The team has trained there in 1996 and '97.

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