Rams News

Rams are sticking to a firm
stance on draft trade
04/15 11:35 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff
Memo to the Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears, from Rams Park:
The answer is still no.
Dick Vermeil hasn't given up on the possibility of trading up to the Cardinals' No. 3 overall draft position. Or the Bears' spot at No. 5. But there will have to be some price-slashing -- a blue-and-gold light special -- between now and early Saturday afternoon if the Rams are to ascend from their No. 6 slot in the NFL draft.
The Post-Dispatch has learned that the Cardinals want offensive tackle Wayne Gandy, wide receiver Eddie Kennison, the Rams' first-round pick this year, the Rams' first-round pick next year, and the Rams' second-round pick (No. 36 overall) this year . . . whew! . . . in exchange for the Cardinals' first-round pick this year.
The Rams would trade up to the No. 3 spot for Florida State defensive end Andre Wadsworth.
``He so devastating when you look at him,'' said Charley Armey, the Rams' vice president of player personnel.
But Wadsworth would have to be beyond devastating for the Rams to give up that much. He'd have to be Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor and maybe Attila the Hun, rolled into one.
Meanwhile, the Bears have asked for either Kennison or the Rams' second-round pick -- plus, of course, the Rams' first-round pick -- for the Bears' No. 5 pick. The Rams would move here to take Penn State running back Curtis Enis, but they think Chicago's asking price is too steep to move up one spot.
But Chicago seems much more eager to trade down than Arizona. The Rams appear convinced that the Bears want a linebacker -- Georgia Tech's Keith Brooking -- more than another back. They already have free agent pickup Edgar Bennett, plus holdovers Rashaan Salaam and Raymont Harris on the roster at running back.
``They've identified their No. 1 need as a linebacker,'' Armey said. ``There are quality linebackers in this draft -- four or five linebackers that could come in and be impact players. They would like to trade out of that spot, pick up value someplace (another draft pick or two), and be able to address what they think is their No. 1 need.''
Armey has told Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill nixed a trade offer from Jacksonville earlier this week because he wanted more than the Jaguars were willing to give for the right to select Wadsworth.
``He sees himself with a power player at that position,'' Armey said. ``They can't lose. If he's going to give him up, he wants a lot.''
After getting rebuffed in Arizona, the Jaguars have turned their attention to the Windy City.
``Now, Jacksonville's concentrating their efforts with Chicago, and they're going to give them an answer on Friday,'' Armey said.
The Jaguars have two first-round picks to use as trade bait: No. 9 and No. 25 overall. Also needing a running back, the Jaguars would move up to No. 5 for Enis. But if the price is too high, they might just stay at No. 9 and select Florida running back Fred Taylor.
So there's a chance Enis will still be on the board at No. 6 for the Rams.
If he's gone, it looks like University of Nebraska defensive end Grant Wistrom is the Rams' choice. At this point, Vermeil is thought to favor Wistrom over North Carolina's Greg Ellis. But not by much.
On Tuesday night, the Rams' football and scouting braintrust, plus vice chairman Stan Kroenke and president John Shaw, looked at film of the top three running backs (Enis, Taylor and Georgia's Robert Edwards), and film of Ellis and Wistrom.
Vermeil loves Enis like a long-lost brother.
He adores Wistrom like a big, frisky puppy.
But his opinions on those two players are not universally shared at Rams Park.
Just to make sure on defense, the plan was to have the entire defensive coaching staff spend at least two hours looking at nothing but game tapes Wednesday of Ellis and Wistrom.
``I've looked at a lot of tape on those two guys . . . and the three running backs,'' Vermeil said. ``The three running backs, we've got tape of every time they've touched the ball this year. We've got tape out the gazoo on these defensive ends as well.''

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