Good. I liked draft but keep the youth coming. Only way this team will be fresh for the 2nd half of the games and the 2nd half of the year.

CT

That’s a shame. Chris is a first-class human being. He also was a decent football player. I totally disagree with this move.

What happened to the 4 pillars? I hope they bring him back because draft was a really solid player.

Wow, I thought he was grooming the youngsters for next year. He was a great asset to the team and community but the youth movement must continue. He will do well in life and maybe with another team.

I will say this is a shocker but in Spagnuolo/Devaney I trust. Larry Grant and David Vobora will be just fine.

This is the first move Spags and Co. have made that I really, really don’t like. He was a great person for the local community and a dependable linebacker. From what I understand he was a great attitude guy in the locker room as well.

If Vobora slips up, this may backfire more than any other move they’ve made, given how thin we are at LB and that Draft could play all three positions.

It will be interesting to see if someone else picks him up…or if he just traded a “pay cut” for “no pay whatsoever”!

This is a shame. He’s a great role model and has given so much to the St. Louis community. One can only hope he’ll continue his work to help children with asthma in St. Louis.

First move this year that I am totally against. I hope Draft makes it back on this team. I do like the youth movement but it is my opinion that this was a mistake.

Whoa! I thought we had a major hole at Strong Side Linebacker with the older Draft at the position, but now we have Mr. Irrelevant, the last man taken in the draft a couple of years back? This is cause for concern. Be afraid. Be very afraid! I thought we might get close to a .500 record this year, but with the gaping hole at Lber and the weak DTs, expect other teams to run us silly at that side. Even weak teams will gash us for 150 yards on the ground. Expect to finish 2-14 or 1-15 this year. At least we’ll get the number one pick in the draft for all the good it will do us.

I can already see a dark season turning darker. The Rams are screaming poor mouth and field a team worth a crap. But that’s ok, I just love football and glad we have it here in St. Louis. I am a diehard Rams fan even during the dark days ahead. I miss Georgia already because the kids are idiots.

What a shock, the Rams make yet another stupid decision! This organization proves time and time again that they are completely clueless on everything!

I HATE to see this. Chris Draft is an upstanding citizen and human being, and is definitely good enough to have a spot on this team (who isn’t?).

He did do great things for the community!

I well remember Chris Draft running down an opponent who had seemingly broken away for a TD this year in the preseason, which says he is not “done”, but with David Vobora playing solid ball (which he has been doing), Larry Grant, Laurinitis and the rest of the wrecking crew that has taken over at linebacker this year, and with Dominic Douglas standing in the wings, waiting to take over should ther be a problem, it seems there are younger guys who will work for less! Thank you Chris for all you have done for the team and community. I will say, however, that all that good community work still does not make a tackle on the field.

Think about it. Did he do a good job last year in stopping the run? How did he do this preseason? If Spags thought he couldn’t do without him do you think he would have fired him over the salary? We keep hearing about Vobora being very talented. Let’s see.

While I will admit that I am shocked that this move has taken place, let’s all remember that this is a business. Draft was expendable and decided that he would rather take a chance of making more money somewhere else. He will likely not make as much, and also not start somewhere else. While I agree with all the posters that he does a great job in the community, not a single poster has mentioned his talent on the field. If he is as good as Vobora (and the people paid to make those decisions obviously feel he is), why not pay less and save the money for next years draft and free agency? My favorite post on here is how now, because he cut Draft, we will finish 1-15. Glad the talkbackers are not the GM or President of the team.

Please, PLEASE somebody explain to me why management waits until less then a week before the season opener to ask a STARTER to take a pay cut??? They couldn’t have thought to do this weeks or months ago??? All I can think of is that Vobora really progressed quickly, but other then that? I’m just shaking my head…..

Well we know it’s a business and in the future you won’t hear negative words from me if a player holds out for more guarenteed cash. The way the league is set up a contract is only good until the ink dries

I hope the try to bring him back, but on a lighter note, it is kind of cool to see that a Mr. Irrelevant not only made the team over some #1 picks, but is a starter now. Good for him!

Gotta agree with most on here. Chris was a fine human being and good football player. As another poster mentioned, he plays all 3 spots. I can’t imagine he won’t get picked up by someone else (hopefully out of the division). This is a move that I don’t like on the surface, but I also trust Spags and Devaney.

I like the Move. Change is always for the better. We’ll be jus fine. I will never stand for this wimpy-rams-fans attitude that cries and whines. Suck it you so called Rams fans in disguise as real 49er fans. I bleed blue and gold, the colors that we won a championship in 99 with !!! I grew up Los Angeles Rams @ The coliseum and I will always Stand resilient to win !! I Like The MOVE !!!!

He was asked to take a pay cut, and refused, then he was let go.

Why? NFL veterans who have played three seasons or more are guaranteed their entire seasons’ pay if they start in the opening game.

My guess is that Spags and Co. believed that Draft would not be living up to that potential in all 16 games, so they cut him.

It’s amazing, almost like we have a brand new team in town again.

Marc Bulger and Alan Carriker haven’t been asked to take pay cuts neither one has earned their money the last 2 seasons especially Carriker has been on the playing field in the last 2 years. Mr. Draft, thank you for your civic work in this community. You always gave a 100% on the field. To the Rams organization this was a BS way to do things 3 days before the opening of the season. That four pillars BS is only for the players what for four pillar BS does the management of the Rams govern themselves by! Spags you milked Draft’s player knowledge in training camp to help the rookies then let the man go that’s BS. You or no one in the organization can’t say this wasn’t in the works all training camp, then the Rams need a new accounting department. Liars! Liars!

You have to question the timing a bit……can’t be a pick me upper for the lockeroom…

I don’t like this move but I do like the youth movement. This is way too close to the start of the season and could throw a wrench into the defensive schemes….I hope not though. GO RAMS!!

Guys, His community work shows the great character Draft has but it does not translate in to football wins or needs. What happened was purely a football decision. Draft was a great character guy.

This has me questioning Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnola. Not getting another Quarterback or Wide Receiver is also a big wonder for me. If we are good it will be alright, but I dont see us inproving more than defensivly without some weapons. Marc Bulger has been done, and they know it, but they continue to find backups that wont be able to steal the thunder from Bulger which is really stupid.

Chris Draft disearved alot better. We all know Carriker and Bulger should have taken pay cuts years ago. They both suck bad, and the hardworking Draft gets cut. Hmm. Starting to sound like a Mike Martz Scott Linehan move.

tclay, this isn’t about Carriker or Bulger. They are two different individuals with different tangibles to their related positions. I don’t know what the situation was with Draft but apparently they did not feel he was worth the original salary for the long term. His contribuation to the community was great but had nothing to do with on the field play or if he was under or over paid. I am certain that Spags appreciated whatever contribution Draft made with player knowledge but am also certain he could have handled his training camp without it. I’m not sure what lies the Ram organzation has told you since you failed to explain them but if you think so badly of the Ram organization, perhaps you should find one that you, personally, can be proud of.

stooooooooopid move!!!! geeeeesh…..we needed a good defense…this seems to weaken it! yes…it will backfire…but i hope i’m wrong…seriously wrong!! sorry spags…wrong move! pick up Bobby Wade, he was released by the vikes!!

This is very sad news… U should have met him in person… A very nice, respectful and funny guy! It will not be the same around the locker room without him….

was he that old? why are we worried about salary cap right now? Do we have a FA signing in the works…

What a shame. What if a player held out for an extra $300K a few days before the opening game? Not the 4-Pillar way to handle the situation. Draft was a good player and a great asset to the STL community. good luck Chris!

Third big mistake this new regime has made and the season hasn’t even started. How are any of us as fans supposed to be excited out this team when they can’t even afford Chris Draft!?! Caroll Rosenbloom is turning in his grave as to what has happened to a once great franchise.

This was not a good move. I like the overall direction so far but to cut a team leader over $300k makes no sense. Youth movement is great but there has to some on field direction and Draft is a solid if not spectacular player. The weakest D in the league just got a little weaker. Going to be a long year but at least the team will play hard start to finish.

I’ll I can say is “uh”!

At least to me, this appears to be some salary cap positioning for post-Week 1 roster moves. If I had to bet, I’d say Devaney/Spags are “eye-ing” a veteran WR addition and the one place where they thought they could subtract the least amount of talent for the most $$ was Draft.

Just illustrates how much of a re-build project this will be…

Wow, I was shocked to see this. I understand that this helps increase cap space and reduces the average age on the team. But I liked Draft and am sorry to see him go. I have faith in the plan that Devaney and Spagnuolo have created. Go Rams!

This leads one to think that the Rams word is not good. This move and the O. Pace move are just plain bad. We are well on our way to a one win season and maybe the top pick in the draft.

the rams probably cut draft to make a lil caproom to sign somone else. this is a businees and keep in mind there r alot of quality players getting cut all around the league. we will see if they make a move but if u ask me getting younger never hurts. Besides Vabora (Draft’s replacement for all you knuckleheads) has been playing solid ball all preseason. I will wait till after the season to pass judgement on the coaching staff.

I just heard the news about Cris Draft being released and I am in shock! This guy is a damn good player. So why would you release your starting outside linebacker 4 days before the 1st game of the season? To save $300,000? This move doesn’t make any sense to me. David Vobra is going to start? Well, I haven’t watched much of the preseason,so I really don’t know how well the outside linebackers have been playing, but this move is baffling to me. If the Rams feel that Vobra, Culberson, Chamberlain, or Grant are as good or better than Chris Draft, then fine. But I don’t know if that is the case. It sounds like the Rams wanted to save $300,000. That is not a lot of money and I sure hope these guys know what they are doing but they have made some questionable cuts lately.

Bad move!!! He gave the Rams the best chance to win at that position. Are the Rams hurting that bad financialy or is Detrimoff trying to justify his existance.

When Draft couldn’t go at Cincinnati Vobora and Grant stepped right in and didn’t miss a beat. The Rams have more dead money than only one other team in the NFL. Don’t expect Spags/Devaney to stop doing these things throughout the season. They really have no choice. Take away Draft’s reputation and you have an older more expensive guy replaced by a younger less expensive guy without a drop off at the position (hopefully).

Wow….I am actually really supportive of Spags and Devaney as leaders…. just because I like a leader doesn’t mean I will always agree with them…. this is a no go for me. Draft was a solid player and good example for the young blood coming up (character wise). This bothers me like “not signing longterm with Atogwe” bothers me….. You better appreciate what blessings you already have or you loose them. Personally, Draft, Little, Atogwe, and Jackson (now that he quit referring to himself in the third person….lol) are keepers.

Wow….I am actually really supportive of Spags and Devaney as leaders…. just because I like a leader doesn’t mean I will always agree with them…. this is a no go for me. Draft was a solid player and good example for the young blood coming up (character wise). This bothers me like ”not signing longterm with Atogwe” bothers me….. You better appreciate what blessings you already have or you loose them. Personally, Draft, Little, Atogwe, and Jackson (now that he quit referring to himself in the third person….lol) are keepers.

This seems kind of petty to me. Surely there are other players that could better afford a pay cut and haven’t exactly earned their money over the past couple of years.

Yes, I’m talking about you, Bulger.

Who wouldn’t balk at a 30% pay cut? Why not ask Bulger and/or Jackson? $380K is a drop in the bucket to them. Or how about super-bust II Carriker? (Tye Hill is super-bust I)

This sort of business decision is seldom easy or popular. QUESTION: What is the game plan for maintaining team cohesion and potential synergy, during the regular season and through challenging moments?

The NFL - Where a contract is a contract, but not really. I usually don’t fall on the side of labor, but this is crazy. A guy does everything his employer asks him to do and then they blindside him with this? Why couldn’t they have asked him before summer practices started if he would take a pay cut? If he declined, he would have had a better chance to sign on with another team and learn their systems during training camp and the Rams could have had someone else in there who may have made the team.

I’m not worried. They obviously cut him so that his $1.2 million salary wouldn’t be garaunteed for the year. They’ll probably extend him another offer for the veteran’s minimum after week 1 when salarys aren’t garaunteed for free agents. Culberson was signed as insurance just in case he refuses the Rams offer next week or another team grabs him before the Rams can. A lot of risk to save a few hundred K, especially for a starter. I just hope they have a sound solution just in case Draft refuses to re-sign.

I actually like this move. Maybe not the timing of it, but really since Draft came to St.Louis via Carolina he has been average at best. The Rams defense has been pitiful & Draft was definately a part of it. Although a great character guy, he is not a starting LB in my book. A younger, stronger, hungrier, faster, cheaper option is the way to go. In 3 weeks this move will be a non-factor. Cheers to the new regime & the new look Rams. Da-na-nuh, da-na-nuh..

I wonder if he is still open to do shows on 101 with our kicker, Josh Brown. They were just introduced this last week as doing a show together. Suppose that no one saw this coming.

“Business” let’s move forward…Go Rams!!

Chris Draft might be a great person and decent player, but he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer! Last time I checked $845,000 this season is a lot more than $0.

I dont understand all the outrage coming from these talking heads/radio personalities today. Yes he was a great person, very charitable in the city of St. Louis. But the last time I checked…the rams defense was terrible the last 3 years. And he hasn’t exactly helped. Maybe they are just tryin to mix things up

I don’t like this move. Draft was a solid player who has help mentor younger guys and he has character worked hard in the community.
All of that four pillars talk sounds like bull now.
It seems all about money and some people bemoan the players for trying to get all that they can. Look at ownership in the NFL, all business men trying to make all that they can get their grimy hands on, screw the players, the very people who makes this league clik!

All comments from this thread so far…

“Great role model”
“Great person for the community”
“Great asset to the team and community”
“1st class human being”
“Upstanding citizen & human being”
“Did do great things for the community”
“Fine human being”
“Shows great character with community work”
“Very nice, respectful and funny guy”

No one ever said business was easy. This is a total rebuild job. Timing is unfortunate…but we have new leadership at the helm, and we do not know all of the circumstances surrounding this. Let’s see how it pans out before lighting fires.

If any veteran player needed to take a pay cut it should have been Bulger. He certainly hasn’t earned his pay for a couple of years now.

Our defense was pitiful last year, and Draft was on the field. I support our defensive minded HC and believe he knows more than we’ll ever know when it comes to defensive football. Go Spags, Go Rams.

Chris, you got it right brother. Now if we were talking about Witherspoon then I would be alarmed. This move in no way hurts the Rams football team.

Is John Shaw back in town?

Last year Chris draft was on the field in that dismal season correct. Also he did rotate with the younger linebackers correct, so if he did such a wonderful job why was he rotated and he also missed a few games with injuries.

I believe in Spags and the direction the team is going in it will take some time and as long as we have a team that competes and never gives up and plays hard every week we will have a good season the record might not show it but the team will have improved.

Remember when the team was in L.A they made the playoff in the 70-80’s but never won the show now in STL had a few ups and downs but went to the show twice and won once, give it time!

A True, Rams fan from New York.

On a team that lacks enough talent to finish .500 I think it’s a bad move. This is a guy who was a face of the Rams franchise in St. Louis. That in itself should account for something. They don’t have that many players who are good PR guys unless they give Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger charm makeovers. That ain’t gonna happen.

The guy was a decent player. Bad Bad move. It may work out on the field but I still think it is a bad move.

I have a better idea, why don’ they ask Bulger to take a pay cut? If anyone is overpaid on the Rams for what they have contributed I would say it would be him!!! LOSER!!!!

Bulger should march into the appropriate office and offer 300K of his salary. He won’t miss it and what has he actually done to deserve that huge check he gets each Sunday?
Chris Draft isn’t a pro bowler but he is correct when he says there are others that it could have been directed to.

Don’t mind the move…suprised by the timing, with that said though this is the NFL and it is a business. Hopefully he lands somewhere else in the league - he seems like a good guy and was great in the community.

This is not how you wanna start Week 1…It takes a Defensive Unit weeks to gel into a solid unit…Vobora is nowhere close to being an NFL starter at this stage of his career…I hope Im wrong, but I can see Seattle Running Circles around this Defensive Unit as it stands right now…Way too many holes now…Only way Rams win this game is if we win the turnover battle…

This may well be the first obviously wrong move the Devany/Spags regime is making.

I agree with Chris. Let a lesser player making more take the pay hit… there are several on the team I can think of…

Chris was/is a great player, a solid citizen and role model both on and off the field…

Bad move by the Rams….

Everyone should know by now this administration is already planning for NEXT YEAR. Knowing that the team they are building for this year will probably win 3 games they want the another VERY high first round draft pick next year. QB Mc Coy from Texas would be a nice fit. This will also be Littles last year as a RAM.(youth movement). Since the Rams organization will give coach Spags at least 2-3 years to turn this team around, this year will be full of experiments and changes (as we have already seen).

It should be Bulger taking the paycut, and not a solid vet like Draft.

good for draft now he can go to a good team.

Ken I have supported the Rams financially for several years. I still say that Carriker hasn’t earned his keep. He hasn’t been of any value to the Rams on injured reserve. To ask Mr. Draft who has filled in at 3 positions over the past 3 years to take a pay cut doesn’t make sense. Culbertson had issues of knowing his assignments on defense that’s why he wasn’t projected as your starting middle linebacker promoting a need to draft one (Laurinaitis). The honeymoon for Spagnuolo will be over real soon if he thinks people can not question his decisions. It’s a tough business everyone knows that so don’t come with that four pillar BS and sweep your dirt under the rug.

Amen Tclay Its really hard to believe they could not find $380,00 from 53 players!!! $7,190 per player . I know it’s not as simple as that but come on!! Chris Draft!! Chris has more “class” than the entire front office. I hope the best for him. He WILL be pick up by a team soon. From a fan since 1971.

Seriously, did the Rams just cut a pro-bowl player? No, they cut an average (at best) 33 year old linebacker. And if anyone noticed that he didn’t play in the last game and the defense didn’t miss a beat. For those questioning the F.O., back off and give them some time. They inherited a huge mess from the Shaw/Linehan/Haslett era. You are all the same people that probably questioned the Cards to only realize that they do know what they are doing. If you think that you can do better, buy Madden ‘10, start a franchise and run it how you see fit. For now, maybe trust that people that evaluate football everyday for a living know more then we do!!

TO: The sky is not falling

Ram fans have trusted “people that evaluate football everyday for a living” for a while. I will ALWAYS be a fan. As a fan I believe this is a wrong move. Chris Draft may not have been a “pro bowl player” but he is a versitile veteran who did’t need 25% of his salery cut in the first place. How much is Adam Carriker earning (well not really earning) this season?

I guess close to a million dollars to play football wasn’t enough for this guy. What a joke!!!!! Good bye you greedy SOB

I’m not happy with this move. For what $300,000? I dont care if he’s 33 years old….he’s better than the youngsters…where’s the depth?

The timing of this is pretty lame no matter how respected Devaney is. Why not ask him for a pay cut before the preseason since they knew all the possible financials at that time? That would have given Vobora more time to get his feet wet with the starting unit. If Vobora gets hurt, now what? I also agree with a previous post- why not go after Bulger or even Jackson for that matter? $380,000 is peanuts to them! The sheisterness of this makes it seem like the FO does not have to abide by the four pillars. Sheesh.

I’m glad Draft told them to stick it. I hope he finds work with another team. Anytime you are not evaluated on your play but by how much you cost the club you know that the organization is not heading in the right direction. Once again the Bulger contract costs someone deserving their livelihood. I don’t blame Bulger at all for the contract it was the idiot that thought he was worth the money that I’d like caned.

Of course I ment to type that Jay Z should be cained not caned.

Draft is a Fantastic Community guy this is clearly a PR mistake, Draft is a spokesperson for the rams, and a vetran that knows the ropes. He may not be the best lb on the team but far from the worst. I expect a to team pick Draft up and give him the peanuts that the Rams tried to take from him..

Good Luck Draft

I haven’t read all 82 comments yet so if someone has echoed this then I’m sorry but but why don’t they ask Bulger to take a freaking pay cut?! The guy hasn’t performed ANYWHERE near the contract he was given a few years ago. $380k to Bulger is like $500 to you and me. Still significant but would go a long way to keeping an excellent character guy in the Rams uniform!

Shows what a class act Rams Management is. This coach and especially his superior are losers. You can tell it right away. This only shows how the Rams are like the Cubs this year, don’t spend one penny extra until the sell is final…

I heard Culberson was a scrub…So why resign a scrub? How will a scrub help improve your team? Is there nobody available that’s better than a scrub?

I’m surprised Spags would allow this to happen at this point in time……..Here we go again?????……..Draft did community work here, was a loyal player to his team, a good football player. Doesn’t any of this mean anything? Spags is suppose to exhibit faith right? The belief system right? Get everyone on the team to think about the team first, right?…….and now this?………for a petty $380,000 dollars?…….what kind of message does this send to the team now?……..wow, I can’t believe it……….I liked Drafts comment about the Rams approaching other players besides him. God forbid the Rams ask Marc Bulger, our supposed leader of the team, God forbid we disrupt his delicate psyche. The man doesn’t report to camp for 1 day and the franchise turns around and gives him a big multi-year contract, since then the Rams have won 5 games, they’ve let him pout like a baby and gave his starting job back, they’ve ignored the temptation to draft a high profile quarterback, and they refused to make Marc battle for his starting job in camp. And now they can’t ask Marc to take a petty pay cut? Yes, petty, when you compare that amount to what he’s being paid, not to mention when you compare his salary to his production. But Bulger is not a leader, he’s not a winner, Bulger has never figured it out. If he had any brains he would step in and offer to take a pay cut for the team but don’t hold your breath. And this is our Quarterback? He’s going to lead this team? Already I’m sick of this team and we haven’t played yet. Nice work Rams.

Ok, Draft was a good guy. Got it. Was he a superstar? No. A star? No. An older player? Yes. Does his presence change the team significantly? It didn’t last year, and it won’t this year. Let the young guys play. Find out who can play and who can’t. If they sign Draft back after week one, good business move. If not, ok. I anticipate more moves like this next year too. No premadonas, every position is competitive, every player accountable.

The NFL needs to go to a system like the NBA where rookies are limited to some reasonable pay for the first couple of years until they prove themselves. It is a shame to see vets get the shaft and see high picks get rich and never produce. It is really stupid.

The Rams waited until the last minute in order to improve their leverage over Chris and increase the odds that he would take the pay cut. That’s the thanks Chris gets for doing his job to the best of his ability on the field and being a stellar citizen in the locker room and in the community off the field.

They Rams should have asked him to take a pay cut prior to last Saturday to give him a better opportunity to land with another team. They owed him that much. And to those that argue that this is a business - well, that’s true. But, don’t kid yourself in thinking that other players won’t remember this when they’re considering signing with the Rams.

Chris Draft is a good guy. He is the anti-Richie Incognito. And, when you’re as pathetic as the Rams are, it’s a bad business decision to hose one of your more popular players.

Maybe about five days before the play-offs this year, Matt Holliday should sit out until he gets a contract extension.

I agree with all who label it as a poor football decision, a poor business decision, and a bad message for all players on the team who think they’re taking the “right path” by being an upstanding and responsible individual.
Be that as it may, I’m not ready to condemn the new leadership routines…at least until after game one.

RELAX! Draft will be back and signed next week. Happens all the time Count on it..No tears here in this economy. $900,000.00 a pretty good income

Lawdog- The only help this team needs is a quarterback. If someone could keep the offense on the field maybe then the defense will carry their share of the burden in the games. This is a business welcome to the world ofprofessional sports. JH