THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Rams general manager Billy Devaney was quoted in a Post-Dispatch story Sunday as saying it is too early for the team to be prioritizing draft prospects. Sitting at 1-10, it would seem like the team would be looking at the big picture more than just taking a one-week-at-a-time approach. So if they are not yet putting much thought into next year’s draft, what do you think the front office and coaches are looking to see in the final five games?

JIM THOMAS
Actually, the front office and the scouting department ARE putting in a lot of thought and effort into the 2010 draft. But they’re in the information-gathering mode on hundreds and hundreds of players at every position. When you’ve lost 37 of your last 43 games, it’s not like you’ve got one or two needs. The Rams won’t even begin to trim their list of draft-eligible prospects until the scouts come in for a week in mid-December, and at that point, they’ll only winnow obvious character risks. As much as some Rams fans might want to fast-foward in 2010, there’s still one-third of the season to play. Does QB Kyle Boller have a future here? Is Brandon Gibson good enough to compete for a top three spot at WR? Do the Rams have another viable NFL defensive tackle on the roster other than Clifton Ryan? Those are just a few of the things that can change between now and January.

BILL COATS
I think they’ll be doing final evaluations of the roster that they have and cementing areas that they must target in the offseason. As for the draft, you really can’t get a clear picture until the underclassmen declare anyway.

JEFF GORDON
The Rams need a run-stuffing DT, a developmental QB, a big WR, a big and physical CB, two starting OLBs, another young pass-rushing DE, another starting-caliber RB, a passing-down RB, a pass-catching TE and at least one developmental OT. How they prioritize all that will depend on how some of the fill-ins play the last five weeks. The Rams also must assess the free agent market — which is impossible now — and see which players come out of college for the draft. If particular positions are deep in the 2010 draft, the Rams could move that position down the draft board a bit.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

• Of the 47,475 people that were in attendance at yesterday’s Rams-Seahawks game, I hope that not many were first-timers. They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and yesterday’s contest was not just a bad Rams’ performance … it was bad football, period. How bad was it? In terms of entertainment value, I preferred the pee-wee league scrimmage that took place at half-time.

• Good for defenseman Jonus Junland getting the call up from Peoria to the Blues. Many Blues fans have been eagerly anticipating Junland’s arrival. However, many Blues fans also have been wondering why former first-round pick Alex Pietrangelo has been sitting in the press box as a healthy scratch night after night. Sure he’s played nine games and the next one he plays for the Blues starts the clock on how long the Blues control his rights. But what message is the team sending by calling up one of its top defensive prospects while they have another one (Pietrangelo) already here and not playing?

• News flash: The Cardinals have re-signed backup catcher Jason LaRue. I’m thinking this year the team is starting with the low-hanging fruit and working its way up the tree.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Much attention has been focused on the Rams offensive needs as we near this weekend’s draft, but the fact is, the Rams have made only one offseason addition to the defense — defensive back James Butler came over from the Giants. With needs on the defensive line, LB and DB … which defensive area would you say is the greatest need for this team?

JIM THOMAS
After giving up a franchise record 2,475 yards rushing last season, the Rams need to get bigger up the middle on defense, whether it’s at defensive-tackle or middle linebacker. With that in mind, the most ideal choice in this year’s draft would be Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry. He should be able to make the transition from college outside linebacker to the middle in the NFL.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Obviously, the Rams can’t ignore a potentially top player at any defensive position. They have holes all over the place on the defensive side of the ball. But it always starts up front. That’s the one area that has the most direct influence on a football game. If you have a dominant defensive line, then you can control the line of scrimmage. Your tackles can tie up blockers and free your linebackers and DBs to make tackles. If your defensive line can whip up a consistent pass rush, it alleviates the pressure on your cornerbacks. If your D-line is rattling the quarterback, he’s going to hurry or force some throws and your DBs will be able to make some plays on the ball. The defensive front is the backbone and character of your defense, so the Rams should load up on as many D-linemen as possible.

BILL COATS
Unquestionably, it’s linebacker. Specifically, middle linebacker, with Will Witherspoon moving back outside. Aaron Curry was an OLB at Wake Forest, but he’s big enough and bright enough to make the move inside. The Rams have to get better vs. the run, and a stout MLB would be a key part of the solution.

KATHLEEN NELSON
I’d say linebacker. Three young guys on the line — Clifton Ryan, Chris Long and Adam Carriker — could continue to progress and anchor the front for awhile. Ron Bartell, O.J. Atogwe and James Butler could be solid in the secondary. Improving the linebacking corps has been ignored, except for moving Will Witherspoon and Chris Draft.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Rams fans seem to be enthused about having a defensive-minded head coach taking the helm of this team. Speaking just in terms of defense, what remains to be done this offseason that will enable Steve Spagnuolo to turn around the fortunes of the Rams defense?

JIM THOMAS
So far, strong safety James Butler is the only new starter on what was one of the NFL’s worst defenses last season. Help at middle linebacker, nose tackle, and cornerback would be nice.

JEFF GORDON
There is much work to do, especially with the front seven. The Rams still must get stronger at the point of attack. The most critical need is an impact linebacker — ideally for the middle, which would allow Will Witherspoon to move outside and make better use of his pass-rushing skills. Still another linebacker would help as well. This team needs another run-stuffer to stick in the middle of the line, supporting and pushing Clifton Ryan and Adam Carriker. The Rams also need to develop another pass-rushing end to ultimately replace Leonard Little and work across from Chris Long. And this team needs more depth at cornerback, where Tye Hill and Justin King are attempting comebacks.

BILL COATS
Draft Aaron Curry and put him at MLB. Find a beefy defensive tackle for the rotation up front. Get some depth — and possibly a starter if Tye Hill disappoints — at cornerback.

KATHLEEN NELSON
The pecking order at linebacker needs to be straightened out. Spagnuolo has said that he will move Will Witherspoon outside and move Chris Draft to the middle. The latter feels a bit like Tony LaRussa’s switch of Skip Schumacher to second base. The Cardinals have declared that move a success, but the Rams will need to see how it works and adjust if necessary.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
The main thing the Rams need on defense is a super-sized linebacker, someone who can be a dominant physical presence on game day. This linebacker would be someone for the middle, ideally, but more important than the specific position he plays is whether or not the player is the kind of impact talent the team needs. Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry would fit the bill, as could several others in the draft depending on how things fall.

I’d also like to see more depth on the defensive line and perhaps another cornerback added to the mix as well, though it may not be possible to address everything before training camp.

There are a lot of good players on the Rams’ defense but as things stand right now none of those players are dominant, nobody is a star. Chris Long may develop into that kind of player, but whether it is him or not, somehow this teams needs to find “The Guy” that makes it all work the way it is supposed to.