ETM: Jeff,

Mr. Dorsey has been a great player and seems to have a big motor as well as heart. But he has already suffered significant injuries at a young age. And he has played on natural grass. Don't you think the Rams have to been very scared of him playing in the Ed. He is such a big man and that turf has not been friendly of late. The last few years it's become the old Philly Vet. Not only the Rams but everyone gets hurt on the turf (i.e. Leinart). It would be great if he ended up a HOFmer for the Rams. But a they can't afford another high pick bust at the D tackle position. Any thoughts....

PS...thought the new turf would be better.

thanks, eric

Jeff Gordon: Officially, the Rams say that health wasn't a factor. But it had to weigh in their decision, since they insist they were leaning toward Long all along.

The new turf IS better, by the way, but isn't as good a natural grass in terms of protecting against injuries.

Columbia_Ram: Is there any way you can compare Dorsey & Long based on the top ten media outlets? Who is rated highest? It seems that Dorsey has the history of being more productive.
DH

Jeff Gordon: The consensus of football experts had Dorsey ranked higher. But, as Linehan noted, he plays the same position as Carriker. By taking Long, the Rams can leave Carriker and Ryan in their natural positions for the long haul.

HEG: Gordo the Rams should take Dorsey and leave Carriker at tackle and this should take care of their run defense which has been so weak for several years and also this should free up their linebackers to do their job; agree or disagree?????

Jeff Gordon: Linehan prefers Ryan at nose guard and Carriker at defensive tackle, despite the fact the started at nose guard last year. The Rams viewed Little/Ryan/Carriker/Long as a great unit, especially with Glover and possibly Wroten backing up in the middle. Hall is the third DE. Also, Adeyanju might also move inside as a run stopper. That is a pretty good crowd there.

Dennis: Hi Jeff,

I love reading your work.

Who do you think will have a more positvie locker room influence and a higher potential to become a leader for our team: C. Long or Dorsey?

Thanks for your time

Jeff Gordon: Linehan raves about Long's personality. Dorsey is an "up" guy too with a lot of energy, but it seemed clear that the Rams liked Long's intangible qualities more.

Tyboy: What's happenin Gordo? Hey, I saw a rather disturbing clip of Torry Holt "joking" about possibly joining his brother on the Panthers...in his homestate. However, if you actually see the clip, he seems to be serious. We just suffered the heartbreak of losing our beloved Isaac (which we dogged him in my opinion), should we start preparing ourselves for life without Torry? I think that would just be too much to bear. Torry has always been a class act, so could this be a reflection of our teams relationship with Coach L? Or possibly other factors such as new ownership,etc? What are your thoughts?

Jeff Gordon: I didn't see the clip, but I'd be shocked if the Rams did anything with Torry -- given the sad state of their receiving corps. I trust that Saunders can win him back. I would like to see the Rams go for a WR in the first three rounds. Some experts see them going for a WR in the third round, not the second.

Hang Time: I know Chip is reassuring ST Louis fans that he will never remove the Rams from St Louis but do you really think he would turn down the opportunity to reside in a state of the art stadium being proposed just to please fans here in St Louis? Whenthat staidium is built, look for Chip to stay in his own backwayd and become the toast of the town as he brings the Rams back. Thje increased revenues and greater exposure would be too much for anyone to resist. Those who are buying his :promise" to keep the Rams in St Louis are just being naive. The best St Louis Ram fans can hope for is that another team is eager to rejuveane their franchise by moving into the new stadium in LA which will without doubt be built asap!

Jeff Gordon: The scenario seems obvious. All we can do right now is go on Chip's word. But I do believe that St. Louis will face a stadium challenge at some point. And if LA does finally get its act together, the Rams and other teams will have great leverage.

Tim: How come the Rams couldnt negotiate a contract with a player even though the Dolphins already made their pick? What would be the big deal?

Jeff Gordon: I think the NFL wanted to save some intrigue for draft day. It sounds like the Rams would have signed Chris Long early, since he was the consensus pick for some time. On the other hand, the team wanted to see if it could get a great trade to move down a notch.

Tim: Wouldnt it make more sense to Draft Long over Dorsey? I mean I know Dorsey is supposed to be like a prodigy but we need a DE and if we were to draft Dorsey we could move Carriker to outside but he played really well at DT and couldnt that mess with him a little? And if we dont move Carriker out then we still dont have a solid pass rushing end.

Jeff Gordon: That was the rationale the Rams used to take Long.

mark: Why would the rams take dorsey when the need is at DE matt hasselbeck has to much time in the pocket to pick apart our secondary we need somebody like chris long to shake him up so we can win the west besides carriker is over 300lbs and is not suitable for that kind of rush!

Jeff Gordon: Carriker did add weight to play inside. He could always shed weight, but the Rams believe he is better inside. Again, this helped the Rams make the decision they made.

Tim: Is there still a chance for Lito Sheppard?

Jeff Gordon: Sure, but I don't see the Rams spending a prime pick for that with Fakhir Brown's situation resolved.

Honolulu Ram Fan: Aloha from Hawaii:

It looks like the Rams will be drafting for the defensive line with their 1st pick; what do you think about the offensive line for the 2nd round pick, and wide receiver for their 3rd round pick?

Honolulu Ram Fan

Jeff Gordon: That would make sense -- although ESPN's Todd McShay likes ILB Dan Connor in the second round for the Rams. If he fell that far, it would be a great pick for the Rams. Otherwise, a OT would make all the sense in the world.

James: Hi Jeff,

Do you think the Rams put too much emphasis on speed at the combines and Pro Days instead of production? Ex: Trung Canidate. In the 2006 draft we could've gotten Haloti Ngata or Kamerion Wimbley if we stayed at 11. At 15 we could've Manny Lawson, Antonio Cromartie or Kelly Jennings instead of Tye Hill. All of this was discussed by fans in the Rams Chatroom on draft day.
Another questions is I don't see any enthusiasm after a Rams player make a great play. Ex: After a sack, I don't see them making high fives or jumping around. Is this a direct reflection on Haslett? They look like they don't enjoy playing. Though I don't like Haslett's defense (one of the worst) and his selection of players like Fahkir Brown(problem player) and Tye Hill (see above).

Jeff Gordon: Long will be a lot of life to the D, for sure. But then Dorsey would have done the same.

As for pro day, the Rams don't over-emphasis as Mike Martz did. He fell in love with guys and ignored their game production. He wanted to take athletes and move them around, But raw is raw and productive is productive. Look for Devaney to stress productivity.

mike: Hi Gordon,

What are the chance the ram sign Shaun Alexander from Seattle Seahawks? Do you here any talk about trade the draft down. If the rams keep their draft who do you think they will draft first, second, third round.

Jeff Gordon: The Rams like Leonard and Antonio Pittman, so Alexander doesn't make much sense for them. With Long aboard, I would endorse McShay's picks for the Rams -- Conner in the second and Early Doucet in the third.

Ray Charles: The Rams can't go wrong in my opinion by drafting a
tight end with every pick in the draft. Scott Linehan
is doing a great job.I am sure John Shaw
is going to give him a new contract soon.

Jeff Gordon: And I thought I was sarcastic . . .

Francisco Prado: Gordo, thank you for taking my comment. First and foremost, as a diehard Rams fan from Vegas I want to take this opportunity to say that I enjoy your coverage on STLToday on the Rams as well as Jim Thomas, Bernie and Bill Coats. Every time I go to the internet the first website I go to is STLToday.com to read the best news on my beloved Rams. Keep up the good work!! My question is have you heard anything on the contract extension for Steven Jackson? Do you think the Rams may need to release a veteran or two to sign him and the Rams first round pick since both will command alot of money?

Jeff Gordon: I believe the Rams are OK with the cap. As for Jackson, discussions are underway for a new deal. The team needs to get him signed before the season starts,obviously. The team does not need this distraction.

Andrew from Toronto Canada: What do the Rams do in round 2? what do you think the Rams need there, O-line, L.B. , W.R.? If Dan Connor is there would you grab him or a W.R. with return capabilities? In the later rounds 5,6,7, I would like the Rams to go for players with an attitude and passion for football and good special teams guys. Do you agree with me/

Thanks and I am psyched for 2008. Andrew from Toronto Canada

Jeff Gordon: I'd go for a tackle in the second round, but Connor would be great at ILB. Also, there will be interesting WRs still on the board. Tough decision.

Rambones: Why wouldn't the Rams try and work out a possible trade for Jason Taylor and draft Dorsey? This will give us the outside impact we need for 2 or 3 years with Taylor while giving us the big impact player up the middle we've been trying to get for 10 years.

Jeff Gordon: Taking Long made sense. Having Taylor, Little and Dorsey would have been pricey. The Rams needed to keep their picks and stay the course, adding young solutions.

Doug: The Rams need to pick Long because he has the pedigree, has no health questions, will help replace defensive end Little, and look what Sweeney has done for the Colts.

Jeff Gordon: Don't write Little off just yet . . .

Andrew from Toronto Canada: Hi Gordo,
I have a straight forward question for you and the Rams. Who is the decision maker for the draft? We keep hearing from 4-5 guys with their opinion but there has to be 1 and I mean 1 guy who is final decision maker. Who is that guy and it better not be Jay Z. To be frank and brutally honest, he is useless.

Thanks...Andrew

Jeff Gordon: Linehan still has the last say. As Devaney described it, the two guys talked Friday night and agreed to stay on Chris Long. It is still consensus process, but ultimately the coach decides whether or not somebody plays. So he has to like the pick.

Little Ed: Picture this Steven Jackson, and Shauwn Alexander, just hearing them two together would strike fear in many. Is the Rams exploring this possibility, that would put the butts in the seats at the Ed.

Jeff Gordon: Shaun would probably want to go somewhere to be at least a co-No. 1. That wouldn't happen here. I like the Rams RB depth as it is.

Little Ed: Is philly willing to deal with rams for lito trade, and a third round pick from us for him.

Jeff Gordon: That is a fair price, for the Rams, but the team may have more pressing needs with that pick. That could be their WR pick.

Little Ed: Is the rams exploring the Jason Taylor trade with the daulpins,for a later draft pick.

Jeff Gordon: The Rams brass was in love with Long for some time, so that scenario wasn't going to happen.

Little Ed: Are the Buccs thinking about dealing Micheal Pittman if so is the rams interested.

Jeff Gordon: Again, the Rams are pretty happen with their RB depth. They spend a high pick on Leonard and want to keep him busy.

Mike - Colorado Springs: Booooooo! Long will be good. Dorsey will be dominant. Little still has a year or two left. Dorsey would have created opportunities for the other guys on the line. Dorsey will be a Pro Bowler. Long will be another Wistrom. Hopefully, we can get Sweed with our number two. Do you think they would try to trade into the end of the 1st to get him if he's still available?

Jeff Gordon: The Rams believe Long will be a little better than Wistrom, who did have a lot of success hear before wearing down. Long has more natural bulk, I believe, than Grant.

sean: have you noticed that there is no highlight reel for chris long? go to youtube, you can watch dorsey rip it up and play witht the talent and heart of a beast. where is chris's highlights? all im saying is that chris will be a good player, but not a great one, and dorsey has the potential to be anything he wants to be in the nfl.

Jeff Gordon: I can see your point. Dorsey is more of a game-wrecker. But I've also heard experts note that collegiate DEs can get swollowed up in the NFL.

Mike - Colorado Springs: The Rams brass are still idiots. This franchise is doomed for eternity. I guess the good news is they'll get a chance to get it right next year when they're picking in the top 5 again.

Jeff Gordon: So you're not a big Chris Long fan, I take it.

Taylor B.: How many sacks do you predict Long will get for the Rams this year?

Jeff Gordon: Let's see . . . about 7 1/2.

Joe Stafford: Afternoon Jeff, thanks for this forum. What do you think of the Chris Long pick? I think the Rams hit a home run with him. A High motor, high moral, lunchpale worker.

Jeff Gordon: As Bernie Miklasz notes, that side of him is getting overplayed a bit. Dorsey is also an energetic guy. But Long is a more logical fit. The team still believes Carriker will be a top-flight DT.

Ken L.: YES! Chris Long is a Ram; I couldn't be happier with the pick. Just how close did the Rams come to striking a deal?

Jeff Gordon: Not close, according to Devaney. Baltimore wanted to move up, but the Rams knew that getting the right D-lineman there would have been tough.

Joe Stafford: Jeff, what position would be the best for rd. 2 I think we need a linebacker.

Jeff Gordon: I'd go OT, but, again, if Connor is there, the Rams should take him at ILB.

Little Ed: Chris was a safe pick, known will the rams pick Desean Jackson if still there at 33, or Possible trade with Raiders for running back

Jeff Gordon: Fans want Jordan, but, again, the team is pretty good at RB. This is not a high need compared to other spots. The Chillar exit could make the second round good for a LB pick. Jackson also fills a big need, IF he is there. That might be wishful thinking, since most mock drafts seem to have him going in the late 20s.

Vinny: Gordo,

I am soooo happy the rams took chris long. Do you think they will pick a QB at some point? I know they need to address other positions of importance.

Thanks

Jeff Gordon: A QB is possible Sunday, but I'm not sure the right guy will be there late. The Rams aren't in a hurry to draft one.

schank: What linebacker are the Rams targeting if any?

Jeff Gordon: Again, Connor of Penn State makes sense.

dasvig: Hi Gordo,

Thanks for covering the draft today. In general, what are the Rams looking to get out of this year's draft? I guess I'm looking for a breakdown by position. I'm thinking WR and OL are obvious needs.

Jeff Gordon: You are right about that. Add LB and CB depth to the list, too.

Col. Lawrence N. Reiman Jr.: As I mentioned before I have seen Chris play for four years. Absolutely great pick. St. Louis fans will really like his football instincts. One additional important thing to remember is that his coach at UVA was Al Groh who has a lot of NFL experience.The Rams did the best possible thing.

Jeff Gordon: Rams fans will find your note reassuring.

Mike: Gordo -- So who you got for the second rd. pick?

Jeff Gordon: OT Sam Baker and WR DeSean Jackson would rally appeal to me.

Jack J: Hey Gordo,

Everyone was talking Dorsey for so long then at the 11th hour we hear the Rams 1st pick will be Chris Long which it was. First we hear that Dorsey has been medically cleared by the Rams concerning his leg injury then we hear that Long may be a better because he had no injury problems. I wonder who was pulling the strings here, Linehan, Shaw, Ziggy or Devaney. There was talk that Dorsey was liked well as was Long so I wonder who made the decision.

I also recall you commented weeks ago that one of the Longs you would stay clear of for the 1st pick. Was this Chris Long and if so have you changed your mind since then?

Now lets all hope we can sign Long without too much trouble.

Jeff Gordon: I advocated C Long, because he filled a need without moving other people around. J. Long and Dorsey would have forced former first-round picks to move. But all the late buzz about Dorsey intrigued me. A lot of teams seem to think he was the No. 1 prospect, and yet he slipped to fifth.

ham the ram: jeff, barring any injuries i believe we may have one of the best defensive lines we have ever had now. what do you think about that and what are our chances of doing something this year because of it!!! thank you

Jeff Gordon: Little, Glover and Hall have some miles on them, but Ryan/Carriker/Long could be nice to build on. Wouldn't it be nice if Wroten turned his career around and became a factor, too?

Ram Fan in Dallas: OK, we address the defense, but wasn't the defense doing alright (all things considered) last year. Weren't we the same fans screaming to make the defense Coor the head coach? This is why the rams will continue to be loserville after last year's offensive woes the best the Ram management could come up with is to draft a defensive player? These sorry choices is what will always separate the Lambs from the elite teams/managment like New England, who have a system/plan and draft for need and not best available talent. Well Jeff what do you think loserville will draft next a punt holder?

Jeff Gordon: The Rams like their offense when Pace, Setterstrom, Incognito and Romberg are all healthy up front. Those guys, plus FA Jacob Bell and Barron, ought to give the Rams much better blocking that they saw with makeshift lineups last season.

That said, I'd like to see an exciting receiving arrive with one of the next two picks.

Daak: First round no surprise. Second round O-line or defensive backfield.

Jeff Gordon: There will be decent DBs there, so we'll see.

greg: Hello Jeff, ok the rams took the player that I feel is the most complete defensive lineman to come out of college in years, now in the second round do you think they will try to get an offensive lineman? And if so if he is available, do you think they would be interested in tony hills out of texas, or king dunlap of auburn?

Jeff Gordon: Those guys ought to be there, because Todd McShay has them ranked in the 130-140 range. He sees them as second-day guys.

Dan Husselbee: Hi Jeff,

I'm feeling letdown once again, we had a chance to get a difference making DT for once in Dorsey and we pick a Grant Wistrom clone. Will Chris Long be a Pro Bowl DE? If Leonard Little has trouble making it to the Pro Bowl Chris Long will have a tough time as well. Will he help the Rams? Sure for five years or so, Will he stuff the middle and help stop the inside rush? of course not it's not his responsibility. Yeah we needed a DE, but to let a future Pro Bowl DT slip through our hands when we haven't have guy that brings all skills Dorsey displayed at LSU well it's really frustrating. I've been a LA/Oregon Ram fan for 39 years and this isn't the first time we've passed up great players to fit a need. I say you pick the best player available regardless.

OK with that said, will we find someone who can tackle in the second round? Or cross our fingers and hope Pisa can play a full season. I still think we need players in this order LB-WR-OT-S.

Thanks for letting me vent Gordo, Go Rams

Jeff Gordon: I'd rank tackle higher in the order of need, since the Rams still must fret about Pace's durability and Barron's uneven play.

James: First off, I am happy with Long as our pick. That is going to be a step in the right direction, but what how are we going to fill the void at Linebacker. Witherspoon is an OLB at MLB, Pisa is undersized and gets hurt every year b/c of it. Draft is a nice backup, but how is that corp going to slow down the run any better than the last few embarasing seasons? Is there is stud that'll be there in the 2nd round, is there a trade possibility? Free agent? anyone?

Jeff Gordon: LB is still a possibility in the second round. I like Chris Draft and Culberson is intriguing, but adding physical backer would make sense.

Cesar Noel: Good Day Gordo,

I'm glad Rams picked Chris Long I believe in Chris Long's potential and we need a good DE on the right side since Grant Wistrom. My question is would there be a possibilty that the Rams would pick WR DeSean Jackson on the 2nd or 3rd round?

Jeff Gordon: A lot of WRs on the board still, which could bode well for this team. Jackson's stock dropped late, so that is possible.

Dan Husselbee: Gordo,

During the week it looked as if the Rams were going to take Dorsey, it was reported by several news sources that most of the Rams staff wanted Dorsey over Long.

The news conference sound bit I saw in which Linehan babbled about the up coming draft left me feeling Devaney wasn't on the board with the latest consensus. This morning I wake up toa flip-flop in my estimation.

Do you know who calls the shots for this draft?

Jeff Gordon: Haslett just called Dorsey "a monster inside, he's a guy that comes around once in a decade." So he liked Glenn a lot. But Linehan insisted Long was the pick all along, especially after Miami zeroed in on the other Long.

greg: Jeff, do you believe that will franklin would be too early of a pick, if the rams took him in the third round? I know a lot of so called experts have him going in the 4th or 5th, but after seeing him play the past couple of years, I think he is 3rd round worthy, what are your thoughts on him?

Jeff Gordon: The Rams appear unlikely to pick him that high. Their grade has him going later on Sunday. So we'll see.

greg: Jeff as far as a linebacker, how about Jordan dizon of colorado, he is a very good outside linebacker, plays with a high level of intensity, and heart, tackles very well, and seems to know where he needs to be at all times. I feel he would be a good pick for the rams in the 4th round if they are fortuanate to find him there in the 4th.

Jeff Gordon: Scouts Inc. ranks him as a third-rounder, so he would be a great get there IF the Rams don't take a LB sooner.

Doug: How much 3-4 do you see the Rams playing this season?

Jeff Gordon: Haslett just reiterated that the team will mix up their schemes -- and that Long is a good fix to play multiple roles in that. "He will be a better productive player for us for all the things we do rather than teams that play a straight 4-3 and just line up the ends and rush."

Brent King: I had the luxury the past 2 yrs watching Chris Long play at UVA. Now I am back in STL and am extremely happy to get to see Chris play for the Rams. He was the right pick at this spot because he is the rich man's version of Grant Wistrom. High motor and more talented than Grant. Can't wait to see him this year.

Jeff Gordon: A "Rich Man's Wistrom" -- does that make people happier?

sean: didnt haslett want dorsey? how will the long choice effect the interactions between the coaches?

Jeff Gordon: Haslett DID love Dorsey. But he also coached Howie Long late in his career, so he ought to be fond of Chris.

greg: Jeff, a defensive tackle I think could be there in the 4th round and possibly might slip to the 5th, although I really doubt it, is red bryant of texas a&m, if he is there do yu think the rams would consider him?

Jeff Gordon: With so many other needs, it will be tough to take a DT in the fourth round. Or even the fifth, I believe. But we'll see. You never have enough depth.

jbirds21: If one of the top 3 recievers are still there, dont we have to go with a WR, we need one almost as badly as ot..

Jeff Gordon: Conversely, the OTs are flying off the board. Could the Rams get a good WR in the third? Probably. But if all the good OTs are gone, maybe they look at that position sooner.

Joe Stafford: Jeff, what about Curtis Loften at linebacker at round 2. He has good size, a non-stop motor, and exelent instincts.

Jeff Gordon: Scouts Inc. has him as the 36th-best player, so, again, if the OTs are all gone, perhaps the Rams need to look longer at this position, too.

Wow -- Sam Baker just went off the board. The run on OTs continues!

That's it for now. I'm heading back to the blog.