Chuck Dimmick: Why is management so intent on giving Linehan another year? I went to the AZ game just to see for myself how boring, how mis-managed and inept the current Rams were...and they were worse than I had imagined. I am a fan from way back - over 40 years....I don't think I can stand to watch another season go by like this last one. And if I can't - how can the team's management think it's ok to let Linehan stay? It's like watching the captain of the Titanic trying to stave off the fact that the ships sinking by saying "hey - we just stopped to pick up some ice"

Please tell me there is a way for this maddness to end and that I'll wake up soon to read about a new Rams head coach...

Jim Thomas: Linehan will be back in '08. I think it's partly financial (the Rams don't want to pay off the two years remaining on his contract, plus much of his staff). But I think Shaw truly believes Linehan deserves a mulligan because of all of the injuries.

dodgerram: Hey Jim,

thanks for taking the time .
With Carriker severly injured and out for about 6 months (will he have his full strength back to play DT in 2008 ?) wouldn´t it be a good idea to draft Dorsey at Nr. 2 overall and move Carriker back to DE ?
A line of Little-Dorsey-Ryan-Carriker looks pretty formidable to me . If we add a pure pass rushing specialist DE/OLB via the draft (middle rounds) we should be set at d-line.
J. Long is a very good player but if Pace comes back (and to improve this team with all its other need positions you have to assume it) we should look somewhere else to upgrade. Dorsey is considered a relatively safe pick and probably will produce right away.

Thanks and keep up your great work.

Jim Thomas: Even without an injury to Carriker, I think Dorsey is in play for the Rams. This will certainly be Glover's last season with the Rams. Wroten is a bust. So if the Rams drafted Dorsey, they could play Little-Dorsey-Ryan-Carriker as you suggest on running downs, using Glover as a rotation player, but also sliding Carriker inside at times. If Dorsey's their guy, I think this all sounds rational.

Jack Cramond: Two words. NO HOPE. After the Arizona beatdown it was clear that the players, like the fans, have lost interest in their "coach". Given an opportunity to "renew" himself, Linehan will fail in 2008. This is not up for debate, this is a guarantee. Who cares what the free agency market looks like or who we will draft. LINEHAN CANNOT COACH. We will get a few good picks, but if we can't coach them, the results will be the same or worse than 07. Shaw is too involved with transfer of power issues to worry about the rams. He is staying very tight lipped concerning the teams future. We fans have no clue about the direction of our team, but what we do know is very frightening. Until we get rid of Shaw and Linehan, we have no hope. There is no positive spin to put on this debacle. The players have given up on the coach. Any new players will speak with their teammates and give up too. Every single Ram fan is fighting mad about the status quo, but what the hell, as long as John Shaw and Scott Linehan are happy, who cares what the fans feel. The rams ownership could care less about the fan base. Thats insulting.

Jim Thomas: There is no doubt that things look bleak. Linehan realizes that '08 is very much a make or break year for him. I'm not sure that team management realizes the sense of urgency among the fan base. They made be in for a rude awakening when the PSL renewals come in. Or I should say, DON'T come in. Not only do the Rams need a heck of an offseason. They need an offseason with some sizzle to re-energize the fan base.

dodgerram: Hey Jim,

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of trading S. Jackson. Checking some draft sites where they list team needs it is reported that the NYJ, Dallas, Atlanta,Detroit and the Raiders are probably looking to upgrade at RB.
Especially Detroit with Jones out again with an injury and Dallas with Jones a free agent could be players in such a trade.
Marinelli at Detroit wants a more conservative, ball controll offense (one reason why Martz was fired) and Jackson would fill that bill perfectly.
Detroit currently has the 15th pick . For that pick and their 2nd rounder I would sent them Jackson.
From Dallas I would want their two first rounders.

That would give us three first round picks and our own second rounder which de facto is the first pick of the second round due to NE having to forfeit their first rounder.

That is 4 picks out of the first 33 picks!!!!!! And if you trade down a couple of notches from the 2nd overall pick you could reel in even more picks and still get a very good player in the top ten.

Rams are not close to really challenge for the NFC pennant or even a SB trophy so there is no need to hang on to Jackson especially since he will command top dollar next year.

With all those picks it will open up so many options to rebuilt.
I am aware it is a certain risk in trading Jackson for draft picks (See the Dickerson picks which all were wasted on bums)but the
Rams are so bad right now they IMHO have to roll the dice for better or worse. If we make the right picks it could turn this sorry team around. Remember the Dallas Cowboys when they traded Hershell Walker for all those picks ? That was the beginning of their dynasty in the late 80´s and early 90´s.

Jim Thomas: Linehan really likes Jackson, and would like to build the offense more around him than the wide receivers. That being said, if McFadden is there at No. 2 overall, I wouldn't put a Jackson trade out of the question. (Particularly since Jackson is entering the last year of his contract in '08.)

Steve: i guess my question is...how bad is it, jim? do you see this getting any better next season, two seasons, three seasons from now? what free agents will want to come to st. louis? and don't give me that 'they go where the money is' crap, winners want to win and there has been little winning in st. louis. what ram free agents will want to stay?

Jim Thomas: Sorry to disappoint you Steve. But to a large degree, they do go where the money is. But what the Rams need to do is identify and sign young up-and-coming players in free agency; players that are entering their second contract (like Witherspoon). The trouble is, it's getting harder and harder to build teams through free agency because teams are doing a better job of keeping their own, especially with the cap going up due to the new CBA. To me, the overall picture doesn't look to bright. The Rams need to rebuild their offensive line, particularly in the interior. They have an aging WR corps, and need to inject some youth there. They are getting creaky at defensive end. I think they need another proven cornerback. And that's not even addressing the fact that the head coach may be gone after '08.