estretch80: jim are you upset that the rams might be getting rid of two future h.o.f. this offseason? because as a insane die hard ram fan i can not stomach it. thank you for your time.

Jim Thomas: I wouldn't say upset. But it would be sad to see these two mainstays of the Greatest Show on Turf squads go elsewhere. And beyond what they did on the field, Holt and Pace both have been high-character individuals and have represented the city and the organization very well.

Memphis Ram: Will Flajole be running Spagnuolo's defense or will he be running his own style? I ask because the Panthers defense didn't seem to be as aggressive as what the Giants were running under Spagnuolo.

Jim Thomas: I think it's a safe bet to say this will be Spagnuolo's defense.

TK: Hello Jim
What is your best guest on the cap hit from signing the rookie class of 09 plus bartell and atogwe if one of them is given the franchise tag?

Thanks!

Jim Thomas: With the Rams' current number (and position) of draft picks, I think it's safe to assume they'll be at about $6 million in the rookie cap pool. The franchise number for a safety is $6.34 million or about $3.5 million less than the franchise number at corner. (So if the Rams franchise anyone, it would be Atogwe and not Bartell.) So that leaves Bartell. I think there's a way to structure his deal so the first year would count $3 million (or even less) in the first year.

Ruben: Jim,
Thank you for keeping the chat's alive. I was extremely disappointed to read that the Rams might have turned down a first for Holt from the Titans. I felt that giving Haslett a no. of games to win to secure the coaching position would only effect who would get playing time. I never thought this would effect long term decisions. I was hoping, foolishly, that Devaney had control of personnel decisions last year, after Linehan was fired. What are your thoughts if the rumor was true?

Jim Thomas: Again, why would turning down a late first-round pick for the league's most productive receiver this decade be considered a bad thing _ unless you thought Holt was finished?

YoMurphy: One more Q Jim:
In your article this morning you said that the new renovations would let sunlight in through the dome. If not from a hole in the top, how does this work? I am having trouble imaging how the end-zones could let in much light...
Can this stadium survive structurally if they built a true retractable roof at some point?

Jim Thomas: Believe me, it's not going to be a ton of light. But in the end zone areas, some of the renovations will result in glass (or open areas) going all the way back to the concourses, some of which have windows on them.
I can't answer your second question. But I believe it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to "retro-fit" a rectractable roof on the current stadium.