The Rams beat writer goes one-on-one with readers from 1-2 p.m. Tuesday in a live chat.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 01:00 PM CDT
TheFakeAnnoyingCombineGuy: Hey JT,
I have really nothing else better to do than to interrupt a chat you do with Ram fans. Will you answer more of my questions? Whats your 40 time? How many times can you bench 225lbs?
Jim Thomas: Great, now we have a spinoff from AnnoyingCombineGuy.
Bryan H.: Pleasure to speak to you Jim. My question is, do you think Devin Thomas could be available at #33? Also, would you be surprised if the Rams acknowledged the CB issue early and drafted Cason at #33?
PS: LONG > DORSEY
Jim Thomas: Boy, the overall WR position is a puzzle this year. Most of the top guys seem to be dropping (Kelly, Doucet, Manningham). I think Thomas goes in the first round although he is something of a one-year wonder. No, I would not be surprised if the Rams went CB at No. 33.
Tim: How good of a Center do you think Setterstom will be?
Jim Thomas: Hard to say at this time. But he certainly has the smarts to play the position. His frame suits the center position. And he seems to be a tenacious player.
Mark Cockerell: Hey Jim! How come the Rams have such a terrible schedual for next year? I thought when teams have bad years the NFL will give them a better schedual the following year. The list for next year is worse than the year after they won the Super Bowl.
Jim Thomas: Actually, the weighted schedule is pretty much a thing of the past. Only two games each year are weighted like they used to be. Other than that, the Rams are playing 14 of the same 16 opponents as anyone else in the NFL.
Gus: Jim: A non draft related question, for someone (you) who lives and breathes Rams everyday. Is it my imagination or does it seem like the Rams are lacking a "face of the organization" for a long time now. Most organzations seem to have a local spokeperson if nothing else, even if not actual owners. Georgia is gone, Stan is invisible. It would seem to me that this vaccum exists and can't be positive for the team's image here nor nationwide, thank goodness for the media or we wouldn't know they were our team. It doesn't seem to bode well for when the lease runs out at the Dome. Almost as if everyone is just going through the motions instead of building a real bond with the community. Any clue as to when that is and any discussions about renewing with the City...or not? Thanks
Jim Thomas: The Rams are aware of this issue. Chip Rosenbloom, in fact, is aware of this issue. Dick Vermeil was a great face of the organization. So was Charley Armey. New exec. VP of player personnel Billy Devaney has been very media friendly so far, but he's more of a nuts and bolts guy, so I don't know if that would qualify for "face of organization" status.