28-blast: What is the official status of Claude Wroten at this point in time?

Jim Thomas: Wroten was eligible to apply for reinstatement as of May 30. According to the league office, he hasn't done so.

virginiatom: The Rams offensive line really seems to be a strength for them this year. Am I being too optomistic? If the line holds up, do you see Bulger returning to his old form or do you think he is beyond that?

Jim Thomas: The line seems to be much improved. The players love Brown at center, Barron probably is better suited for LT than RT, and the rookie, Smith, has impressed. Barring unexpected developments, he'll be the starting RT on opening day.
As for Bulger, we'll just have to see. Better protection, obviously, is a great asset. But has he been banged around so much that his psyche is affected? I don't think that's the case, but we'll have to see him in live action first.

JB&U: Bill,

How serious is Keenan Burton's hamstring injury? Also, what role do you see Brooks Foster playing in the Rams' reciever corps.

Thanks.

Jim Thomas: I think they're being cautious with Burton. I don't think it's a bad injury.
Foster is pretty raw, but he's improving. No idea at this point what his role will be.

ramsinnv: I realize that it is still early but i have noticed some teams are starting to get a few of their draft picks signed. Any news on this front for the Rams?

Jim Thomas: No news. Highly unlikely any of them will sign before mid-July.

Dan Lum: The Rams' QB situation is so vulnerable; Marc Bulger has had back to back horible seasons, Kyle Boller is a stop gap at best, and Brock whatever his name is ..whatever. Say Bulger bombs out in three games, the fans are calling for his benching. Boller is trotted out, and he gets knocked out for the season. Brock WHNI takes the snaps and goes 0-12 because Bulger has been released. What now? Is 2010 the year we get serious at QB during the offseason?

Jim Thomas: It's Brock Berlin, and there's no guarantee at all that he'll make the team. Remember, the Rams drafted a QB, Keith Null, in the 6th round this year.
If Bulger doesn't have a bounce-back season in 2009, it's certainly possible the Rams will target a QB high in the 2010 draft.

Cory Radford: I read an ESPN.com article and interview on O.J. Atogwe not signing his Franchise Tag tender, yet he continues to show up to camps and OTA's. If he is hurt at a camp or OTA, and is w/o a contract, what is the process on a settlement? And if you wre Atogwe, wouldn't you just take the 6.2 million?

Jim Thomas: Atogwe is taking a risk, for sure, in participating without signing. His stance is that the club will be more inclined to offer him a long-term deal sooner if he doesn't sign the tender. I don't know if that's sound strategy, but O.J.'s a very bright guy and I'm sure he's put a lot of thought into this.

Casey: Hello, Jim
Is it possible for the Rams to be sold and moved somewhere besides L.A. and if so could the new owners change the teams name? What are the odds of this.I hope this will not happen!

Thanks California Rams Fan.

Jim Thomas: Sure, it's possible. In fact, I think LA is one of the least likely places that the Rams would wind up if they move. Of course, they're not going anywhere any time soon. And quite possibly they'll be in St. Louis for many years to come. IMO, that's the most likely scenario.
Don't know about the name.

JEFF: Jim, Bill or whoever:
First off, Go Rams whether they are here or anywhere else. My question doesn't relate to any of the bs going on with the sale, moving, etc. It has to do with the "battering ram" Mike Karney. I think he will be a key in our offense. How is he catching on and is he becoming what Steven Jackson needs, i.e. a blocker that he can trust and run behind?

Jim Thomas: Karney is exactly what the Rams thought they were getting -- a tough, physical lead blocker. He should be a nice addition. Jackson is thrilled with him, I can tell you that.

UCityDave: Bill -

Thanks for giving us a forum during this slack time of the football year. Here's why I'm not (too) worried about the whole Rams-moving-out-of-town thing. First, leaving out LA for a minute, where would they go? San Antonio? Puh-leeze. The Alamodome is older and dumpier than the Ed. Toronto? Buffalo has dibs. Vegas? Gambling. Portland? No stadium, no will to build one, and what to do with Paul Allen's cross-ownership conflict? Sacramento? If the state can't finance a stadium in the football vacuum of LA, how would they ever do it within 100 miles of two other teams? The next four largest US metro areas without football are San Juan, Orlando, Columbus and Salt Lake. 'Nuff said.

So there's only one possible place for a team to go that might not be simply swapping one set of problems for another: A new stadium in LA. But, there are AT LEAST FOUR other teams -- Minnesota, Jacksonville, Buffalo, San Diego, maybe New Orleans if Louisiana runs out of money again -- that are at least as serious as the Rams about moving. As long as any ONE of these other teams moves to LA before 2014, we're in the clear. FWIW, my money's on either the Vikings or the Jags -- Minnesota because their lease is up in 2011, Jacksonville because it's in the smallest market except for Green Bay and can't draw flies. So what I say to Rams fans is: Don't worry. Be happy. Root for the St. Louis Rams, and whoever's playing the Jags and Vikings that week! (It's better than fantasy football.)

Jim Thomas: Well said. Can't argue with any of that.

Rita from South County: Hi Bill,

Thanks for taking questions again today. Now that the "For Sale" sign is officially posted at Rams Park, (and we in STL know that LA is not a realistic option) who do the folks in the building see as the major players in all of this? In other words, what's the flutter from inside of the nest?

Jim Thomas: Not much "flutter" at all really, mainly because the principals know that nothing is imminent.

Ineeda Hammer: Can you tell a difference in the attitudes of the players this year compared to last yr? Does Bulger seem to be following the "lead" or does he seem to question the direction like he did with Loserhan?

Have you noticed a difference in the way the players respond to Spags compared to the last two "coaches".

I hope you can tell some sort of difference. We needed to get rid of the "dark cloud of gloom and doom" that has been hovering over the team's heads. I hope it's Spags & Co. , but maybe it's the removal of some "cancers" (older players who thought their $*!# didn't stink). There must be something you can share...

Jim Thomas: Spags definitely has a presence, and the players have no doubt who the boss is. When he speaks on the practice field, it gets very quiet. He seems to have sound leadership skills. He keeps them on task, but also keeps things very uptempo.
As for Bulger, he was a Linehan fan at the start, too. So, I guess we'll have to wait on that one.

bfulton: Is it me, or has Rams' WR Keenan Burton been hurt a lot this offseason, too? Is it related to last seasons' injuries? Is he totally on the sidelines? Can he pick up the new offense as well as the other guys?

Jim Thomas: 1. He's had a sore hammy for a couple of weeks.
2. No, not related to last year.
3. He's doing a lot of individual work, just not team drills.
4. Sure.

h2o_jd55: How are the new coaches going to play the Rams DE this year? Will Long line up a LDE and Little play on only passing downs and who starts at RDE? Thanks

Jim Thomas: Little is at LE, Long at RE. At times, Adeyanju will come in for Little in run situations. On passing downs, James Hall comes in for Ryan on the inside.

magiardino: Hi Bill. Have you heard any news about how Aaron Curry is doing these days? I realize it's early, but the Seahawks must be impressed.

Jim Thomas: No idea about Curry. It's tough enough to keep track of the 86 players on the Rams roster right now.

NotMyHome: Bill,

Do you know what games the Rams will be wearing the '99 uniforms in? Also, was there any thought of doning the blue & white from the LA days? Personally, I would have preferred those.
Thanks for any insight.

Jim Thomas: They'll wear the '99 unis for three home games to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Super Bowl win. Those games haven't been designated.
As for the blue and whites . . . the process to get permission from the league to wear throwbacks is pretty tough. The Rams only got the OK for the '99 unis.

Luiz: Hi Mr. Coats! I´m a RAMS fan from Brazil and I just want to know if...

Can we rely on the size (weight and height) of Laurinatis to play in a competitive way at MLB?



Thanks!

Jim Thomas: 6-2 and 244 is big enough to play in the middle. The Rams have been impressed with Laurinaitis. I expect him to start at MLB on opening day.

ramboy81: hey ' jim how is sean walker doing so far..................

Jim Thomas: He's done OK. Nothing to stand out.

Jack's Youngblood: If you look at the Giants front seven they are not huge players they are talented but not overly big. Many have concerns that our players are too small but if they learn the system I beleive we have enough talented players accrss the board to have a reliable defense. What impression do you have?

Jim Thomas: It'd be nice to have a big guy -- 330-plus -- to plug in the middle of the line at times. But overall, I think the Rams' size on defense is OK. I like the move of Witherspoon to WLB. It'll be interesting to see who winds up at SLB.

virginiatom: Any chance that with a solid camp and pre-season that clearly overshadows Bulger, that Boller enters the season as the starting QB? And if not, how many games into the season if Bulger struggles does Spagnulol stick with him? Is he on a short leash or does he have the luxuary of a full year to find himself?

Jim Thomas: Bulger would have to be terrible and Boller terrific for that to happen. Highly, highly unlikely.
I don't think Bulger is on a particularly short leash. Spags believes in him, so I think he'll be patient if need be.

Tackleberry: What do you feel is the true goal of the 2009 Rams? I'm not intimating that the objective is not to win, but if Spags has this team even sniffing the playoffs they should put a bronze bust of him in front of the Ed. Everyone can prop up this team because of a traditionally weak division, but most fans would settle for a doubling of last year's win total.

Jim Thomas: I think the "true goal" is a turnaround similar to what Miami and Atlanta accomplished last year after poor '07 seasons.

state-of-mind: I remain very optimistic for the 2009 season and feel that coaching was the greatest deficiency in the previous Rams organization. Couple that with player frustration, talent can rarely show.

When you compare the Rams with the rest of the NFC West and more specifically the 49ers, do you see the Rams placing in front of them? They have a major issues with very little leadership or talent at the QB position. Teams will stack the line against Gore and make him take a pounding. I really don't see him finishing up more than 9 games this season.

Jim Thomas: Arizona probably remains the class of the NFC West, although the Cards are hardly a powerhouse. The 49ers responded nicely to Singletary, but whether that will carry over is a big question. I see the Rams, Niners and Seahawks on relatively equal footing at this point.

Encino: There are many youngsters looking to make this team. Realistically speaking, during these minicamps do they get much of a chance to show what they can do?

Jim Thomas: They get plenty of opportunities this time of year, and this is when they really need to make an impression. Once training camp gets under way, their chances will dwindle.

Joos: Hello, I remember reading that Steven Jackson was talking about adding some Fat to prevent himself from suffering another muscle/soft tissue injury. I do not understand the reasoning behind it and was wondering how the coaches felt about him doing that. Then I read that he's in great shape. Which one is it?? I do know that history has shown when running backs add weight, they typically pick up more serious weight bearing injuries like knee ligament tears i.e. Deuce McCallister.

Also I understand that Keenan Burton is hurt again. He just doesn't seem to be able to stay healthy and therefore is continuously missing valuable reps. I hope he can get it together because I think he can be a surprise along with Laurent Robinson.

Your Thoughts please. Thank you

Jim Thomas: Jackson said he'd been told that because his body fat was so low, he was subject to muscle pulls and tears. He's really ripped, in great shape. He's not looking to put on a gut or anything like that.
Burton question answered earlier.

john malone: tye hill cornerback isn't physical enough to play corner, rams needs a backup running back for steven jackson and a proven wide receiver is needed with donnie avery. JT can you give some resoultions or hope to these needs in 2009.

Jim Thomas: 1. Hill -- that's debatable.
2. The Rams would like to add a No. 2 back, true. But they also like Darby quite a bit.
3. Spags and Shurmur keep insisting they're OK with the WRs they have now. But if the right guy became available, they'd be interested.

Jonathan: Hi Jim,
I read that Wade & Hill are improving, but I haven't heard much about King. Is he still in the running for the nickel corner job?
Also, how does the rookie RB from Texas looking. Saw him in college and he looked like a nice pass catcher. Good fit for the West Coast O??
Thank you

Jim Thomas: King worked with the first unit today at nickel back. So, yes, he's still in the running along with Wade.
Ogbonnaya can catch the ball. Still trying to determine whether he can run it. Not much of a resume there.

Armen Dacity: Bill,

Do you think Justin King might be in the mix as a KR or PR? As I recall, he returned kicks in college, and he certainly has the speed.

Jim Thomas: I haven't seen King used on returns. Today, with Stanley still out, they had five guys returning kicks: Darby, Pittman, Avery, Carter and Byers. They didn't work on punt returns.

paceram: Can you tell me if there were any rookies (Drafted or Free Agent)that stood out or were pleasant surprises at the Rams Mini-Camps? Also, can you tell me how QB Keith Null has looked and do you think he has a chance to win the 3rd String QB position?

Jim Thomas: Of course, Jason Smith and James Laurinaitis have fit in well, as you'd expect as 1st- and 2nd-rounders. CB Bradley Fletcher has impressed with his consistency. WR Brooks Foster is coming along.
Null has a strong arm and looks to have pretty good accuracy. He definitely has a chance to be the No. 3 QB. That's why the Rams drafted him in the 6th rd.

Ruben: Bill,
Thanks for taking my question. Over the last week, there have been many articles in the Dispatch and LA Times on why LA will not be the Rams home in the next few years. Do you believe all the reasons state or genuine and highly unlikely for the Rams to sell and move over the next few years? I still believe the stadium issue really puts ST. Louis in a tough spot to keep them. The economy is bad, but in 2 or 3 years, it will be better and since the Rosenbloom's don't have to sell quickly, all options including LA should be considered?

Jim Thomas: I think the likeliest possibility is that the Rams remain in St. Louis for many years to come. As for LA, yes, I do agree with the reasons mentioned in those stories. Also, you can't overestimate Chip's bitterness toward LA for the way he felt his mother was mistreated there. I think the Rams moving back to LS is the least likely scenario.

Kevin: Do you think Dewayne Robertson would be a good pickup at DT? he's pretty young, meets 4 pillar requirement and prob. would be cheap

Jim Thomas: He might be. However, I think if the Rams were to go after a free-agent DT, they'd rather have a bigger guy.

B-Ball Fan: How does Jackson like the offense so far ? Hope he and the new Full back have hit it off because SJ should buy him some nice gifts if he does his job well this coming year.

Jim Thomas: Jackson and Karney have become good friends. They hang out together quite a bit.

RUSTY JAMES: What do you think of trying out Bradlee Van Pelt for Safety/back-up QB?

Jim Thomas: Seriously?
The Rams already have a backup QB (Boller), and they're not looking for safety help. Why in the world would they be interested in Van Pelt?

Armen Dacity: Bill,

How has Mark Rubin, the undrafted rookie FS from Penn State looked? He has great size and played against top competition in college. "Camp body" or sleeper?

Jim Thomas: Probably somewhere in between sleeper and camp body. Not likely to make the team, but he does have some upside (mainly, his size). Practice squad, maybe.

Armen Dacity: Bill,

Do you think the Rams might have some interest in Jeremy Jarmon, the DE from Kentucky who has declared for the Supplemental Draft? He could be a worth a look as a back-up pass rusher.

Jim Thomas: I've heard no mention of him at Rams Park.

therickr: Based on what you saw last weekend, can you give us updates on last years injured Rams? In particular, I'm referring to Leonard Little, Adam Carriker, Jacob Bell, Tye Hill, Keenan Burton, and Randy McMichael? Thanks in advance.

Jim Thomas: All but Burton were full-go. Burton has a sore hamstring.

xcmullin17: I believe that the front office and especialy the coaching staff is the foundation to any team. What are you impressions of spags and are the players truly responding to his direction/philosophy?

Jim Thomas: Spags is a no-nonsense type who has clearly established himself as the guy running the show. I think that the players have a lot of respect for him and what he did with the Giants and are responding to him very positively.

Eli: I am still not happy with the current wide receiver situation...

do you think the eagles will want to trade Reggie Brown because they now have many quality receivers.....if so, at what price?

thanks...I love these chats

Jim Thomas: I don't think Reggie Brown is any better than what the Rams already have. He's just a guy.

roger cromwell: Hi Bill,
Thanks for taking our questions and comments. I have been following the Rams since I was in high school in the 70s. I have no problem following them now. I have met Ram fans all over the country.

I just don't understand why late owner Georgia Frontiere, Chips mom did not see after the turn over of the Rams organization when she was alive. She should have made sure everything including taxes, her son, and daughter were prepared to do this transition years in advance. Daughter looks like a dear in the headlights! (Understandably).

The way I see this debacle, it may not have been an intended transition to the kids and now a sale is imminent. I don't believe Chip ever wanted the team or the head ache. (Not his fault)

Georgia had consultants, accountants, mediums, and the team President to prepare her, how did this happen ?

What do you see for the rams future given the circumstances facing them now?

Go Rams!!

Jim Thomas: I have no insight into Georgia's estate situation.
As for the Rams' future, it's in STL for now and the foreseeable future. Now, come 2014, things might be different. But I'd be surprised, frankly, if they're moved even then. Too many variables.

B-Ball Fan: Bill: I see that Little has been praised as stepping it up to show some Veteran leadership. Who else have you seen that has "stepped" it up as a leader ? I don't care if it is a veteran or even a Rookie. Thanks for your time.

Jim Thomas: Jason Brown seems like a natural leader. Jackson is taking more of a leadership role. Laurinaitis is asserting himself at times.
And despite what some Rams fans think, Bulger has leadership qualities.

schurch1984: I think Donnie Avery will emerge as a true #1 WR this year. His rookie season was not bad at all, and his speed can really stretch the field. I read somewhere that he is best suited to play indoors, but I was present for his best game as a pro against the Patriots in New England, and he was every bit as fast in Foxboro as he is in a dome.

Jim Thomas: The Rams are counting on Avery to be their go-to WR. He's looked good during the spring.

SaulB: No offense meant to stl, but why do stl fans become so agitated at the prospect of the Rams relocation and why is there so much hate for the city of Los Angeles on this website? Also, wouldn't it be better for the city of stl to simply change the name of the franchise and give the logo "Rams" back to the city of LA?

Jim Thomas: Why not return "Rams" to Cleveland then, since that's where the franchise originated?

Brian: Are there any free agents that the Rams are showing any interest in? What about another running to back up Steven Jackson? Thank you.

Jim Thomas: Not at this point. I think they'll wait until roster cuts begin to take a hard look at who's available.
I'll address the backup RB situation in a story for Thursday's Post-Dispatch and STLtoday.com.

Alex: Do you think the rams defense might be improved enough to steal a few games? I see alot of scores in ravens or steelers games like 16-13, the offensive roster doesnt look much improved so maybe the D will step up??

Jim Thomas: The defense should be better, but it has a long way to go to be compared with the Ravens and/or Steelers.

Chocolate Thunder: JIMBO,
Why do we still have to endure Leonard Little on our team? I'm sure he is a so-called nice guy but let's clean the slate already, it's just bad KARMA?

Jim Thomas: Little is on the team because he remains an effective DE.

That's it for this week. Thanks to all for participating.