Rams release OT Pace should we?

Post #1 » by **emperorjones** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:38 pm

Run to his door and sign him? Maybe we could get him at RT to take the place of Tait and draft a project RT in the later rounds? Scouts Inc. still has him rated as the #10 OT in the league and rated much higher than anyone else on our line.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d ... nfirm=true

It will be very telling if we don't. He's basically the same age as St. Clair (and Tait - who we want to keep at nearly $5 million) and we are $30 million under the cap, so age and money should not be an issue. Logic would say we pull the offer off the table with St. Clair and sign Pace.

John Tait (34) savings = $4.8 million
John St. Clair (32) = $?
Orlando Pace (33) = $6 million? (That was his Ram's cap number for 2009)

So for an extra million we could upgrade Tait (who we want to keep) to Pace.

Balance-a-Bull · Post #2 » by **Balance-a-Bull** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:51 am

Hey it sounds like a good plan.

Pancake would sure help our run game open up more.

I know the Bears like St. Clair's versatility to play different positions.

I am not sure what Bears want to do.

I do know...they have not done too much at this point.... so I'm not holding my breathe for anything to happen on this front either.

I would be shocked if they made a move.

It makes too much sense so, we'll see.

It would be a great pick-up.

NoSkyy · Post #3 » by **NoSkyy** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:02 am

If anything this might allows us to stimulate the contract discussion with St. Clair

Post #4 » by **emperorjones** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:19 am

I see no advantage to signing St. Clair first when Pace is on the market. We can sign him with Tait's money. Then sign St. Clair to play guard.

WEFFPIM · Post #5 » by **WEFFPIM** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:59 am

It would be very un-Bears like to sign Pace.

Cliff Levingston · Post #6 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:44 pm

WEFFPIM wrote:It would be very un-Bears like to sign Pace.

Word, but they should seriously look at it. Cliff Levingston isn't sure how serious Pace's injuries are going forward, but you've got to believe they're significant if the Rams were willing to outright release him.

ChronicKerr · Post #7 » by **ChronicKerr** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:11 pm

Something must be wrong with him. He's been dominate his whole career but the struggling Rams don't even want to bring him back??? Something doesn't add up.

dingojazz · Post #8 » by **dingojazz** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:40 pm

ChronicKerr wrote:Something must be wrong with him. He's been dominate his whole career but the struggling Rams don't even want to bring him back??? Something doesn't add up.

He has missed significant games the last 3 years. He has only started 23 of a possible 48 games over those 3 years. Combine that with his big cap number and you can see why the Rams released him.

I think some of you underestimate moving from LT to RT. Here's a guy who has played left tackle for his entire 12 year NFL career and in college at Ohio State. The footwork is opposite, it would be kind of like switching to a left handed golf swing. Guys like Tait who can play both positions are rare.

Now, that said, IF he is willing and able to play right tackle I'm all in favor of bringing him on. I just don't see it happening. Like it was said before, signing him would be very un-bear like.

Post #9 » by **emperorjones** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:44 pm

If he couldn't switch to RT I wouldn't want to bring him on. I'd rather give the spot to our #1 from last year and go after a RT in the 2nd round.

Chewie · Post #10 » by **Chewie** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:23 pm

Ugh - caught this blurb off Brigg's blog :

To that end, Steve-mailer Dallas Jenkins caught this scrolling across ESPN and sent along “an interesting fact about the superstar left tackle the Bears are so desperate to hold on to. Of all the left tackles in the NFL last year, here are the bottom five in terms of sacks allowed (by bottom I mean, most sacks allowed):

28. Donald Penn (Bucs) 8.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
29. Jeff Backus (Lions) 9.25 sacks allowed (16 starts)
30. John St. Clair (Bears) 9.75 sacks allowed (16 starts)
31. Duane Brown (Texans) 11.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
31. Jason Peters (Bills) 11.5 sacks allowed (13 starts)’’

Oh, and Steve-mailer Dallas Jenkins adds one more note: “Orlando Pace allowed two.’’

I believe Pace is all of one year older than St. Clair. Remind me why St. Clair is the priority again. Somebody ?

Post #11 » by **emperorjones** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:07 am

Chewie wrote:I believe Pace is all of one year older than St. Clair. Remind me why St. Clair is the priority again. Somebody ?

He's got the largest backside on the team and that's an ASSet that JA & Lovie would hate to lose.

I actually don't understand the logic in wanting St. Clair over Pace. It can't be age or money because they are willing to pay Tait almost as much money to stay at RT and he's a year older than Pace.

I can't see not trying for Pace unless Pace cannot play RT, or unless they are set on drafting a RT in the 1st or 2nd round to be a starter and St. Clair will be competing at Guard.

Chewie · Post #12 » by **Chewie** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 1:24 am

emperorjones wrote:
Chewie wrote:I believe Pace is all of one year older than St. Clair. Remind me why St. Clair is the priority again. Somebody ?

He's got the largest backside on the team and that's an ASSet that JA & Lovie would hate to lose.

I actually don't understand the logic in wanting St. Clair over Pace. It can't be age or money because they are willing to pay Tait almost as much money to stay at RT and he's a year older than Pace.

I can't see not trying for Pace unless Pace cannot play RT, or unless they are set on drafting a RT in the 1st or 2nd round to be a starter and St. Clair will be competing at Guard.

In all honesty, we probably should be going after Pace AND getting an OT within the first 3 to 4 rounds. I wouldn't feel safe counting on Chris Williams and Orlando Pace lasting a full season. Williams couldn't last a full day of camp last year.