the rams are now on the clock.........
 

THE RAMS ARE ON THE CLOCK
Posted by Mike Florio on April 22, 2008, 12:59 p.m.
The St. Louis Rams are now free to negotiate with any incoming rookie. Except left tackle Jake Long. Because, according to Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com, Long has agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins to become the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

It’s a five-year deal, which might be one of the major concessions that the Dolphins had to make in order to hold down the total money to be paid to Long. Typically, the No. 1 overall pick signs a six-year deal.

Glazer says that Long is already in the building, for a press conference that apparently will start at 1:45 p.m. EDT.

There are many details to be discovered about this one, including whether linebacker/defensive end Vernon Gholston ever had a chance to take less than the amount that was accepted by Long. Since Long and Gholston are represented by the same firm, any efforts to leverage one player against the other likely never materialized — even though it would have been in Gholston’s best interests for a reverse bidding war to occur.

As it now stands, Gholston could slide out of the top five, and he’ll earn far less money than if he’d been the No. 1 overall pick.

For those of you who still don’t realize the extent of the conflict of interest that CAA had on this issue, think of it this way. Gholston’s agent should have been calling the Dolphins every five minutes, pimping his client and suggesting that he’d consider doing something less than Long’s deal in order to be the No. 1 overall pick. In turn, Long’s agent should have then been required to scramble in order to keep the Fins focused on his client.

But since both men are represented by the same agency, it most likely never happened. And, as we suspected, Gholston is the one who has gotten screwed.

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

This is one way to speed the draft day up!

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

If we could trade up to six to get him, the cost will be less than what the Rams want for Dorsey.

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

im glad my michigan boy who was 2 time big-ten lineman of the year and was at one point looked at as being much better than joe thomas got his due....since then thomas has proven his ability in the nfl and was ranked higher going into last years draft but i still have hope for jake long....he will get his playing time and should start from game 1 until he decides he is done

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

Dorsey will be gone before 6.

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

i agree...dorsey is a top 5 pick in all of the recent drafts

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Dorsey is a top 3 pick...period. It will either be the Saints trading up to get him, the Rams, or the Falcons...but, he's gone by #3. I also hear that the Rams really like USC LB Keith Rivers & Tennessee LB Jarod Mayo. Being that one of these guys will be there at the #10 spot, it could help in the Saints moving up to that #2 spot they so covet. Personally...I'm all for trading 1st rounders & giving up our second...as long as the pick is Glen Dorsey. Quality is better than quantity!!! Now...If we make the deal & draft someone different, I would be pissed!

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

So are we not trying to negotiate a deal with the rams anymore?

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

We are talking to everyone about any thing. Players to vending contracts.

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

Question: Being that the first pick is now set, does that increase the chances of us possibly making a deal with the rams before saturday? I would imagine that the rams would wait until the last possible second to pull the trigger on a trade and try to strongarm as much value as they can for the trade and use all of the time that they have. but wouldnt it be great if we could know before Saturday. And it would also cut down on about half of the recent posts in the forum.

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

since the nfl has told them they cant negotiate with players im sure that has amped up the amount of calls they are getting about trading up....with jake long gone just about ne one that could possibly need a DT or DE or even a RB has probly contacted them in some way

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

thought they were looking into it since this is the first time a #1 has been picked so early. I say NEXT

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

I totally hate the NFL ruling that the Rams cannot negotiate with any player. Since Miami already has their selection done, why the heck not? I agree with you Hagan, I say next too! It's brutal enough to watch the draft, why not move it along. Heck, at least the NFL did the right thing by cutting down the selection times in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

the only thing i dont like about it is that if that continues eventually the draft will be worthless.....whats the point of having a draft if the teams can sign who they want before hand....i like the draft because its intense...even though at some times it seems long and drawn out....i think it is very exciting to watch

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

thats probably why they said no to the rams.. dont want the top of the draft to be anticlimatic

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Pak it never will. way to many rounds for that. Besides with the time down to 10 minutes a pick it would allow teams not to waste time talking trades when there is no reason to talk them except for smoke screens. Lets move on and simplify the process or just go ahead and not allow any pick to be signed at all.

Re: the rams are now on the clock.........
 

<Loomis also said any sort of trade probably wouldn't occur until draft day. Then he was later pressed about refuting any reports that have been floating around and Loomis sidestepped that issue as well.>

SunHerald.com : Saints not talking about draft rumors