One of the proudest franchises in the NFL a decade ago, the St. Louis Rams have since resumed their role as a league peon. The pressure is now on quarterback Sam Bradford to change the direction of the organization in 2010. Let's take a look at the Rams in the opener of NESN.com's 32-day series that will spotlight each team in the NFL.
2009 Record: 1-15 (missed playoffs)
2010 Schedule Difficulty: Their opponents went a combined 115-141 (.449 winning percentage) in 2009, which makes for the second-easiest schedule in the NFL.
Key Additions: Quarterback Sam Bradford (draft), quarterback A.J. Feeley, tackle Rodger Saffold (draft), defensive tackle Fred Robbins, linebacker Na'il Diggs, wide receiver Mardy Gilyard (draft)
Key Losses: Quarterback Marc Bulger, quarterback Kyle Boller, tackle Alex Barron, defensive lineman Adam Carriker, defensive end Leonard Little
Burning Question: Can Sam Bradford reverse the direction of the franchise?
Bradford can be the face of the team. He's talented, charismatic and marketable, and he dominated the Big 12, so the St. Louis football fans are familiar with his work. The 2008 Heisman Trophy winner passed for 8,327 yards, 88 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 30 games at Oklahoma, and he's got the savvy to play well in the fourth quarter of big games. Bradford struggled with a couple of shoulder injuries during his career with the Sooners, so his health will be on the back of everyone's mind. For the time being, though, Bradford is a franchise-caliber quarterback who can do big things for the Rams if they surround him with the right pieces.
2010 Outlook: Once again, it's not good. The Rams had the No. 1 pick for a reason, and salary cap be damned, they've invested a lot of money on top picks in recent years. They've been in the top two for three consecutive years, and they've blown recent No. 1's on tackle Alex Barron, defensive back Tye Hill and defensive lineman Adam Carriker.
The Rams had a really good 2010 draft, but there still isn’t much talent on this team, save for running back Steven Jackson, (maybe) wide receiver Donnie Avery, middle linebacker James Laurinaitis and defensive end Chris Long. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo is a heck of a defensive game planner, but he has only had a limited time to prove his worth as the big boss.
St. Louis has the comfort of a soft schedule and an even softer division, but there is little reason to believe the Rams won't be drafting in the top five yet again in 2011.
