Rams Match Offer for Butler
 

Looks like we still have our 5th Pick after all ..... I can't believe Danny Boy got outbid!! He'll be soooo pissed!


BY JIM THOMAS
Of the Post-Dispatch
03/11/2004


Rather than wait the full seven days, the Rams decided Thursday to match offer sheets on restricted free agents Jerametrius Butler and Brandon Manumaleuna.

Butler, a cornerback, received a five-year, $16 million offer sheet -- including a $4 million signing bonus -- from the Washington Redskins last Friday night.

Manumaleuna, a tight end, received a five-year, $8.3 million offer sheet -- including a $2 million signing bonus -- from the Carolina Panthers last Friday afternoon.

Teams have seven days to decide whether to match an offer on a restricted free agent. And the Rams originally had planned to wait the full seven days, which meant they would have had to make a decision Friday (March 12).

"But we had really made up our mind, and decided to just do it," Rams president of football operations Jay Zygmunt said.

By matching those offers, the Rams now have only about $1.8 million of room left on the salary cap. Unless the unlikely happens, and franchise player Orlando Pace agrees to a multi-year contract before March 17, the Rams have next to no money left to shop the free-agent market in the immediate future.

Especially since it's still possible that quarterback Marc Bulger and defensive end Bryce Fisher could receive offer sheets as restricted free agents between now and April 16.

Matching on Manumaleuna all but puts the Rams out of the running for a free-agent tight end, unless it's a tight end who's willing to play for the veteran's minimum -- or close to it. Free-agent tight ends Mark Bruener of Pittsburgh, Jason Dunn of Kansas City, and Jed Weaver of San Francisco all visited Rams Park this week.

The Rams also agreed to terms Thursday on a one-year deal with former Kansas City linebacker Tony Newson.

got a link for this Ade?

Sure do -

[url]http://www.stltoday.com/sports/rams[/url]

Sorry to be bearer of bad news today....

[QUOTE=Ade Jimoh Fan Club]Sorry to be bearer of bad news today....[/QUOTE]

Good news for you though

So does this mean the Skins cant offer an even better deal or is that the end of that?

Ha, Ha - that is true! Ade was supposed to Safety anyway - so he can show Taylor the ropes and all...

oh well,that's just money we can spend to revamp and help the defensive line.the rams are really gonna stink next year,especially if they lose bulger.
any chance dallas may fool us all and go after him?
[IMG]http://www.banzibaby.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Pics/18.gif[/IMG]

This is a shame, I really wanted to get him. If we rebid wouldn't we have to offer a higher draft pick?

I don't think he's a free agent anymore ... my understanding is that because they matched our offer, he's now under contract. No rebidding.

ah, ok. Thanks ghost.

It is too bad we could not get him. it is not every day you can get a starting caliber CB for a 5th round pick.
I wonder who they will go after now that this money is free'd up again?

he would have been a great addition especially seeing as to how Williams like using formations requiring anywhere between 4 and 6 players in the defensive backfield.

Bummer ... now we still need to add some depth a CB in case Smoot or Springs gets hurt.

I think this is good news to be honest. I think the one thing you can find with a 5th round pick is a quality blocking or H-back tightend. That is one of the few remaining holes in our offense. We could also draft a corner. According to Mel Kiper cornerback is the second deep's position in this draft behind WR.

[QUOTE=Ghost]Bummer ... now we still need to add some depth a CB in case Smoot or Springs gets hurt.[/QUOTE]

We still have Bauman, who isn'tt that bad of a nickel back himself. More depth is always a good thing but we are not to desperate