Post by cowboymaniac on Feb 8, 2010 11:23:44 GMT -7
St. Louis might be good fit for Vick commentary
Bob Glauber Newsday
MIAMI — Even if he was physically in town this week to visit with colleagues and renew old acquaintances in the media from his days as the Giants’ defensive coordinator, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo is about as far from the Super Bowl as you can imagine.
He had about as rocky a first year as any coach; the Rams went 1-15, the NFL’s worst record.
But once Super Bowl XLIV is over, the attention quickly will turn to Spagnuolo and the Rams. With St. Louis owning the No. 1 pick in the draft, the speculation already has begun about what the Rams will do.
“We’ve got plenty of options,” Spagnuolo said. “Anybody who has the first pick will get that, whether it’s trading the pick, making the selection, which side of the ball, offense or defense.”
But one factor could determine what the Rams do with the pick, and it has nothing to do with any of the blue-chip players they’re evaluating. It has everything to do with Eagles backup quarterback Michael Vick.
After a two-year absence while serving a prison sentence for pleading guilty to operating an illegal dogfighting ring, Vick, 29, returned to the NFL this season. But with the Eagles committed to keeping Donovan McNabb and backup Kevin Kolb for the 2010 season, Vick’s tenure with the team likely is over. The Eagles have indicated a desire to keep him, but few people in the league expect them to do anything other than trade him, or release him if there are no offers.
The Rams continue to be the most likely suitor for Vick, and a deal could take place before the draft. Spagnuolo wouldn’t hint at the team’s plans, but he had nothing but nice things to say about Vick. Couple that with the fact that Rams general manager Billy Devaney knows Vick from his days in Atlanta, and the speculation likely will grow in the coming weeks.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Michael as a player,” Spagnuolo said. “Everything I’ve heard out of Philadelphia is kind of good. We haven’t gone down the road in that process yet, but I think he’s a terrific player.”
To get Vick in a trade, the Rams probably would have to give up a mid-round pick. If they made that deal, it could be a signal that they would choose Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, widely acknowledged as the best player in this year’s draft. It would be a huge boost to the Rams, who have plenty of problems everywhere on the roster, but particularly on defense.
In the meantime, Spagnuolo is likely to part ways with veteran Marc Bulger, who has battled injury and ineffectiveness in recent seasons. The coach wasn’t tipping his hand on Bulger, though.
“I still have a lot of respect for Marc,” Spagnuolo said. “The timetable may direct itself depending on things that happen.”
Whatever the case, Spagnuolo hopes things get better moving forward.
“The first year, it was wonderful, but exhausting all at the same time,” he said. “I’m blessed to have the job, and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.”
The only thing missing?
Said Spagnuolo, “I would have liked to have a few more wins.”