51-year old head coach Steve Spagnuolo helped lead his team to a 7-9 record in 2011, as they finished in second place in the NFC West just one year after going 1-15.  QB Sam Bradford had a lot to do with that and he has helped raise expectations in St. Louis.  Spagnuolo is now 8-24 (25%) in his first two years as the Rams’ head coach.  It’s going to take a little while for Spagnuolo to get his career record over .500, but his team might be able to win at least 8 games this year for him.  They have really improved the roster and the schedule doesn’t look too tough.

The Rams expect 23-year old QB Sam Bradford to move on up to the next level in 2011.  They have added a lot of nice weapons on offense to help Bradford out.  Bradford played in 16 games (all starts) for the Rams last year and he completed 354 of 590 passes (60%) for 3,512 yards with 18 TD passes and 15 INTs (76.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 27 times for 63 yards (2.3 ypc) with 1 TD run last year.  The Rams were 7-9 (43.8%) under Bradford last year and I look for them to improve a bit on that record in 2011.  The Rams are hoping that Bradford can lead them to the playoffs in his second year in the NFL.

34-year old A.J. Feeley didn’t have to play a down last year for the Rams, and that was a good thing.  He has played in 23 games (15 starts) in his first 10 years in the NFL and he has completed 372 of 665 passes (55.9%) for 4,070 yards with 27 TD passes and 29 INTs (69.6 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 34 times for 45 yards (1.3 ypc) with 1 TD run so far in his NFL career.  Feeley is 7-8 (46.7%) as a starting QB so far in his NFL career.  He is a solid backup.

23-year old Thaddeus Lewis will likely be the Rams’ #3 QB in 2011 but he won’t likely get onto the field unless Bradford and Feeley both get injured.  He hasn’t played in an NFL game yet.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAMS QBS IN 2011:  B

24-year old WR Danny Amendola came out of nowhere last season for the Rams.  He played in 14 games for the Rams last season and he returned 66 kickoffs for 1,618 yards (24.5 avg).  Amendola is a very dependable return man but rookie Mardy Gilyard will compete with him for his job.  Gilyard was a 4th round pick out of Cincinnati last April has speed to burn.  Amendola is more dependable but Gilyard’s has the speed to go all the way at any time.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAMS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  B

It appears that the Rams are going to go with rookie 2nd round pick Rodger Saffold as the starting LT in 2010.  He was a solid run and pass blocker in college so the Rams hope that he will be able to handle the blind side in the NFL.  LG Jacob Bell excels as a pass blocker but he will need to get better with his run blocking.  Center Jason Brown is the leader of this unit as he’s smart and hates to lose.  He is a leader both vocally and by example as he’s a good run and pass blocker.  It looks like Hank Fraley will be the starting RG for the Rams in 2010.  He is a veteran who knows all of the tricks.  Jason Brown will be the right tackle for the Rams in 2010.  Brown is a really solid run blocker but he will need to improve his pass blocking soon.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAMS O-LINE in 2010:  C+

50-year old head coach got a baptism by fire in his first year as a NFL coach.  He was outmanned almost every week as the Rams finished 1-15 (6.3%) in 2009.  The Rams did not bring in a lot of veterans this off-season so it will be up to Spagnuolo to coach up the players that he does have.  In my own eyes, 4-12 would be a huge achievement in 2010 but I have a feeling that Rams’ ownership won’t agree with me on that.  I think it’s going to be another rough season for both Spagnuolo and the Rams.

31-year old kicker Josh Brown didn’t get much action last season for the Rams because of their terrible offense.  He played in all 16 games for the Rams and he connected on 19 of 24 field goals (79.2%).  He also made all 16 of his extra points to finish with 73 points on the year.  Brown has now played in 112 games in his NFL career and he has made 166 of 205 field goals (81%).  He has also made 258 of 259 extra points as he now has 756 career points.  The Rams can’t afford to leave ANY points on the field this year so they need Brown to be on top of his game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAMS KICKERS in 2010:  B

The Rams really hope that 25-year old Laurent Robinson can stay healthy in 2010.  He played in 3 games (all starts) for the Rams last season and he caught 13 passes for 167 yards (12.8 avg) with 1 TD grab before his season ended due to injury.  Robinson has now played in 24 games (9 starts) in his three years in the NFL and he has caught 55 passes for 656 yards (11.9 avg) with 2 TD grabs in his career.  He seems to have a nice upside as long as he can stay in one piece.

26-year old Donnie Avery is a solid WR.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Rams last season and he caught 47 passes for 589 yards (12.5 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  He also carried the ball 4 times for 30 yards (7.5 ypc) last season.  Avery has now played in 31 games (28 starts) in his two years in the NFL and he has caught 100 passes for 1,263 yards (12.6 avg) with 8 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 14 times for 99 yards (7.1 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career. 

24-year old Danny Amendola was a solid possession receiver last season for the Rams as a rookie.  He played in 14 games (2 starts) for the Rams last season and he caught 43 passes for 326 yards (7.6 avg) with 1 TD grab.  I look for him to be a little less involved in the offense next season because of how important he is to the special teams.

22-year old Brandon Gibson played in 1 game with the Eagles last season before getting traded to the Rams but he didn’t catch any passes.  Gibson played in 9 games (4 starts) for the Rams after the trade and he caught 34 passes for 348 yards (10.2 avg) with 1 TD grab.  I look for him to build on his solid rookie season for the Rams in 2010.

Rookie 4th round pick Mardy Gilyard brings more speed to the Rams’ WR corps.  He’s on the thin side at 6’0″, 187 pounds but he’s tough enough to take a beating.  He could be a fast riser on the depth chart with a good training camp.

25-year old Keenan Burton played in 9 games (6 starts) for the Rams last season and he caught 25 passes for 253 yards (10.1 avg).  Burton has now played in 22 games (7 starts) in his two years in the NFL and he has caught 38 passes for 425 yards (11.2 avg) with 1 TD grab.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAMS WRs in 2010:  C-

The Rams have a lot of depth at TE and it’s young with upsides.  26-year old Daniel Fells stepped up last season for the Rams and he will top the depth chart heading into training camp.  Fells played in 14 games (4 starts) last season for the Rams and he caught 21 passes for 273 yards (13.0 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  He has now played in 26 games (5 starts) in his two years with the Rams and he has caught 28 passes for 354 yards (12.6 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Look for Sam Bradford and A.J. Feeley to be looking a lot in Fells’ direction in 2010.

27-year old Bill Bajema is more of a blocker than a receiver.  He played in 16 games (5 starts) for the Rams last season and he caught 8 passes for 94 yards (11.8 avg).  Bajema has now played in 77 games (30 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 15 passes for 182 yards (12.1 avg).  He will have to have a strong summer to make the Rams’ roster this year.

27-year old Darcy Johnson has a nice upside.  He played in 13 games (4 starts) for the Giants last season and he caught 5 passes for 32 yards (6.4 avg).  Johnson has now played in 30 games (6 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 9 passes for 78 yards (8.7 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Johnson just might need more of an opportunity to show what he can do and the Rams will likely give him that.

Rookies Michael Hoomanawanui (5th round) and Fendi Onobun (6th round) also will be competing for P.T. at TE for the Rams.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAMS TEs in 2010:  C+

29-year old Mike Karney will be the starting FB for the Rams again in 2010.  He played in 14 games (8 starts) for the Rams last season and he carried the ball 2 times for 8 yards (4.0 ypc).  Karney also caught 6 passes for 16 yards (2.7 avg) last season.  He has now played in 89 games (54 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 41 times for 87 yards (2.1 ypc) with 5 TD carries.  Karney has also caught 59 passes for 311 yards (5.3 avg) with 2 TD grabs in his career.  Karney does a solid job of blocking in the running game and that makes him a asset for the Rams’ offense.

Jamie McCoy will likely be Karney’s backup in 2010.  He is a 6’2″, 240 pound undrafted rookie out of Texas A&M who the Rams hope can also help them out on special teams.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR RAMS FBs in 2010:  C+

26-year old Steven Jackson is one of the best players in the NFL.  He can run over you, around you or catch a pass out of the backfield and do damage.  Jackson played in 15 games (all starts) for the Rams last season in which he carried the ball 324 times for 1,416 yards (4.4 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He also caught 51 passes for 322 yards (6.3 avg) last season.  Jackson put up those numbers against a lot of extra defensive players in the box as no one was scared of the Rams’ passing game.  That will likely be the case again in 2010 unless Sam Bradford starts and plays well.  Jackson has now played in 84 games (72 starts) in his six years with the Rams and he has carried the ball 1,548 times for 6,707 yards (4.3 ypc) with 41 TD runs.  He has also caught 281 passes for 2,287 yards (8.1 avg) with 7 TD grabs in his career.  Look for the Rams to ride Jackson hard again in 2010.

27-year old Kenneth Darby will be Jackson’s caddy in 2010.  Darby played in 16 games (1 start) for the Rams last season and he carried the ball 27 times for 152 yards (5.6 ypc).  He also caught 18 passes for 96 yards (5.3 avg) last season.  Darby has now played in 27 games (1 start) in his three years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 61 times for 301 yards (4.9 ypc).  He has also caught 39 passes for 295 yards (7.6 avg) in his career so far.  Darby is a decent backup RB with a lot of tread left on the tires.

24-year old Chris Ogbonnaya got some action for the Rams at the end of his rookie year.  He played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Rams last season and he carried the ball 11 times for 50 yards (4.5 ypc).  Ogbonnaya also caught 1 pass for 19 yards last season.  Look for him to get more work in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAMS RBs in 2010:  A