I'm sure we've heard the last of the Brett Favre saga now that he's been traded. Oh, wait.

At any rate, we Rams fans will get a fresh reminder about the Favre saga in the days leading up to our week 11 visit to New Jersey to play the New York Jets. The Rams last played against Brett Favre in week 15 last season, in front of an EJD crowd made up of mostly Packers fans.

The Rams lost that game 33-14. Brett Favre didn't likely forget the game though; he became the NFL's all time leader for passing yards with his 227 yard, 2 TD performance that day. I remember writing, in the days leading up to the game, that at least we were going to see one more outing from one of the game's best, even wondering whether historians would judge Favre or Peyton Manning to be the better QB. That game and that post must have caught Favre's attention, and I'm just sure he finished the season wondering how history would look at him as a player. Maybe not. But sometime after he completed his record setting pass to Donald Driver, I'll bet you he realized that someday, some other QB would eclipse that number. Maybe that thinking had something to do with his strange retirement saga. And that's how the Rams became a footnote in the whole matter.

This season, however, the Rams ought to have a much stouter defense, particularly on the pass rush. And I'm looking forward to adding another footnote to the history books in week 11 this year, when the Rams beat down the Jets led by Brett Favre's ego.

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Of course, the Rams chances to beat the Jets in week 11 would greatly improve if they get Steven Jackson back in time for that game. Remember, he has to be back before week 10 to fulfill the final year of his contract and get paid. The fines from Steven Jackson's holdout are starting to get pretty hefty, espcially for a guy still working on a rookie salary. As of Tuesday, Jackson owed more than $181,000 in fines for missing camp; that total ought to be more than $200K by the end of the day today.

Peter King, a man obsessed with Brett Favre, said yesterday that he thinks the Rams will get Jackson signed soon. For some reason, hearing King say that makes me more worried.

So practice is getting a little intense now. I have to agree with BruinFanBaby on this; I'm glad to see the fires burning as these guys get ready to compete. Last year at this time, and I admittedly don't have a photographic memory, I don't remember camp being particularly intense, and we all know how that turned out. It definitely gives this weekend's preseason kickoff an extra edge and could make for some good football.

Who are we kidding though? At this point in time, any football is good football.

Here's some more on the Vanden Bosch/Goldberg matchup and a nice follow up to this morning's post. Apparently, Goldberg put on a blocking show against the Titans Pro Bowl DE. From Mike Sando's ESPN report:

After being blocked to the ground on his rush, Vanden Bosch took a big swing at Goldberg.

So, he's showing his mettle in pass blocking as well as heavy weight bouts. I would expect nothing less from a Wyoming product. The official Rams site has more on Goldberg.

A couple other notes and observations:

• Goldberg wasn't the only Rams lineman to have a standout day practice. Marquee free agent G Jacob Bell had a nice showing in his return to Tennessee battling Pro Bowl DT Albert Haynesworth. Nick Leckey looked sharp, and there was even an Alex Barron sighting, with the PD's Bill Coats noting that Barron "stood out" in team drills and one-on-one work. 
• Donnie Avery sat out again yesterday, still recovering from his cracked pelvis. He's been out since last Tuesday, July 29, and should be back within the next week. He'll need to be. Hopefully, he's studying the playbook in his time out, because he'll have less time to get up to speed on a new offense and a new level of play. Heading into camp, we all expected Avery to see the majority of reps as the team's thrid WR, working out of the slot, but the more practice time he loses, the further behind on that role he'll be, making it more likely that another WR will work in that spot. Burton?
• Yay! For weeks we've been held hostage by the Brett Favre. But now the angry diva has been traded to the Jets. National nightmare over, along with Favre's reputation.

Thanks to Orlando Pace's gradual, deliberate march back to full 11-on-11 contact, Adam Goldberg has been punching the clock with the first team at left tackle. So this was refreshing to hear:

In his one on one opportunities with Vanden Bosch, Goldberg was excellent. Goldberg is quietly starting to really come on and told some reporters later that he feels as good as he has in some time.

Goldberg worked today with none other than the Ram premier free agent acquisition this spring, LG and former Titan Jacob Bell. With Pace coming back, for his 11th season, from consecutive season-ending injuries, columns have been filled with concerns about the team's depth at OT. Yes, yes, yes, it's early on, but Goldberg holding his own at LT during a pretty hot, intense (whoa, that sounds wrong) session of practice against fired up veterans like Vanden Bosch could mean good things for the Rams depth chart. 

Wait a minute.

It's been reported that Steven Jackson would need to report to training camp at least 30 days before the start of the NFL season or lose a year of his accrued seniority toward his free ageny eligibility.

Under the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA), players are eligible for unrestricted free agency after four seasons in the league, meaning Jackson, who's in the last year of his 5-year rookie deal, could be an unrestricted free agent after this season.

That was supposed to be a weighted factor in Jackson's contract negotiations, and some though that he'd be in camp by the 30-day deadline, which was moved up to yesterday because the NFL season begins with a Thursday, September 4 evening game between the Redskins and Giants. Jackson didn't show.

But there's new wrinkle in all of this.  According to ESPN who cites the NFL, Jackson has until somewhere between the Rams eighth and ninth regular season games to report and fulfill his contract.

The difference between the two dates? Jackson lost a year of "accrued" eligibility toward free agency by not reporting yesterday. As long as he reports by week 10, he'll get credit for fulfilling his contract and be eligible for unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2009 season because his contract expired AND the current NFL CBA requires players only have 4 years of seniority before unrestricted free agency. If that does happen the Rams would more than likely - as in they'd be crazy not to - slap him with the franchise tag for the '09 season.

The wild card is the CBA. If the owners decide to opt out of the agreement's last year, 2010, that ups the requirements for unrestricted free agency from 4 to 6 years. In that scenario, Jackson would have just 5 years of eligibility after losing his '08 season of eligibility and playing in '09 with the franchise tag.

If that happens, Jackson would be a restricted free agent for the 2010 season, giving the Rams the chance to match any offers or get mucho compensation for letting him walk.

Is that confusing enough?

While I still think the Rams won't risk playing the first 8 games of the season without Jackson, it does open the possibility of the holdout lasting much, much longer than any of us would like it to. The longer this goes on, the less I like it.

A couple of follow up notes from our look at the Rams undrafted rookies from yesterday.

We mentioned TE Nick Cleaver making the case for a roster spot. Here's what the PD's Bill Coats said about him yesterday:

TE Nick Cleaver, an undrafted rookie out of New Mexico State, has caught just about everything thrown his way.

When was the last time anyone mentioned Joe Klopfenstein catching all the passes thrown his way?

The linebackers have been making noise too, and Nick Magro's name has come up more than once here at TST and elsewhere in camp reports. The undrafted Magro and 7th rounders Chamberlain and Vobora will be looking for a good week against the Titans. From the same report:

With the solid performance of rookies Chris Chamberlain, David Vobora and Marc Magro, third-year LB Tim McGarigle is in a serious fight to save his job.

It's a veritable bonanza of undrafted goodness!

From the fantasy land file - fantasy as in dream, not football - here's an interesting, tantalizing prospect for the Rams...

There's some outside speculation that the Panthers might be willing to deal 29-year-old WR Steve Smith, thanks to his new found love for fighting with teammates and threats from Panthers' cornerback to take disciplinary measures into their own hands. He's already facing a two game suspension from his team and with the Panthers not expected to be competitive this season, there might be even more impetus to move the three-time Pro Bowler. Maybe.

Adding Smith to the roster and having him and Torry Holt on either side of the field would put to rest any questions about the Rams depth at wide receiver. Talk about pricey though, a first round pick would have to be on the table to even start talking, maybe more. If, if, if there was a realistic possibility for this to happen, would you consider that to be too expensive?

Honestly, I'm more concerned about the Rams' depth at offensive tackle, and right now, nine months out, that's what I'd like to see our first round pick go for. But if the deal were right, Smith's presence on the roster would make that brutal first half of the season go by a lot faster.

Well, how 'bout it?

Making the team as an undrafted rookie promises to be no simple task. However, it's not unheard of and with depth needs at a few key spots, particularly on defense, several have a chance to make the final 53-man roster this season. Quinton Culberson made the cut last season and just one year later has a pretty good shot to make the team as the starting strong side LB. Darius Vinnett CB also made the cut last season, and has impressed with his coverage skills through the early goings this summer.

So what about this year's crop of undrafted rookies?

C.J. Ah You, DE - The Rams signed Ah You, surprisingly enough not for the endless amounts of word play his name engenders, last season after the Bills cut their seventh round pick. Like all the other (seemingly) defensive rookies and long shots, Ah You's name keeps popping up in camp reports with a shiny gold start affixed next to it. He didn't miss a snap in Saturday's scrimmage and would have had tallied a sack had QBs been in play. It now looks like the Rams might carry eight DEs on the 53-man roster, with Ah You and Eric Moore grappling for the last spot. Here's what Linehan said about Ah You in his post-scrimmage presser:

“I’m going to watch the tape, but I noticed some plays by him and some others. He’s a guy that has a knack and a nitch in this game and you never know what might transpire in the next four weeks.”

Vernon Bryant, Willie Williams & Henry Smith, DT - If the Rams carry 8 DEs, they may opt to use one, such Ah You, at DT for some snaps, rather than replace Wroten's spot on the depth chart alongside Carriker, Glover and Ryan. Maybe. Of the three undrafted rookie DTs, Bryant and Williams made an impression with their strength, but according to this August 5 reprot from New Era, Bryant put on a show with his bull rush, while Williams got beat by backup o-linemen. Bryant's the one to watch here. As I mentioned previously, the Hampton U product's potential lies in his ability to play in the three technique. 

Marc Magro and Marcus Riley, LB - The Rams undrafted rookies have so far been making the most noise battling it out for a spot on the depth chart at linebacker. We covered Magro and Riley yesterday, and it's very likely that one of the two will make the team, follwing in Quinton Culberson's footsteps from last year.

Lance Ball, RB - With Jackson making Rams nation nervous, Lance Ball has been given plenty of extra time to make an impression in camp. The Maryland product has been running well and making catches, even scoring one of two TDs in last weekend's scrimmage. It'll be tough for Ball to make the 53-man roster once Jackson comes back, with Brian Leonard guaranteed a spot and Antonio Pittman getting the third thanks to his downhill speed. If he continues his camp run through the preseason, he'd be hard to turn away from the practice squad.

Russ Weil, FB - Has gotten reps at FB with veteran Dan Kreider missing time with a sore knee, and by all accounts has used the opportunity to make a good impression, catching some balls and playing special teams. It's yet to be determined whether or not the Rams will keep a full back period when they winnow down their final roster, so Weil's a long shot to make the team. 

Nick Cleaver, TE - Who? Yeah, that's what I said about the New Mexico State undrafted rookie, but it might not be a bad name to know. Cleaver got a positive mention as one of three undrafted rookies who looked worthy of a roster spot in the New Era camp report mentioned above, which was the first I'd heard his name mentioned. However, with Klopfenstein missing time with injury and having yet to meet expectations, fans and coaches will be keeping an eye on Cleaver.

So today's the day Jackson needs to report to camp by or risk losing a year of eligibility toward free agency, exactly one month before the start of the NFL season, and per Jim Thomas of the PD, the Rams star running back and the centerpiece of the offense is not expected to show up. 

This whole thing is starting to get disconcerting. The thought was that Jackson would be in camp by the one month deadline. Although, that date was originally reported to be Friday, August 8, but subsequent inquiries clarified that date. Is there an outside chance that maybe Jackson and his agent Eugene Parker made that mistake too? I doubt it. They know what they're risking and would have covered all their bases before hand. It'd be nice though, huh? Besides, it doesn't sound like the lost year of eligibility is having too much effect on their negotiating position as the paper cites sources close to Jackson and his agent saying they were aware of the potential consequences. 

Neither Jackson or his agent are saying anything to the press. 

The Rams are standing firm on their refusal to talk contract until Jackson reports to camp, but I suspect, with the holdout now approaching two weeks, the Rams might inquire as to what it will take to get him into camp. They can say all they want about Jackson already being familiar with the offense, but don't forget his slow start to the season last year after not playing in preseason games. He opened the season against Carolina last year looking lost, fumbling twice and picking up just 58 yards on 18 carries. He needs to practice. The Rams personnel staff isn't quoted in the article, but head coach Scott Linehan had a whiff of optimism in his statement.

"There is a resolution. We haven't come to it. But it'll be resolved and Steven will be a Ram for probably the rest of his career."

Is there anything to read between the lines there? Doubtfully. But it does tell us the Rams are at least serious about making Steven Jackson a big part of their plans going forward...just as soon as he shows up. 

It's hard to say what exactly the Rams had in the now released undrafted rookie LB Vince Hall. We do know, however, that the Rams entered the season with depth questions at the LB position, thanks mostly to the team's decision to let Brandon Chillar pursue free agency. (The Rams did offer him a one year, $1 million contract.) Hall, who had been turning some heads in the early goings of training camp, and while it was training camp, I would have liked to seen what he would have done with serious playing time during the preseason games. But alas, his hammy prevented that.

It still looks like the Rams may have been on to something though when they let Chillar walk with the idea of turning to Quinton Culberson, an undrafted rookie from Miss State acquired last may and the only undrafted rookie to make the team last season. Culberson, as of today, gets the edge for the starting role at strongside LB over Chris Draft, building upon his 14 tackle performance against Arizona in week 17 last season while Draft has dealt with injuries during camp this summer. Since Draft can play all three LB spots, he profiles better as a swing man this season.

So the Rams starting three LBs will be Witherspoon, Tinoisamoa and Culberson, with Draft getting plenty of action at all three spots. The Rams need a healthy season from Tinoisamoa, who hasn't played a full 16 games since 2005, to help keep the middle of the field protected.

A handful of undrafted rookies and recent late round draft picks round out the depth chart after the top four.And they're all, so far, having a good camp.

Chris Chamberlain and David Vobora, both 7th round pick from this season, got tickets for special teams play the moment they were drafted. Chamberlain has looked good in coverage through the early part of camp, even snagging a head-turning INT, not surprising given that many felt he could easily play safety as well as LB. Vobora might be the most talked about "Mr. Irrelevant" in the history of the NFL draft. Like Chamberlain, he's shown excellent football instincts in camp and looks good against the run (check out this pic of him bringing down Russ Weil in this weekend's scrimmage).

Undrafted rookie Mark Magro had a good day Saturday, breaking up a pass play and getting a "sack" lining up at DE. Magro and recent addition Marcus Riley both have some "hybrid" ability, working at DE in their college careers.

With the preseason's heaviest action still to come, I suspect we'll be hearing a great deal more about these young LBs since there are essentially four guys showing lots of promise competing for three roster spots. I promised a look at the undrafted rookies, which is still coming first thing in the a.m., but right now the most heralded names among the undrafted rookies are the guys mentioned right here, the linebackers.