The Rams drafted defensive tackle/end Adam Carriker out of Nebraska with their first pick in the 2007 Draft, then followed that up by taking tailback/"fullback" Brian Leonard in the second round. They also signed free agent WR Drew Bennett during the offseason.
Though Carriker would seem to be an almost unstoppable force at end, he is starting at tackle to plug a glaring weakness there.
As for how Leonard and Bennett are used, that remains to be seen. Leonard's career at Rutgers was closely followed by many due to the school's relative proximity to New York City and its sudden rise to prominence. He is a nice-sized running back with good speed, vision and hands who went from being the team's best rushing threat to mostly blocking for tailback Ray Rice his senior season in 2006. Much like Matt Jones two years ago, who the media wanted to annoint a "tight end" rather than a wide receiver, Leonard has struggled with being typecase as a fullback rather than the tailback he obviously is suited to be.
Indications thus far are that Leonard will be used at both fullback and tailback. He may be used to receive more than run, and he is the clear backup to Steven Jackson, a talented workhorse back. With Mike Alstott's career almost certainly over, Leonard now becomes (possibly along with Heath Evans of New England) the only white man in the NFL who may get more than a token carry. The list of talented white running backs who didn't even got a token rush is very long; whether Leonard will eventually be the one to end the NFL's generation long ban on whites being featured runners only time will tell.
Bennett was the number one receiver on the Tennessee Titans the past two seasons; unfortunately the quarterbacks attempting to throw him the ball were washed up Steve McNair in his current dink 'n dunk stage, and scatter-armed (and scatter-brained) Vince Young, which made for pedestrian receiving statistics. Bennett's ability shone through in the second half of 2004 when McNair was injured and Billy Volek played pitch and catch with Bennett as effortlessly as two kids in a pickup game. In several games with Volek at QB, Bennett shot up the receiving charts and ended up second in the AFC among receivers in '04.
At 28, Bennett should be in his prime years. However he is currently listed as the third receiver behind Torry Holt and "highly respected" 34-year-old Isaac Bruce. One can only hope that the Rams utilize the 6'5" Bennett as the weapon he is as there's no reason he can't blow past defensive backfields with Marc Bulger throwing him the ball the same way he did with Volek.
Bulger is finally being recognized for the superb quarterback he is. Bulger can't run around like a deer as soon as he sees a pass rush, all he does is read defenses and make accurate throws. You know, the kind of things quarterbacks were supposed to do before the NFL's ridiculous experiment with "affletes" at the position began.
14-year veteran Gus Frerotte backs up Bulger.
There are three white starters on the o-line: RG Richie Incognito, C Brett Romberg, and LG Mark Setterstrom. All are young players in their fourth season or less. 14 year man Andy McCollum is still around as a backup, as is Adam Goldberg.
Second year tight end Joe Klopfenstein is now listed as the backup to newly acquired Randy McMichael. Aaron Walker is also a backup at TE.
Veteran Dane Looker remains on the team as a wide receiver, but last year during head coach Scott Linehan's first season was used solely as the holder on kicks and as a White Special Teams Demon. Looker has hands of glue but in a league that clearly values hands of stone more as long as those hands are black, is not likely to be on the field much as a receiver.
Carriker is the only white starter on defense. SLB Brandon Chillar is of American Indian descent. Tim McGarigle, in his second season, is the second string middle linebacker.
Safety Todd Johnson was signed in the offseason as a backup.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 18
GRADE: D
Though Carriker would seem to be an almost unstoppable force at end, he is starting at tackle to plug a glaring weakness there.
As for how Leonard and Bennett are used, that remains to be seen. Leonard's career at Rutgers was closely followed by many due to the school's relative proximity to New York City and its sudden rise to prominence. He is a nice-sized running back with good speed, vision and hands who went from being the team's best rushing threat to mostly blocking for tailback Ray Rice his senior season in 2006. Much like Matt Jones two years ago, who the media wanted to annoint a "tight end" rather than a wide receiver, Leonard has struggled with being typecase as a fullback rather than the tailback he obviously is suited to be.
Indications thus far are that Leonard will be used at both fullback and tailback. He may be used to receive more than run, and he is the clear backup to Steven Jackson, a talented workhorse back. With Mike Alstott's career almost certainly over, Leonard now becomes (possibly along with Heath Evans of New England) the only white man in the NFL who may get more than a token carry. The list of talented white running backs who didn't even got a token rush is very long; whether Leonard will eventually be the one to end the NFL's generation long ban on whites being featured runners only time will tell.
Bennett was the number one receiver on the Tennessee Titans the past two seasons; unfortunately the quarterbacks attempting to throw him the ball were washed up Steve McNair in his current dink 'n dunk stage, and scatter-armed (and scatter-brained) Vince Young, which made for pedestrian receiving statistics. Bennett's ability shone through in the second half of 2004 when McNair was injured and Billy Volek played pitch and catch with Bennett as effortlessly as two kids in a pickup game. In several games with Volek at QB, Bennett shot up the receiving charts and ended up second in the AFC among receivers in '04.
At 28, Bennett should be in his prime years. However he is currently listed as the third receiver behind Torry Holt and "highly respected" 34-year-old Isaac Bruce. One can only hope that the Rams utilize the 6'5" Bennett as the weapon he is as there's no reason he can't blow past defensive backfields with Marc Bulger throwing him the ball the same way he did with Volek.
Bulger is finally being recognized for the superb quarterback he is. Bulger can't run around like a deer as soon as he sees a pass rush, all he does is read defenses and make accurate throws. You know, the kind of things quarterbacks were supposed to do before the NFL's ridiculous experiment with "affletes" at the position began.
14-year veteran Gus Frerotte backs up Bulger.
There are three white starters on the o-line: RG Richie Incognito, C Brett Romberg, and LG Mark Setterstrom. All are young players in their fourth season or less. 14 year man Andy McCollum is still around as a backup, as is Adam Goldberg.
Second year tight end Joe Klopfenstein is now listed as the backup to newly acquired Randy McMichael. Aaron Walker is also a backup at TE.
Veteran Dane Looker remains on the team as a wide receiver, but last year during head coach Scott Linehan's first season was used solely as the holder on kicks and as a White Special Teams Demon. Looker has hands of glue but in a league that clearly values hands of stone more as long as those hands are black, is not likely to be on the field much as a receiver.
Carriker is the only white starter on defense. SLB Brandon Chillar is of American Indian descent. Tim McGarigle, in his second season, is the second string middle linebacker.
Safety Todd Johnson was signed in the offseason as a backup.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 18
GRADE: D
