Take this for what it's worth, and it's not worth much, just speculation from a newspaper columnist. Emphasis on the word speculation. How would you feel about the return of Gus Frerotte?

Check this out, from a St. Paul (MN) Pioneer Press Charley Waters column exploring the Vikings QB options for next season:

A fourth option could be the Rams' Marc Bulger, 31, a veteran who might want out of St. Louis but would cost a lot more money.

If Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier gets the Rams' job, which is a distinct possibility, he could try to bring Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte, who lives in St. Louis, with him, maybe as part of a trade for Bulger.

Ain't happening. Maybe as backup, but even that's a stretch. First and foremost, Bulger's not going anywhere, and whatever backup they do bring in, is going to be someone who can compete, push Bulger, a guy, Leftwich for example, who can step in and not miss a beat should Bulger play like he did this year. The Rams might well draft a QB too, but not one at level who'd be ready to replace Bulger in the '09 season.

Bringing back Frerotte would be one helluva of a way for a new coach to start his tenure with the Rams...and a sure sign that it'd be a short run for the man.

This is the kind of rampant speculation that gets blogs in trouble, and you'll notice we here at TST stay far, far away from presenting dubious information as fact. Ugh, even the though of Frerotte back (or Green)...excuse me, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

 

So the Rams formally interviewed interim head coach Jim Haslett for the opportunity to keep his job. Sort of a follow up interview to two seasons and four games as the defensive coordinator and twelve games as head coach, as if those weren't interview enough. We'll know soon how that went. In the meantime, let me ask how you would answer the questions if you we're Jim Haslett? 

Here are a few sample questions, which, in my mind, are the only ones that need to be asked. Get your new, ill-fitting standard corporate issue blue suit on and get ready to be interviewed, dear Rams fans.

• "Why did the Rams lose their last ten games?"
• Follow up: "After that, how do you feel you can be successful as the team's head coach?"
• "Many of the games featured a lopsided score by half-time and down the stretch the Rams were blowing leads. Explain."
• "Richie Incognito."
• "What players do you see as problems or simply as unable to play at this level?"

Who led the Rams in penalties this season? Ninety-nine percent of the time you can just toss out the name Alex Barron and have a pretty good shot at being right.

Not this season though. Knucklehead extraordinaire OG Richie Incognito led the team with 13 pentalies (declined and accepted) accouting for 89 lost yards. He had 11 penalties accepted, 5 false starts and 3 holding and at least one memorable, ill-timed unsportsmanlike conduct.

Incognito is an idiot who couldn't even muster up the cajones to play in the season's last game (head coach Jim Haslett slapped a candy bar out of his hans on the sideline at that game). Fortunately, the Rams lost nothing with Adam Goldberg and John Greco replacing Incognito and Jacob Bell as the starting guards for that game. Let Greco have Incognito's spot next season. 89 yards for a team that struggled mightly to score all season; Incognito's brand of incompetence is exactly what this team needs to purge.

Now, lest you think Alex Barron magically got over his super human like ability to draw penalties...Despite having three seasons prior to '08 to learn the snap count, Barron collected 11 penalties, 9 accepted, including 7 false starts. Seven false starts! That's actually an improvement, two less than his 9 from last season and 13 the year before.

The Rams have lots of work to do on their offensive line and several means of going about it. For me, it starts with dumping Incognito, who is an unrestricted free agent after this season anyway, and Barron. Barron would be useful in a backup role since this is the last year of his contract. I'd accept Incognito as a backup, but I suspect he might fancy himself a starter and will be seeking that kind of deal on the market.

Something to think about as the Rams pursue a new head coach, and by extension new coordinators, is what kind of schemes and systems they'll run. A PD article the other day discussed the trouble facing scouts as they review potential draft picks and free agent talent without knowing for sure what kind of look the Rams will bring to the field next season. I'm not convinced we'll see dramatic shifts in basic systems the team uses (more on that later), but with the head coaching search leaning heavily toward defense oriented candidates, it's worth looking at what schemes each guy currently uses. Much of this depends on the next defensive coordinator too.

As an assistant/linebackers coach, Green Bay's Winston Moss, already lined up for a second interview with the Rams, was an integral part of a system using a 4-3. There's some incestuousness between Moss and the Rams; Moss served as Haslett's linebackers coach with the Saints. Moss is your guy if continuity is your thing. His approach on defense would be fairly close to what the Rams use now - a blitz heavy 4-3 with man coverage in the backfield. Obviously, the Rams have some major personnel holes to fill even if they opt to keep the current system, but Moss might be capable of getting this outfit to work like it should. I think he's also a candidate for defensive coordinator, especially if the team retains Haslett.

Viking defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier uses a 4-3 in MInnesota with more of a Tampa-2 zone approach in the backfield. Because the Rams corps of defensive backs is likely to see heavy turnover, the different approaches probably don't matter all that much in Frazier's case. It does impact the kind of cornerbacks the team will be scouting.

Baltimore's Rex Ryan uses multiple fronts, but it all starts with the 3-4. The process of changing from a 4-3 to a 3-4 is the subject of a later post,

As Miami's secondary coach, Todd Bowles used man coverage to decent results, collecting 18 INTs, with a group lacking any kind of shut down/superstar corner. Miami is widely believed to be interested in keeping Bowles, and could have him in mind for their next defensive coordinator. With Miami and Dallas prior to that, Bowles was part of a 3-4 defense.

Those are the three confirmed head coach candidates with a defensive background. Steve Spagnuolo and Jim Schwartz, both supposedly being considered, are the other current defensive coordinators on the Rams list (maybe) and both run a 4-3 defense. Devaney's familiarity with Schwartz may have pushed an initial, getting-to-know-you interview off the table, but I'd be paying more attention to the four guys mentioned above.

Oh, and don't forget about Haslett. He runs a 4-3, as you well know.

The Rams will bring back Green Bay assistant coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss - also the only defensive coach not to get canned by the Packers this morning - for a second interview, according to Adam Schefter of NFL.com. It's conspicuous  that Green Bay cleaned house among their defensive coaching staff, except for Moss; seems like they would have fired him too if they didn't have a promotion in mind.

The fellas at SBN's Packers blog, Acme Packing Company, seem to think the same thing. Though they did say this about Moss last week:

I've never understood the love for Moss, or why he was promoted to assistant head coach before the 2007 season. The linebackers he's coached have never been outstanding. They've never been bad either. There must be something about meeting the man in person.

That's tough to judge, especially for someone who doesn't watch many Packers games, and if there are problems elsewhere on the defense or with the coaching staff, that rubs off on the other parts...as we Rams fans know all too well. The Packers have a good group of young linebackers led by MLB A.J. Hawk and including former Ram Brandon Chillar. Injuries also had a big effect on the Packers defense; Hawk dealt with a groin injury all year and still managed to lead the team with 86 tackles...off his 105 from the season before. He's also helped convert Brady Poppinga from a college DE to an OLB in the NFL. Here's a run down on the Packers run defense from this season.

I kind of wonder if Moss wouldn't be a candidate for defensive coordinator in St. Louis too.

A couple toughts on some of the other possibilities named today. I don't know much about Arizona's offensive coordinator Russ Grimm, but for a team determined to make Steven Jackson and the running game the center of their offense he seems like an odd fit. If the Rams interest in Titans offensive line coach Mike Munchak turns into a job it might help Jacob Bell morph into the player we're paying him to be...so he's got that going for him, which is nice.

The bottom line on coaches for the Rams... Brand name or no name, more than anything else, they need a guy who can squeeze every last win out of the players, break the culture of losing that's developed at the Dome and everywhere else the Rams play. They need a guy who not only knows his Xs and Os, but doesn't let players lineup in the wrong gap and make the kind of mistakes that continually plagued the Rams all season.

Some significant news out of Green Bay that could potentiall impact the Rams head coach search. The Packers fired defensive coordinator Bob Sanders, and linebackers coach Winston Moss is considered a leading candidate to replace him at the Green Bay defensive coordinator.

The Rams interviewed Moss on Saturday and have yet to schedule a second interview, which doesn't necessarily mean they won't. Is it news, well it's like Naipaul said "it is what it is." Check out his comments on the move up to defensive coordinator:

Even if the Rams had a lot of interest, Moss may very well feel being a coordinator would be his best move at this time. He has often talked of his plan of being a head coach. That would undoubtedly call for him to call his own defense, something he has not done in 10 years as an NFL assistant.

"I feel as though that if an opportunity was to present itself to become a defensive coordinator, yes, I would like that opportunity when the time is right," Moss said recently.

With one interview down and umpteen more to go, the Rams search for a head coach continues to take shape. Rams GM Billy Devaney interviewed Winston Moss this weekend, and he's now setting up appointments with the other official candidates, Rex Ryan, Leslie Frazier, Todd Bowles and Ray Sherman, according to a summary of the process appearing in the PD today. So pretty much, things are right where they were.

The PD article notes the Rams interest in other candidates, including Jim Schwartz, Spagnuolo, Jim Fassel and others, but according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the Devaney has an interview with Jim Fassel set up for Thursday.

It's hard not to be sold already on Rex Ryan after watching the Baltimore defense hold Miami to just 9 points yesterday. And that portly figure would go well in the Midwest. 

Here's my roster thought for the morning...it's early so stay with me. The Rams need to add a second running back behind Steven Jackson to help keep wear and tear off those pricey legs, be able to take over should SJ not be able to play, and to give the offense another set of options. What about Edgerrin James? He's all but gone from Arizona, now proving he's still up to the task with his playoff performance. He'll be 31 next season, which is just a little too old for a feature back. With the Rams he could split carries with Steven Jackson, serving as something more than a backup but less than a starter. Armchair GM'ing, of course, doesn't account for the reality of the situation. Would James settle for a role like that? Are the both of them too much ego for one team? What would it cost the Rams; to me paying a premium for a back in that role isn't smart money. Anyway, just a thought.

You want Rams coaching news, watch the games today. Rams head coach candidateswill be on the sidelines with three of the four teams playing today. Obviously, in the AFC game, Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and Miami secondary coach Todd Bowles. In the NFC afternoon matinee, we're watching to see if Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier - I'm starting to like what I see with this guy - can add to his resume with a win. The team interviewed Green Bay linebackers coach WInston Moss yesterday. 

The Rams would like to have the position filled before the Senior Bowl, happening in the void before the Super Bowl. 

Head over to the SBN scoreboard for all your wild card needs. Cheers and go future Rams coach!

Round two.