SB Nation St. Louis - Steven Jackson Contract Rumors Denied By St. Louis Rams

St. Louis Rams' NFL Draft Direction Depends On Steven Jackson

2012-04-25T18:22:25Z

With the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft coming Thursday, the St. Louis Rams' plans are in flux—pending the resolution of a Steven Jackson contract dispute, with attending trade rumors, that the Rams have said doesn't exist. If that's a smokescreen, and the Rams are looking to trade their 29-year-old offensive star, then they'll almost certainly pursue Trent Richardson with the No. 6 pick in the draft. If they keep Jackson around, Justin Blackmon makes much more sense.

Of course, Justin Blackmon makes much more sense anyway—Steven Jackson at full strength wasn't enough to keep the Rams out of the basement in 2011, and trading him (for a mid-round draft pick) and selecting a player who's unlikely to replicate his performance as a rookie seems like a lateral move at best. Keep the star everyone loves, draft a wide receiver Sam Bradford will love, and call it a day—right?

That's what we're hoping for, at least.

More NFL Draft coverage from SB Nation St. Louis:

Here's more on why trading Steven Jackson doesn't make any sense.
Though Matt Kalil's possible presence at No. 6 could complicate the Rams' Justin Blackmon plans.
Here's SB Nation St. Louis's 2012 NFL Mock Draft.

Steven Jackson Rumors: Rams Deny Contract, Trade Rumors

2012-04-25T13:28:20Z

The St. Louis Rams have yet to draft Alabama Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson, and they might not even get the chance to, or even have any interest in doing so. But persistent rumors that the team is interested in Richardson have brought on new rumors that Rams running back Steven Jackson is demanding either a new contract or a trade.

As far as both of those rumors go, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Jackson has not demanded a new contract and that the Rams have no interest in trading him. Jackson's current contract pays him $7 million over the next two seasons, and though practically every NFL player would welcome a contract extension that guarantees more money, Thomas reports that Jackson is fine with his current deal.

Thomas also reiterates that if the Rams were to draft Richardson, they would in all likelihood keep Jackson around as well. Of course, the chances that Richardson falls to the Rams at No. 6 overall are very slim, but that hasn't— and won't— stop the rumor mill.

Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Rams be sure to visit Turf Show Times. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

NFL Rumors 2012: Steven Jackson Trade Talk Nonsensical For St. Louis Rams

2012-04-24T15:08:48Z

I don't doubt that the St. Louis Rams are thinking about trading Steven Jackson—Turf Show Times reported on the rumor here—but I am deeply skeptical of anybody who tries to suggest that the kind of trade they'd be able to make makes any sense for the team, especially if it leads to Trent Richardson being selected in the 2012 NFL Draft. Here's a shorthand version: The Rams would trade Steven Jackson, who ran for 1145 yards in 15 starts last year, for a middle-of-the-pack draft pick; they would then draft Trent Richardson, in the hopes that he'd run for 1145 yards in 15 starts next year; they would then, somehow, win more games than they did last season.

Replacing the running back on this team should be their very last priority—and that would be true no matter how old Jackson was. If he wants a new contract I suppose the calculus changes, but overpaying Jackson for a year or two might be worth having the No. 6 pick in this year's draft free to select someone who isn't presently redundant and increasingly obsolete.

Steven Jackson Contract Dispute: Rams Running Back Wants New Deal

2012-04-23T20:20:44Z

The St. Louis Rams, looking to build a new winning era after a 2-14 season and a management overhaul, may have a stumbling block their way. According to Mike Lombardi, the star RB Steven Jackson wants a new deal:

NFL Network's Mike Lombardi also said on the BS Report that #Rams RB Steven Jackson wants a new contract: is.gd/mbbXcV
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) April 23, 2012

RotoWorld.com reports Jackson's base salary to be at $7 million for both of the next two seasons. If the team is not willing to restructure the deal, they may look to take a top running back prospect in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft. The team is reportedly looking into wide receivers at the moment, but a prolonged contract dispute may change that.