Mardy Gilyard, the St. Louis Rams' fourth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, found himself on the sidelines for much of his rookie year, even as the Rams' wide receiver corps collapsed around him; he was reportedly unable to learn the playbook, and after a few attempts to get him into game-action early he'd vanished by the time the Rams made their ill-fated run for the NFC West title. With Josh McDaniels around there's a new playbook to learn, and reports are coming in that Gilyard won't be there to learn it—ESPN Radio reports he's asked the Rams for a trade.
The Rams drafted two more wide receivers in the 2011 NFL Draft, and with Donnie Avery due back and a Mark Clayton deal in the offing it's become increasingly clear that they aren't holding their breath about Gilyard's future with the club. It's a rough turn of events for a career that began with so much promise, for a receiver drafted the same year as the club's franchise quarterback.