SB Nation St. Louis - NFL Cuts 2011, St. Louis Rams Roster: Rams Cut Donnie Averyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2011-09-11T08:00:39-05:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/21590602011-09-11T08:00:39-05:002011-09-11T08:00:39-05:00The St. Louis Rams Can Thank Donnie Avery For All Their Success In 2011
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<img alt="FOXBORO MA - AUGUST 26: Donnie Avery #17 of the St. Louis Rams is carted off the field in the second quarter against the New England Patriots on August 26 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bFEZjVmKuiaen6B_3dN4kLLauIg=/0x6:600x406/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/1097575/GYI0061399957.jpg" />
<figcaption>FOXBORO MA - AUGUST 26: Donnie Avery #17 of the St. Louis Rams is carted off the field in the second quarter against the New England Patriots on August 26 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Donnie Avery was a huge bust for the St. Louis Rams. Or was he? Perhaps he was the perfect pick for the perfect point in time.</p> <p>
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I'm not a football personnel man. At least not in any sort of paid capacity. And neither are you.</p>
<p>In fact, if the entire NFL re-drafted and we were in charge of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Rams</a>, I'd be willing to guess that our team would be near the bottom of the standings. As proof, I present your fantasy football team. As a collective, let's admit that we're not better than any one person actually evaluating talent in the NFL for a living.</p>
<p>That's our starting point.</p>
<p>Now let's go back to April of 2008. The Rams had earned the second overall draft pick with a dismal 3-13 year in 2007. And while the selection of <span>Chris Long</span> in the first round was met with tepid enthusiasm, I think most Rams fans were really interested in pick 33, essentially the first pick in the second round due to the <a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Patriots</a> forfeiture of their draft pick in the ‘Spygate' fallout.</p>
<p>That's when rock bottom happened.</p>
<p>The Rams desperately needed a receiver that could, well, do anything. They had their choice of any available, since none had been selected. <span>DeSean Jackson</span>, <span>Mario Manningham</span>, <span>Pierre Garcon</span> or Stevie Johnson? Yes please. Any would be great.</p>
<p>"With the 33<sup>rd</sup> pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select... <span>Donnie Avery</span>. Wide Receiver, University of Houston."</p>
<p>It's not an exaggeration to say that not one person that day, or the three years since, has liked that pick. In fact, I remember burying my head in my hands and wondering aloud why the hell I even root for this team. Again, we don't know much as a collective back-seat personnel driver, but we knew this was a mistake the moment the name was read.</p>
<p>In retrospect, that was rock bottom.</p>
<p>The Rams would go on to lose 14 games in 2008, fire Scott Linehan mid-season and then fire Jim Haslett, the interim coach weeks later. And while year one with Coach Spags was no picnic, going 1-15, at least we had some hope that we were rebuilding instead of falling deeper into the abyss.</p>
<p>I've never met Donnie Avery. I don't know much about the man at all. He was released to make room for 2 rookies after missing the entire 2010 season and will never live up to the expectations of being the first WR selected in an NFL Draft.</p>
<p>But Donnie Avery did do one thing - galvanize a fledgling fan base. Give a touchstone to rally around and point to and yell - "what the F are you doing, Rams?" He set in motion not only a front-office change, but an ownership change as well.</p>
<p>3.5 years later Rams fans are getting ready to pack the dome for the home opener as the marquis matchup on NFL Kickoff Weekend. We have a sterling new franchise QB and an organizational fortitude that wasn't here when Donnie Avery came to STL via Houston. Rams fans aren't delusional; they know that the first half of 2011 is going to be a brutal litmus test. But we also know that this team isn't in danger of going 2-14 or 1-15.</p>
<p>No one wants their legacy to involve being the guy that made everyone realize that something was truly damaged with a franchise. But Donnie Avery and fulfilled every expectation we had of him being a bust. In doing so, he gave the impetus to many more people to try and find real solutions to the problems afflicting a franchise still clinging to its success in the previous decade.</p>
<p>So thanks Mr. Avery. Good luck and best wishes from all the St. Louis Rams fans. You did what we expected and for that, we can't thank you enough.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/9/11/2407861/the-rams-can-thank-donnie-avery-for-all-their-success-this-seasonAaron Hooks2011-09-06T08:00:52-05:002011-09-06T08:00:52-05:00New York Jets Sign Mardy Gilyard After Rams Make Cuts
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<p>Just days after the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a> went with <span>Danario Alexander</span> and the promise of <span>Mark Clayton</span> over 2010 NFL Draft fourth-rounder <span>Mardy Gilyard</span>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">New York Jets</a> swooped in, picking up the promising but heretofore-underwhelming wide receiver in free agency.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ganggreennation.com/2011/9/4/2405101/new-york-jets-add-mardy-gilyard" target="_blank">Gang Green Nation </a>suggests Gilyard could play a role much like the one he seemed set to perform in St. Louis, struggling to get reps at wide receiver but playing a significant role on special teams in the meantime. It's hard to deny Gilyard's potential, but his inability to learn Pat Shurmur's playbook in 2010 and his special teams lapses in 2011 made him hard for the Rams to keep on the roster for the regular season.</p>
<p>The Jets find themselves in the strange position of going after the Rams' wide receiver leftovers, but Gilyard is a special case; he could be cut midway through the year or he could become <span>Mark Sanchez</span>'s favorite target, for all we know about him after an entire year of pro football. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/9/6/2406932/mardy-gilyard-new-york-jetsDan Moore2011-09-04T08:00:48-05:002011-09-04T08:00:48-05:00St. Louis Rams Cut Day: Five Things To Do With Your Donnie Avery Jersey
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<p>I know this is hard on you, guy who was trying his damnedest to support the 2009 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a>, but there's no way around it: Your <span>Donnie Avery</span> jersey is no longer current, and it won't be vintage until the next time the Rams make the playoffs. You do your best to buy a souvenir in the Scott Linehan era, and this is how they treat you? At least they gave people who bought the HP Touchpad their money back. </p>↵<p>It's held on longer than that Trung Canidate jersey, though, right? Here are five other ways to use your Donnie Avery jersey, if you're not willing to wait until it's funny:</p>↵<p><b>1. Distinctly unsexy girl-pajamas. </b>If there's one thing country and rap songs have both told me, it's that there's nothing sexier than a girl waking up next to you in your clothes. There's nothing <i>weirder</i> than a girl waking up next to you in Donnie Avery's clothes. </p>↵<p><b>2. Awkwardly-typeset <span>Mike Sims-Walker</span> jersey. </b>MSW is wearing 10 this year, if you're interested in wearing an <i>imported</i> injury-prone receiver's name on your back. Same goes for <span>Brandon Gibson</span> (11) and <span>Jason Smith</span> (77), if you're good enough with your masking tape. </p>↵<p><b>3. Proof of your foul-weather fandom. </b>Wearing a Donnie Avery jersey to a game in 2011 says, "I was a fan of the Rams before I knew who <span>Sam Bradford</span> was, and back when his high school team could beat us." It says, "I was once a big <span>Keith Null</span> fan." </p>↵<p><b>4. Imitating Donnie Avery. </b>This only works until casual Rams fans realize he's no longer on the team, but at a listed size of 5'11", 183 pounds, there's no player on the Rams more easily imitable by an average-sized human being. I suggest finding a very dreamy bank teller and attempting to use your uniform as identification for a withdrawal.</p>↵<p><b>5. Dish towels, or something. </b>You can kind of cut it up into—and with the dishes, I think? I don't know, I've never actually done it. </p>↵
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/9/4/2403382/st-louis-rams-cut-day-donnie-averyDan Moore2011-09-03T18:58:48-05:002011-09-03T18:58:48-05:00St. Louis Rams Cut Donnie Avery In 53-Man Roster Crunch
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<p>The St. Louis Rams' cut day was an eventful one, as former great-white-hope Donnie Avery was released despite a strong return from knee surgery. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a> cut former number-one <span>Donnie Avery</span> Saturday in what appeared to be a roster crunch, keeping bubble receiver <span>Danario Alexander</span> and special-teamer <span>Dominique Curry</span> around in his place. Avery had returned from a major knee injury to put together an impressive preseason, but Turf Show Times suggests his skills <a href="http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2011/9/3/2403208/st-louis-rams-53-man-roster" target="_blank">aren't the ones Josh McDaniels values</a>. </p>
<p>With Avery gone the bulk of the targets will go to <span>Brandon Gibson</span>, <span>Danny Amendola</span>, <span>Mike Sims-Walker</span>, with <span>Greg Salas</span> and <span>Austin Pettis</span> forced to take a bigger role than many anticipated initially. Danario Alexander's health will determine whether the Rams pull the trigger on <span>Mark Clayton</span> when it's time for him to return to game action around Week 6. </p>
<p>Other name cuts on the offense include tight end <span>Fendi Onobun</span>, who had perhaps the best name of all, and third-string running back <span>Keith Toston</span>, whose ticket was punched the moment the Rams signed both <span>Cadillac Williams</span> and <span>Jerious Norwood</span> to back up Steven Jackson. </p>
<p>The roster will change more as other teams make their Donnie Avery-sized cuts. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2011/9/3/2403350/rams-cut-day-donnie-averyDan Moore2011-09-02T08:00:41-05:002011-09-02T08:00:41-05:00What Does Mark Clayton Mean For The St. Louis Rams' Receiving Corps?
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<img alt="ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 03: Mark Clayton #89 of the St. Louis Rams makes the catch as Marcus Trufant #23 of the Seattle Seahawks defends on October 3 2010 at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis Missouri. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZMZQ4exED9V-JwDN3nBfnGxtxio=/0x19:600x419/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/1258507/GYI0061912818.jpg" />
<figcaption>ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 03: Mark Clayton #89 of the St. Louis Rams makes the catch as Marcus Trufant #23 of the Seattle Seahawks defends on October 3 2010 at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis Missouri. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Mark Clayton might not kick a receiver out of the St. Louis Rams' plans now, but when he comes off the PUP list things could change in a hurry.</p> <p><span>Mark Clayton</span> signed with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a> Wednesday, after months of playing footsie with Steve Spagnuolo under the table. Question: What does this mean for all those other wide receivers, until recently competing for the same spots? For <span>Mike Sims-Walker</span>, it means he'll have to establish himself as <span>Sam Bradford</span>'s new veteran favorite by midseason; for <span>Donnie Avery</span>, it means he'll have to push past his 2010 replacement to remain in the Rams' plans; for <span>Danario Alexander</span>, it means that even if he gets through cut day he won't be done proving himself healthy and useful. </p>
<p>So long as he remains on the PUP list, however, Mark Clayton won't affect the Rams' tough decisions in the process of cutting their roster all the way down to Week One shape. If Clayton isn't ready to start the season he'll have to wait things out off the practice field until Week Six, and once he's back he'll have three weeks to get game-ready. </p>
<p>He might not complicate things in the short-term, but halfway through the regular season the wide receivers might be reevaluated in a hurry. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/9/2/2396846/what-does-mark-clayton-mean-for-the-st-louis-rams-receiving-corpsDan Moore2011-08-31T17:31:52-05:002011-08-31T17:31:52-05:00Mark Clayton, St. Louis Rams Agree To Deal; Clayton Currently PUP
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<p>Mark Clayton signs with the St. Louis Rams, ending an entire offseason's worth of speculation and introducing some new speculation besides. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a>' crowded wide receiver situation got even more difficult to parse Wednesday when the team <a target="_blank" href="http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2011/8/31/2396626/st-louis-rams-make-more-roster-moves">resigned injured wide receiver </a><span>Mark Clayton</span><span></span>, who had emerged as <span>Sam Bradford</span>'s favorite target before going down with a season-ending injury midway through the 2010 season. Assumed during the lockout to be a lock to return, Clayton fell off the radar for a while before the Rams reiterated their intentions earlier this month. Clayton is on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list for the moment, meaning he could miss the first six weeks of the season at this rate.</p>
<p>If he doesn't, the Rams will have to make a second difficult cut from their wide receiver corps, which now totals eight rookies and veterans. <span>Danario Alexander</span>, widely believed to be at the bottom of the list, could be joined by <span>Donnie Avery</span>, who's gotten some cut day press despite his solid comeback from his own knee injury. Clayton was acquired by the Rams in 2010 as Avery's emergency replacement, so I suppose it would only be fitting.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/8/31/2396798/mark-clayton-st-louis-rams-agree-to-deal-clayton-currently-pupDan Moore2011-08-31T08:31:16-05:002011-08-31T08:31:16-05:00St. Louis Rams Roster Cuts: A Roster Without Donnie Avery
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<p>Donnie Avery could be a St. Louis Rams cut day casualty, according to Turf Show Times.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a> are continuing their trip down to the regular season active roster, and with that kind of bubble-bursting comes the yearly attempt to predict just which of the preseason stars and flops will make the team for Week One. The boldest one yet came Tuesday, when Turf Show Times proprietor VanRam guessed that <span>Donnie Avery</span>—by trade or something more insidious—<a href="http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2011/8/29/2391637/st-louis-rams-2011-roster-predictions-offense" target="_blank">wouldn't be on the roster</a> when the Rams finally finished sorting their dysfunctional wide receivers. </p>
<p>Avery's been solid in the preseason since returning from last season's devastating knee injury; for the most part, he's done everything that could be expected of him. But VanRam guesses that the Rams won't have a need for his speed-first game in Josh McDaniels's new offense, and that they'll try to trade the erstwhile number-one-of-last-resort for whatever they can get, instead keeping newly minted special-teams-gunner <span>Mardy Gilyard</span> around. </p>
<p>This is plausible to me, but I'm not sure I'm a fan of it. With both Avery and <span>Danario Alexander</span> off the roster we'll be back to square one—<span>Sam Bradford</span> will have a big-play offensive coordinator, for once, but no big-play wide receiver. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/8/31/2395114/st-louis-rams-roster-cuts-donnie-averyDan Moore2011-08-31T08:01:08-05:002011-08-31T08:01:08-05:00St. Louis Rams Cuts: Danario Alexander's Cut Day Could Depend On Fullback
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<p>The St. Louis Rams' cut day could center on the way a fullback changes things for receivers like Donnie Avery and Danario Alexander.</p> <p>With the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">St. Louis Rams</a> and the rest of the NFL celebrating the start of those ever-chilling cut days Wednesday afternoon, erstwhile Mizzou star <span>Danario Alexander</span> remains the biggest name on the bubble. He's lost out to the Rams' motley collection of veterans and rookies at wide receiver, but the biggest hurdle for his future could be fullback <span>Brit Miller</span>.</p>
<p>New offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has rarely been one to use the fullback position, which has become increasingly obsolete in the pass-heavy NFL McDaniels has helped to create; with two tight ends on the field so frequently—and Turf Show Times <a href="http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2011/8/29/2391637/st-louis-rams-2011-roster-predictions-offense" target="_blank">predicts they'll carry four</a>, among them project <span>Fendi Onobun</span>—there's little use for the fullback as a blocker or an offensive weapon. </p>
<p>But Miller, a member of last year's practice squad, has spent a lot of time with the Rams' first team, which means McDaniels might have had a come-to-Ditka moment between this year and last. If he's carrying Miller, that's bad news for both Alexander and whoever else you have on the Rams' wide receiver bubble—it leaves them carrying six wide receivers. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/8/31/2395100/st-louis-rams-cut-day-transactionsDan Moore