SB Nation St. Louis - St. Louis Rams Sign Mark Clayton; Regular Season Availability Still Uncertainhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2011-09-03T18:58:48-05:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/21608572011-09-03T18:58:48-05:002011-09-03T18:58:48-05:00St. 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 Moore