My Wish List for the 2010 St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams, formerly known as LA Rams, finished the 2009 season 1-15, disappointing fans once again. The Ram franchise is home to one of the greatest running backs of all time. Eric Dickerson mesmerized crowds in the 80's with his straight up running style and long strides, it seems like he was always running in open space. Then along came Kurt Warner and the "Greatest Show on Turf". Those glory days do not have to be such a distant memory, with a few of the right moves this off season, the Rams could have a combination of those teams from the 80's and early 00's for many years to come.

The formula begins with some key acquisitions in the free agent market. The two players rumored to be unhappy with their current teams the Rams should target are Julius Peppers and Josh Cribbs. The Carolina Panthers have not decided if they will sign the pro bowl defensive end Peppers, who will come with a hefty price tag for his 10.5 sack 40+ tackle production. Josh Cribbs is unhappy with his present situation with the Cleveland Browns and has three years left on his contract. The money it would take to sign Cribbs or Peppers should not be a problem for the Rams to pay. Cribbs, a DC native, would add something special to the team. A steady offensive lineman would also be a wise acquisition.

With the key free agents and traded players signed to the roster, the focus should shift to this summer's NFL draft. "And with the first pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the St. Louis Rams select, Ndamukong Suh; defensive Tackle from Nebraska." The Ram fans would start to fill with excitement with the thought of Suh, Peppers, and Chris Long on the same defensive line. Those three along with another tackle would form a devastating front line. The second target for the Rams should be Ricky Sapp, a pass rushing and athletic OLB from Clemson. Sapp is projected to be a first or second rounder. After taking Suh with the first pick in draft, the Rams should not hesitate to select Sapp if he is still available when the Rams make their second pick.

The number three target of the Rams should be a quarterback from Central Michigan that is calm, cool, and collected when standing in the pocket. He also has the ability to run down field and pick up significant yards with his legs. According to Frank Cooney's NFL Draft Scout Rankings, Dan LeFevour is the fifth rated quarterback coming out of college this year. He would be a perfect compliment to Steven Jackson in the backfield. Bye, bye Bulger, thank you for your service, but it's LeFevour time. The remaining picks should be spent on solidifying the offensive line with the best possible prospects.

These additions would blend with the current roster to build a team set to take over the NFC West from the Arizona Cardinals. The defensive line would automatically be one of the best in the league. The pressure quarterbacks would feel coming from both ends would be intense with Peppers and Long applying much heat. Opponent's running game would be null and void with Big Suh plugging the middle along with his 40+ tackle partner already established on the Ram's defensive line. Let's not forget about the ageless wonder Leonard Little, who has lost a few steps over the past years from his pro bowl seasons, but can still be effective on a selected basis. Look out for the 15-20 plays a game he gives, because there will be something special. The entire defense could get inspired by the physical dominating play of the defensive line creating a defense that shuts teams down.

It is time for the offense to get a new look, and with that new look, a quarterback change is inevitable. Dan LeFevour shows good poise in the pocket and a confidence in his abilities that demands respect from those listening to him in the huddle. With some coaching and patience, quarterback turned wide receiver Josh Cribbs could prove to be a big deal as a number one receiver. If former defensive back/ return Devin Hester can do it, why can't Cribbs. A major contributor to the offense and LeFevour that will allow him to ease into the position of quarterback in the national football league would be Steven Jackson, the 1400 yard running back of the Rams. The offensive line would have to come together to build a strong force if all of that talent will be allowed to shine. This is what the 2010 Rams could look like when you tune in to watch them on Sundays. A solid defense that does not allow opposing offenses to get far out of their own territory, setting the stage for Josh Cribbs to set the offense up with good field position (if he doesn't score). Then the offense would come in and capitalize on that good field position by consistently puting points on the board. It could go like that quarter after quarter, half after half, game after game; resulting in a team that reaches the common goals set by the majority of teams in the NFL when the season starts: Win your division, Finish the season strong, and while in the playoffs, Win every game