August 12, 2012; Indianapolis, IN USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola (16) catches a pass under pressure from Indianapolis Colts corner back Justin King (21) during the first quarter of play in Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-US PRESSWIRE

I went back and rewatched the tape from Sunday’s 38-3 preseason loss to the Colts, and I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t as bad as I originally thought. It wasn’t great by any means, but it wasn’t a disaster either. I know I’m probably going to get the classic “he’s a homer” response from some people, but there were a few aspects of the performance that show some potential.

First, I want to touch on some of the disappointments, with the biggest undoubtedly being the offensive line play. Both the first-team and second-team units weren’t nearly good enough, and frankly I’m worried. As bad as our line play was last season, I really thought we were in for a major improvement in 2012. Now, I’m not so sure. It was only one preseason game, but that group has to be better. I thought Isaiah Pead showed some flashes of being good, but overall he struggled. It looked like jitters, so I expect him to be better in the next few games. Also, on a less vital note, rookie QB Austin Davis didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t so much his numbers, but his long wind-up throwing motion. I had high expectations, but I don’t know how effective he can be if he doesn’t shorten up.

Now, on to the positive. For all the criticism I’ve heard about the defense, I liked what I saw. Coach Fisher said they played a pretty vanilla scheme, which played a role in the giving up points, but the front four did a nice job getting upfield and Robert Quinn looked like a beast. I thought Michael Brockers and Janoris Jenkins more than held their own, and Kendall Langford was very impressive. When they move to their full scheme, I expect this group to be very good.

Offensively, Sam Bradford missed a couple of throws but the first-team unit moved the ball well. Steven Jackson didn’t play much, but when he was in the game it looked like we had no problem running the ball. Bradford made some nice throws, and assuming the group can finish off drives, I think they will be much better than last season. Fisher will clean up some of those drive-killing mistakes, and the receiving group looked pretty solid for the first time out.

November 13, 2011; Cleveland, OH , USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy (12) throws a pass against the St. Louis Rams during the second quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-US PRESSWIRE

The Cleveland Browns are reportedly interested in moving quarterback Colt McCoy for “minimal compensation” in return, and according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, the Rams could be a possible destination. The Browns could be looking for as little as a sixth- or seventh-round pick in return for the quarterback, who fell behind rookie Brandon Weeden on the Cleveland depth chart during the offseason.

I think everyone has known that McCoy was going to be on the market since the draft, and I have heard the Rams mentioned as a possibility more than once in connection with him. If you think about it, I guess it makes sense. Kellen Clemens and Tom Brandstater certainly aren’t the long-term answers to backup Sam Bradford, and while rookie Austin Davis is a guy I like for down the road, he seems a long way from being ready to contribute. Bradford has been know to be susceptible to injury on occasion, and with the continued questions on the offensive line, I think talking backups is in bounds. Is McCoy a giant upgrade over Clemens? I think he probably is an upgrade, but I don’t know is the separation is as great as some might think. I kind of like Clemens as the backup right now. He’s highly familiar with the new offense, and he has been a backup long enough that he he knows how to help the starter prepare in the system. As Bradford continues to grow as an NFL QB, maybe a guy like Clemens is more valuable right now than McCoy would be.

If I were making the decisions, I think I’d let someone else trade for McCoy and keep Clemens around for a little while. Clemens can help Bradford transition to the Brian Schottenheimer offense and continue to be a capable veteran backup who can step in and run the offense if called upon. As Bradford gets settled in the league and becomes a more known quantity in a few years, the team can then either draft a young QB to backup Sam or go after a young veteran. Right now, I think Clemens might be the answer instead of McCoy.

Dec 24, 2011; Honolulu, HI, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Austin Davis (12) tries to avoid Nevada Wolf Pack defensive back Isaiah Frey (28) during the 2011 Hawaii Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-US PRESSWIRE

The St. Louis Rams sent out a press release on Wednesday announcing the signing of 23 undrafted rookies for the upcoming season. We have already talked about most of these guys, but some of the names are new. In a nice added bonus, the press release included little blurbs about each player to let us get to know them a little better. This is going to be an interesting summer for the rookies, who should be given every chance to make this team. I wouldn’t be shocked if more of these guys make the final roster than expected, because I think Jeff Fisher wants to get his guys in here and he has no allegiance to any player from the previous regime. Considering we have the worst record in the NFL over the last five years, some new blood probably isn’t such a bad idea.