First, let’s start with Cignetti. He was a bit of a surprise hire, but one I like and one that I think will work out well. He has plenty of experience on the offensive side of the ball, as he was an offensive coordinator at the college level. He also coached with current Packers head man Mike McCarthy, which might be the biggest selling point here. McCarthy is one of the better QB teachers in the game, and Cignetti is from that coaching tree. His experience as a coordinator should help as well, as he understands how to work with the other members of the staff and how important it is for everyone to be on the same page. This might not be the sexiest hire, but I think it will pay off greatly for this organization.

Now, on to Olafioye. Normally I don’t get too excited about guys from the CFL, but I think there’s reason for optimism here. He is a big body(6-foot-6, 325 pounds) and he is still young at age 24. He was a beast up north, making the All-Star team this past season and finishing second in the league’s outstanding lineman award voting. He had tryouts with eight NFL teams, so there was plenty of interest around the league. He plays a physical game and imposes his will, so this could really be a diamond-in-the-rough scenario. He should provide some talented depth to a group that badly needs it, and he could fit in at either tackle or guard. I’m not saying he’s going to come right in and set the league on fire, but he has plentry of room to develop and he has the size to play at the NFL level.

Grigson is an intriguing candidate, and one that will certainly get heavy consideration. He logged some time in the NFL and CFL during his playing years, and then he jumped into front-office work. Most importantly, he spent 1999-2003 as a scout for the Rams organization before moving to Philly and working his way up. I would guess that, all things being equal, being familiar with the organization would give him an advantage over other candidates, but it doesn’t give him a huge advantage. I like his resume and he is only 39, so keep him in mind.

Also, the team plans to interview Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for their head coaching position. Allen has done a nice job with the Broncos, but I don’t know how serious of a candidate he is. The team has to have numerous backup plan in case Fisher chooses Miami.

Those of you who have been fans of the organization for a long time will no doubt remember the saga of Eric Crouch. Crouch was a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the University of Nebraska, and the Rams made him a third-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. The team planned to move him from quarterback to a receiver/kick returner, but Crouch saw himself as a quarterback and a quarterback only, so he retired from the NFL. Crouch popped up in a few different places over the next few seasons, but he never achieved any amount of success at any of his stops. Well… He’s Back!

It was announced today that Crouch has signed a deal to play quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL. For those of you keeping track at home, this will be his first taste of pro football since 2006, when he had a short stint in the Canadian Football League. Yeah, I’m sure this is going to go well.

In all seriousness, as far as the UFL goes, the Nighthawks have a pretty impressive group of signal-callers battling for playing time. Joining Crouch will be former Georgia star DJ Shockley and Jeremiah Masoli, the troubled Oregon QB who transferred to Ole Miss after getting kicked off the team by Ducks coach Chip Kelly. Crouch will certainly be an attendance draw back in the state of Nebraska, where he is a legend who will be in the hearts of every Huskers fan for now and for always. As far as Rams fans go, let’s just say no one is going to be lining the streets for a parade if Crouch eventually makes his way back to the Gateway City.