Oct 12, 2008; Landover, MD, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) is tackled by Washington Redskins linebacker Rocky McIntosh (52) and safety Chris Horton (48) at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-US PRESSWIRE

I think we all knew this was coming, but the Rams announced that they have agreed to a deal with LB Rocky McIntosh for the upcoming season. The sides agreed to terms on Thursday after the minicamp session, but terms of the deal were not disclosed. McIntosh is expected to battle for a starting spot out outside linebacker during training camp.

We talked a little about this already, but now that it’s official I think this was the right move for this team. McIntosh is a productive 4-3 player who fits the scheme and knows what he’s doing, and considering the lack of depth we currently have, it was a no-brainer. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if McIntosh becomes a starter fairly quickly during camp, and if I had to guess I would say that the team signed him with the expectation that he starts this season.

McIntosh joins Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Mario Haggan as free agent additions to this team at LB, and while none of these guys are going to carry your defense, it’s a group of veterans who know who they are and know how to play the game. The team also has some undrafted rookies who could factor in to the battle if they impress early in camp, but the combo of veterans and rookies looks pretty solid. I don’t think there’s any doubt that OLB is a position that’s going to need to be addressed long-term down the road, but McIntosh is a nice stopgap for now.

Oct. 09, 2011; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Barry Richardson (67) watches the game from the sidelines against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE

With OTAs up and running, the Rams decided to make a couple of moves to add some depth. The team agreed to deals with LB Mario Haggan and OT Barry Richardson, and the duo are both expected to be on the field for Wednesday’s workout.

Both of these are solid signings, but I really like the move to bring Richardson in. Tackle is a big question mark right now, so adding a guy who has started all 32 games over the last two seasons is big. I’ll be the first to admit that he has had some ups and downs during his career with Kansas City, and Chiefs fans will certainly back that up. But we don’t know how Jason Smith is going to work out, and we needed a backup plan that is experienced. The added bonus is that Richardson is still pretty young and he has room for development.

Haggan worked out for the team last week, and considering the extreme lack of depth at linebacker, it makes plenty of sense to bring him in. He’s a little bit older at 32, but he’s versatile and we needed another body. He’s probably not going to dominate, but he will help.