Former Rams OT Orlando Pace was one of 12 players announced into the College Football Hall Of Fame on Tuesday. Orlando Pace had a spectacular career while at The Ohio State University. Pace also became the first sophomore to win the Lombardi Award; the first to ever win the Lombardi Award twice. He was a first-team consensus All-American in 1995 and 1996, first-team all-Big Ten Conference in 1995 and 1996, and In 1996 he was the first offensive lineman since Ohio State’s John Hicks in 1972 to finish among the Top 4 vote getters for the Heisman Trophy.

Pace worked his way to eventually become the first overall pick for the St. Louis Rams. Pace was the foundation of the Rams offensive line during their years of success. Pace played for the Rams for 12 years blocking for Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, and Marc Bulger. Pace then finished his career for the Chicago Bears. Ever since Pace left St. Louis, the Rams offensive has struggled. Since Pace left the Rams have finished in the top 10 in sacks allowed on two different occasions. Jake Long hopes to help the Rams change that.

There is no doubt Pace deserves to be inducted, he had a brilliant college career and continued his great play into the pros. The college football might just be the beginning for Orlando Pace. Pace will look to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well. Pace and the rest of the 2013 Hall of Fame Class will be inducted at the 56th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 10, 2013, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. They will be honored guests at the National Hall of Fame Salute at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 2, 2014 and officially enshrined in the summer of 2014.

Tackles are much more financially sound and a statistically safer choice than WR’s in the top 10 picks.  Should Detroit take a QB, the Rams will have their pick of the class.  Though I have concerns about lower body explosiveness, Jason Smith has the most athletic upside of the group.

Potential targets:  OT Jason Smith (Baylor), OT Eugene Monroe (Virginia), OT Andre Smith (Alabama), WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech).

For the fans the writing was on the wall. The Rams have a new front office, and coaching staff, and are coming off a dreadful 2-14 2008 season. Steve Spagnuolo is going to try to make the Rams a power offensive and defensive team, and that means getting younger, stronger, faster and hungrier. Some sacrifices will have to be made for them to accomplish their goals. The Rams already said they would  not invited Pace or Holt to participate in the team’s off season strength and conditioning program which starts next week. In addition Torry Holt is already all but out the door. Put this together and you knew in your heart that Pace was on his way out. For fans this is unfair, hopefully soon the NFL will find a way to allow teams to keep their franchise stars like Orlando Pace, Brian Dawkins, etc.

The scary thing from today’s news could be what Billy Devaney had to say. Devaney on KSLG said Alex Barron will be moved from right tackle to left tackle immediately and they will take a long look at Jacob Bell, as the right tackle. OUCH, let’s hope that is the Grey Goose talking. Granted there is not much he can say at the moment, the Rams are in need of more linemen. It’s only March so let’s see what happens.

So with Pace gone, are the Rams 100% sold on a Left Tackle in the 2009 NFL Draft? Is Michael Crabtree back in the running with Torry Holt on his way out in the next week? What will the Rams do with the 14 million of cap space they will create with these cuts? What are your thoughts?