FanHouse St Louis Rams

After six Pro Bowl appearances and 13 seasons, well-traveled defensive tackle LaRoi Glover has decided to put away his jockstrap.

At his best, Glover was one of the better defensive tackles in the game thanks to a quick first step that allowed him to beat bigger and stronger offensive linemen (he was only 6-foot-2, 290 pounds). With the Saints in 2000, he led the NFL with 17 sacks, starting a string of six straight Pro Bowl appearances.

He carried that success over to the Cowboys, but Dallas' switch to a 3-4 defense left him trying to play nose tackle in a system that didn't fit him nearly as well. Eventually the Cowboys pushed him aside, bringing in Jason Ferguson to provide more bulk in the middle.

With NFL teams going though OTAs and minicamps this offseason, we look at 10 young players who can make an impact in 2009. These players have five years or less than NFL experience.

In a cost-cutting measure after the NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals released cornerback Roderick Hood, despite being only a year removed from his 5-interception campaign. It doesn't appear the 27-year-old is going to have a tough time finding work for this upcoming season. In fact, he'll likely be able to land a starting job.

According to Pro Football Talk, the Rams have made a formal contract offer to Hood, but that's not where the interest ends. Next, he's off to Chicago to visit the Bears, and the Lions and Browns are also interested.

Michael Vick's release from prison Wednesday morning in no way ensures that he's going to play in the NFL in 2009. But the mere fact that Vick is headed home has prompted a new round of speculation about which teams might be willing to give him a second chance in the NFL.

Back in 2002, Pisa Tinoisamoa led the St. Louis Rams in tackles. He became the first rookie in franchise history to pull off that feat. He also had the most tackles on the team in 2004, 2005 and 2008. Friday, he was released from the Rams -- likely a cost-saving measure since he would have counted $4.25 million against the salary cap this season and was signed through 2011.

After landing James Laurinaitis in the second round of the draft, the Rams will likely slide Chris Draft to the strong-side and let the rookie Laurinaitis start in the middle from the get-go.

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

The Rams entered the draft with far too many holes to be filled with simply seven picks. Steve Spagnuolo entered the Gateway City with the task of returning the Rams to national prominence after they have fallen apart in just a few years. There are some talented pieces in place, and they've addressed some needs this offseason, but many more positions need attention. The logical starting point -- because they've done it before with Orlando Pace -- was a stalwart left tackle. Jason Smith was taken to fulfill this role with the second overall pick.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder wants to make it clear: he ain't trading the 2010 first-round pick for a chance to move up in this year's draft. That could mean Snyder doesn't think enough of Mark Sanchez to mortgage the franchise's future and get him. Or, more likely, the 'Skins won't part with their '10 first-rounder, but every other pick is on the table.

We'll know for sure in about six hours, but in the meantime, here's the latest: depending on who you believe, Washington is interested in addressing a legitimate need with the 13th selection. Or they're still trying to maneuver their way up the draft board to take Sanchez.

Now that we know the Detroit Lions will select Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the first pick in the draft, the St. Louis Rams are on the clock for the next five hours. And all indications are that the Rams will draft Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith with the second overall pick.

In the weeks leading up to the Biggest Weekend of the NFL Offseason, I've wondered why the Rams haven't shown more interest in quarterbacks Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez. St. Louis has the second overall pick, managed just five wins in two seasons, and Marc Bulger looks like he's had enough.

Bulger's perceived disposition is a familiar one; quarterbacks who play behind an offensive line in name only often exhibit some combination of apprehension and apathy after years of physical abuse (Jon Kitna, David Carr, and Joey Harrington also come to mind). Of course, that's a solid argument for why the Rams should take Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe -- offensive tackles who could start immediately.

Aaron Curry is considered the "safest pick" in this year's NFL Draft. It's for several reasons: he started all but one game in his three-year, redshirt career at Wake Forest, he plays a position that doesn't scream "NFL downside" like, say, quarterback, and perhaps most importantly, everyone is aware that he's just a good person.

This became all the more evident during a recent radio interview with Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt on ESPN Radio (autoplay) when Curry was asked about bringing a leukemia survivor and a patient at St. Jude's Children's Hospital with him to the NFL Draft on Saturday.