Originally published April 6, 2010 at 2:34 a.m., updated April 6, 2010 at 2:34 a.m.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Marc.
Happy birthday, you’re cut.
No, former Rams quarterback Marc Bulger didn’t receive that singing telegram Monday, but his release by the Rams culminated an eventful 24 hours.
Early Sunday morning, he and wife Mavis welcomed their first child into the world, a daughter. It was a nice Easter Sunday for the Bulger family.
Early in the evening came the move that stunned the football world: the Washington Redskins’ acquisition of quarterback Donovan McNabb from the Philadelphia Eagles. Monday morning, as Bulger was celebrating his 33rd birthday, the Rams opted to wait no longer and terminated Bulger’s contract, making him a free agent.
His $8.5 million salary for 2010 disappears, and the Rams have no further financial obligations to him.
Obviously, Sunday’s trade had ramifications for the Rams on several levels. The Redskins had been in play as a potential landing spot for Bulger. Washington’s plan, even if they were to decide to draft a quarterback, was to bring in a veteran to start and potentially deal restricted free agent Jason Campbell.
Most important, Washington’s move also took them out of play as a realistic trade partner with the Rams involving the first and fourth picks in the first round of the April 22 draft. In reality, it was unlikely a trade would have been accomplished because of the premium the Rams would have placed on the first pick.
Sending a second-round pick to the Eagles for McNabb left Washington with just four selections in the draft and none in the second and third rounds. They simply had little ammunition to pull off a trade to move up three spots in which the Rams would lose their chance at getting the best quarterback in the draft.
The Redskins could still have interest in selecting Bradford if he were still available at fourth overall. Agent Tom Condon, who along with Ben Dogra represents Bulger and Bradford, said as of now the Redskins still plan to have Bradford visit the team facility this week and the team will work him out April 15 in Norman, Okla.
“They haven’t canceled anything,” Condon said Monday night.
However, it’s difficult to imagine the Rams doing anything else now but select Bradford. The only thing keeping Bulger on the roster was the possibility that the Rams wouldn’t come out of the draft with a quarterback. Unless general manager Billy Devaney is blowing major smoke and has something up his sleeve, Bradford will be the choice.
Still, the Rams are expected to go forward with their private workout Thursday with Texas quarterback Colt McCoy in Austin, and they will attend Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen’s personal Pro Day Friday in South Bend. The Rams’ private workout with Bradford is April 19.
Of course, Devaney will keep his options open if a team like Cleveland, picking seventh in the first round, offered the moon to the Rams. The Browns have 10 picks in the draft, including three in the third round and three in the fifth.
As for Bulger, he leaves the Rams with the second-most passing yards in club history with 22,814, but struggled the last three seasons as the offense deteriorated around him and the team won just six of 48 games.
In 2006, the first with Scott Linehan as head coach, Bulger passed for 4,301 yards, with 24 touchdowns, only eight interceptions and a passer rating of 92.9. Bulger went to the Pro Bowl, the Rams won their final three games to finish 8-8 and they appeared primed for improvement the following season.
However, injuries to the offensive line started in training camp and continued in the season opener when left tackle Orlando Pace was lost for the season. The next week, there were three changes on the line, and Bulger suffered cracked ribs and a knee injury against the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams used 13 different linemen that season at 18 different positions.
In 2006, wide receivers Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Kevin Curtis combined for 223 receptions, 2,765 yards and 17 touchdowns. But Curtis left after that season as a free agent, Bruce was released following 2007 and Holt last year. This past season, the Rams finished the season with only one wide receiver on the roster – Donnie Avery – that was with the team in training camp. Bulger was sacked 138 times the last four seasons.
Bulger was unavailable for comment, saying he doesn’t plan to talk until he signs with a new team. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney, busy in draft meetings, commented only in a press release.
Said Spagnuolo, “It is always hard to part ways with someone you care for and appreciate. I was fortunate as a first-year head coach to have Marc on our team. I will always be indebted to him for his work ethic, character and leadership.”
Devaney said, “I would like to thank Marc Bulger for his professional attitude. Since I arrived in 2008, Marc showed leadership on the field and in the community. We appreciate all that he has done and we wish him the best.”
Now, Bulger, and the Rams, are starting fresh. Condon had already heard from other teams by Monday night and had said previously teams have been waiting for him to be available.
Noting the irony of the release coming on his birthday, Condon said, “It’s not a bad birthday present at all. I’m happy to have him free.”
Contact Globe-Democrat NFL Writer Howard Balzer at hbalzer@globe-democrat.com
Comments
teaparty_conservative (anonymous) says...
Hopefully this will be the start of the Sam Bradford era!!! Go Rams!?!?
April 5, 2010 at 3:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
PatchArchman (anonymous) says...
The Texans would be a good fit for Bulger, they played well last year and could be the next AFC Raven/Jets that get to the AFC championship game and maybe push through to the Superbowl.
The move does not make the Rams any better or worse though, although hard to believe the Rams have the gall to charge the tix price they do. Almost as bad as the Blues.
April 5, 2010 at 4:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beebee (anonymous) says...
There is a good chance he will end up in Chicago with his mentor Martz. The Bears will become the monsters of the midway again.
April 5, 2010 at 4:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jessie (anonymous) says...
I say, hey let's give the front office a chance. Marc was not a team leader though seemed like a nice guy. I don't know all the financial in's and out's but this wasn't an overnight decision. We're lucky to have the Rams here and I say let's give them our support. John Shaw got us into this mess. I'm looking forward to the new ownership.
We need to be more positive. I'm excited already about next season.
Go Rams
April 5, 2010 at 5:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
stavrso (anonymous) says...
Tea party conservative; LOVE the symbol!
Thanks to a inept offensive line, Bulger was on his back more so than any hooker in history. He WILL shine in a different enviroment. He was ramrodded into Warner's ghost, and St. Louis NEVER accepted him.
To repeat the sentimet of "taxpayer", why no attempt to trade Bulger and at least receive one draft pick? Maybe there is something secret none of us are privy to!
Each and every sport franchise will continue to steal from the fans as long as the fans continue to push through the turnstiles. If any of you agree that prices at Busch are exhorborant now, just WAIT until they ink a new contract for #5. Think about this. Those 12oz. plastic bottles that are sold for $8! We sold the SAME product at our store for...........99 cents!!!!! Do the math.
On a positive note, Obumma informed us last Friday that we "Have turned the corner". Things are looking up! (Uh, anyone want to buy an ARCH?....anyone.....anyone????
April 5, 2010 at 5:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bill (anonymous) says...
Not surprising move. He may of been in Kurt Warner's shadow, but he sure did not play well the last few seasons. He'll catch on somewhere, maybe carry the clipboard for a few years.
April 5, 2010 at 7:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rrains (Rob Rains) says...
From Howard: Bulger's salary of $8.5 million made it difficult to trade him. A team acquiring him would pick up that salary.
April 6, 2010 at 1:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
stomp (anonymous) says...
This move probably saved his life.Just think if KW would have stayed here.He would probably be brain dead by now and we wouldn't have got witness a few more years of brilliance with the Big Red
April 6, 2010 at 5:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MHammer1958 (anonymous) says...
Bulger came along at a time when the Rams had a good offensive line and he was protected, to a point. Now as we have the Rams trying to re-build and the prospect of not only a #1 QB in bradford, they decide it is time to save the money. I see, hopefully, take the money from Bulger and place it in a contract for Bradford, before the draft and get him in camp. I then would take the next three draft picks and select O-Linemen and rebuild the linne.
April 6, 2010 at 8:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RKT94 (anonymous) says...
I'm glad that the rams finally got rid of Bulger because he wasn't in the future plans. He won't be able to become "un-shell shocked" from those years of taking hits. I believe that some of those shots were his fault, not the offensive line. Yeah some times they flat out missed blocks but from what I saw, HE could of thrown the ball somewhere, even if it's just a check down. And I think he tried that but he just began throwing it to the wrong people. He is the ONLY QB that I've seen throw picks to defensive lineman, consistantly. This means that their not rushing, which means that he has time and just doesn't know what to do with it. The line doesn't need a tramendous makeover. It's our lack of ability to make big plays. When a defense only has to worry about a 25yard stretch of turf, gameplanning and blitzing become alot more affective. When we had the greatest show on turf, defenses where ready to put fans from the stands out in their secondary because they had to worry about the entire field. This resulted in less blitzes, which resulted in less confusion on the offensive line, which resulted into better protection. Think about it, we've spent the last 5 years drafting lineman. Now it's time to draft playmakers. our offensive line is actually very "decent" at a minimum. And our left side which includes Jason Smith- LT, Jacob Bell- LG, and Jason Brown-C, could be all probowlers but when they are trying to block basically two men at once because the d- brought the house, they look below average. That also causes alot of injuries. Our foundation(Offensive and Defensive Lines) is set, now it's time to add the weapons. Billy Devaney said himself that "We NEED PLAYMAKERS on BOTH sides of the ball." "Guys who can score from anywhere on the field and guys who can rush the passer. We need guys who are Game changers." Everyone Wants to compare this Rams team to the greatest show on turf. And they SHOULD, because all we need is a strong draft year this year in which we come out with a ton of playmakers and a non-panicing QB and the greates show on turf, I GARUNTEE, WILL BE BACK.
April 10, 2010 at 11:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )