Rams: Linehan wants to utilize Faulk more

[wiegie]

Linehan hopes to use Faulk more

By Jim Thomas

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

02/24/2006

 

Marshall Faulk can contribute more, Rams coach Scott Linehan says.

(J. B. Forbes/P-D)

 

INDIANAPOLIS — While still committed to Steven Jackson as his feature back, Rams coach Scott Linehan wants Marshall Faulk to have a slightly expanded role next season.

 

"I would think he would," Linehan said.

 

Linehan emerged from a meeting with Faulk last week with no definitive answer on the running back's plans for 2006. Privately, however, team officials fully expect Faulk back in '06 for his 13th NFL season overall and his eighth with the Rams.

 

"It was a great meeting (with Faulk)," Linehan said Friday, following his formal news conference at the NFL scouting combine. "It was very positive."

 

Faulk, who turns 33 on Sunday, finished the '05 season with 65 carries for 292 yards, and 44 catches for 291 yards. Those are career-low totals for carries, catches, rushing yards and receiving yards.

 

"Up to the day he shuts it down, he's way too valuable a player to not have the ball in his hands," Linehan said. "For whatever reason, last year was not his best year statistically. But I would certainly like to utilize the abilities he still has, if he's willing to put a few more years in."

 

Faulk can't get to the corner like he once did, and has lost some of his ability to make tacklers miss. But he still has talents beyond merely the veteran leadership he brings to the team, according to Linehan.

 

"He still has some good 'juice' left in him in my opinion," Linehan said. "So you might as well use him. Don't let him take any (unused) carries with him to the Hall of Fame."

 

Faulk signed a four-year, $11.8 million contract extension last February, indicating strongly at the time that he wanted to play only two more seasons. (If so, the final two years of the contract would provide cap relief by spreading out the amortization of past signing bonus money from prior contracts.)

 

Faulk is due $2 million in base salary and workout bonus money this season, counting a relatively modest $4 million against the cap.

 

At the end of the '05 season, some at Rams Park - from the prior coaching staff - felt it would be best for Jackson if Faulk retired. They cited Faulk's diminishing skills, and the fact that Jackson no longer would have Faulk's Hall of Fame shadow looming over him.

 

But with Linehan seemingly committed to a more balanced offense, there should be plenty of work for Jackson even if Faulk gets a few more carries than the four per game he averaged in 2005. The Rams had only 380 rushing attempts last year, the fourth-lowest total in the NFL.

 

Linehan also stated emphatically Friday that he would like to see a contract extension for wide receiver Isaac Bruce.

 

"I'd love to have him as long as we can keep him," Linehan said. "Some of those things are out of your control. In this case, I don't think that's the case. He's still got some life left in him. And we've had very good meetings with him."

 

Rams President Jay Zygmunt and Bruce's agent were scheduled for talks this weekend in Indianapolis about a new contract. Bruce, who like Faulk came into the NFL in 1994, has one year left on his contract. He counts $10.04 million against the cap in 2006, but a restructured deal could knock a few million dollars off that count.

 

Something should happen quickly, because Bruce is due a $1.5 million roster bonus by Friday. He's also due $6.5 million in base salary, plus a $100,000 workout bonus under the current contract.

 

"The veteran leadership that we have on this team is critical, and you can't replace it," Linehan said. "And a guy like Isaac, who's been such a big part of this franchise ... he really represents what we're trying to promote, and that's a guy who does it consistently over time. "He still has a lot of 'juice.' You watch him, even before he hurt his toe (last) year, he still runs every bit as good in my opinion as he ever did. He's got a couple really good years left in him. I think it's real critical that we do everything we can" to keep him in St. Louis.

 

On other matters, Linehan said he wanted to improve the pass-catching production from the tight end position. He's not displeased with Brandon Manumaleuna, but wants to add another tight end to the mix.

 

"We've got to address that, and make it a stronger position for us on offense," Linehan said.

 

Defensively, Linehan said several players in the draft could help the team incorporate some 3-4 concepts into a current personnel group that is more suited to running the 4-3.

 

"From an offensive perspective, that's the hardest thing to prepare for - a team that can line up in 3-4 one down and then turn around and line up in a 4-3 the next down," Linehan said. "That's a very effective scheme, and that's hopefully something we can present to our team to be able to utilize."

[Randall]

Great!

 

RBBC in Ramland.

[jgcoach]

It's all my fault, I took Jackson in a recent draft.

[bushwacked]

I'm not a HUGH Jackson fan, but I call BS. Faulk may be more involved, but if he didn't scare you last year, don't let him scare you this year. The Rams D couldn't stop the Texans from getting a lead. That is a more important factor in how many carries Jackson is gonna get.