Within the first 40 hours of NFL Free Agency, 3 former All-Pro defensive tackles moved cities via trades. Jay Glazer first reported the deal involving the Jaguars trading Marcus Stroud to Buffalo for 3rd and 5th round draft picks. Stroud has announced his excitement and positive outlook on the deal stemming from Buffalo's ever expanding steroids market (I made that part up).
On Friday, the Panthers traded Kris Jenkins to the Jets for 3rd and 5th round selections. Remember Jenkins? It became a running joke on the Tailgate Blog (albeit, an unfunny one) last spring and summer that the Rams were ready to welcome the 3 time Pro Bowler to St. Louis, but for reasons never clearly identified, Jenkins stayed in Carolina and now he's playing in New York (proving the Panthers have supreme confidence in former Rams DT Damione Lewis). The last of the former All Pro tackles on the free agent trade carousel involved Detroit sending Shaun Rogers to Cleveland for a 3rd round pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden - apparently Leigh Bodden is no more valuable than a 5th round selection.
It remains to be seen if the Rams are content at defensive tackle, but I'm a little curious why they didn't try to acquire Marcus Stroud or Kris Jenkins. Assuming the Rams draft Chris Long (and the addition of OL Jacob Bell makes it more likely), a healthy Rams front 4 of Long and Leonard Little on the outside and Adam Carriker and Marcus Stroud/Kris Jenkins on the interior would be a definite force in the weak NFC West. If there's one thing the Giants reiterated with their Super Bowl championship run, it's that a dominant front 4 can more than compensate for a lack of talent in the secondary and linebacking core.
With Green Bay and Arizona the front runners to snag away Rams linebacker Brandon Chillar, St. Louis will be in desperate need of help at the position heading into the 2008 season. Chris Draft will be a suitable replacement to Chillar (and much cheaper), but who will step in when Pisa Tinoisamoa inevitably gets injured? And if OJ Atogwe goes elsewhere, the Rams will be terrible at the safety position.
Safe to say the team still has a lot of questions to answer on the defensive side of the ball before the draft. It's the main reason I would have loved sending a 3rd and 5th round draft pick to Jacksonville or Carolina.
Edit: Pro Football Talk says that Jacob Bell's contract guarantees him $13 million and averages out to $6 million per year, making it a 6 year, $36 million deal.
180x180.jpg)
Within the first 40 hours of NFL Free Agency, 3 former All-Pro defensive tackles moved cities via trades. 
With Green Bay and Arizona the front runners to snag away Rams linebacker Brandon Chillar, St. Louis will be in desperate need of help at the position heading into the 2008 season. Chris Draft will be a suitable replacement to Chillar (and much cheaper), but who will step in when Pisa Tinoisamoa inevitably gets injured? And if OJ Atogwe goes elsewhere, the Rams will be terrible at the safety position. 
