By Nick Wagoner
Staff Writer

The Rams secondary seemed to be one of the team’s biggest strengths heading into last season, but a variety of injuries set a promising group back two steps after a solid step forward in 2003.

Those injuries claimed almost an entire season from free safety Aeneas Williams, a big chunk of cornerback Travis Fisher’s season and put a serious strain on strong safety Adam Archuleta’s year. 

Because of that rash of injuries, St. Louis was never able to get the continuity it had the previous year in the secondary and it led to many of the Rams’ defensive problems. 

Fisher suffered a broken arm in the preseason and cost him over half the season. Williams battled a neck injury that eventually landed him on injured reserve and a bad back that limited his range and tackling ability plagued Archuleta. 

Heading into Saturday’s NFL Draft, the Rams have a clear need in the secondary, especially at safety. Archuleta remains the only true safety under contract and is recovering from offseason work on his back.

Williams is a free agent and seems headed toward retirement, though the door could be open for a return if he can get healthy. Antuan Edwards, who stepped in for Williams after he was place on injured reserve, was offered a contract but had it pulled when he showed little interest in making a decision. Edwards is still without a contract and won’t be back in St. Louis.

Edwards came to the Rams after a series of safeties were given opportunities and either struggled or were injured. Zack Bronson, Kwamie Lassiter, Tod McBride, Tom Knight and Justin Lucas were given opportunities to win jobs, but didn’t succeed because of injuries and lack of performance.

In an effort to help the depth in the secondary as well as the special teams units, St. Louis signed Arizona’s Michael Stone and Green Bay’s Michael Hawthorne. Both have spent time at safety and cornerback, but could get an opportunity to become a starter at safety. 

Earlier in the offseason, the Rams toyed with the idea of moving linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa to strong safety and sliding Archuleta to free safety. Tinoisamoa and the coaching staff did not feel confident enough in the move and it was called off before it ever began. The idea of the move could have hurt the Rams at three positions (linebacker, strong safety and free safety), a risk they decided they would not be willing to take.

With Archuleta as the only true safety under contract and recovering from an injury, the need at safety is great. St. Louis likes Georgia’s Thomas Davis, a player who could play outside linebacker or strong safety in the NFL. Davis packs quite a wallop as a hitter and has a good nose for the ball. Chances are, Davis won’t be available when the Rams pick at No. 19, but if he were, he would be tough to pass on.

Last year, the Rams grabbed Jason Shivers, who many thought to be a good sleeper choice. Shivers showed some excellent physical skills, but was never able to grasp some of the basic defensive concepts and was placed on the practice squad. The Bears signed him away and the Rams received no compensation because of it. 

As for other possibilities for this year, St. Louis probably won’t use its first-round choice on any safety that isn’t Davis. With three more picks on the first day, the Rams could address the safety position with someone such as Michigan’s Ernest Shazor, Nebraska’s Josh Bullocks, Oklahoma’s Donte Nicholson and Brodney Pool and Ohio State’s Dustin Fox. No matter how the first round shakes out, the Rams will almost certainly come out of the draft with a safety or two.

At cornerback, the starters appear to be set, though an upgrade wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Fisher and Jerametrius Butler are solid young corners with good coverage skills, but still have their weaknesses. DeJuan Groce, Kevin Garrett, Stone and Hawthorne will probably compete for the nickel and dime corner spots, but there are some others that could come into the picture. Dwight Anderson showed promise as an undrafted free agent last season, but he is raw and needs plenty of work.

The idea of coming out of the draft with a cornerback who can also return punts and kickoffs is an appealing one. Another cornerback who can also play safety would also be a good idea. 

Chances are, the Rams might look for a corner sometime late on the first day or early in the second. Some guys that could be available in that time frame are LSU’s Corey Webster, Cincinnati’s Daven Holly and Stanford Routt and Oklahoma’s Antonio Perkins.

Regardless of when it happens, the secondary is one of, if not the, biggest need the Rams have. Look for St. Louis to use a few of its 12 picks to bolster the secondary.