By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

A year ago, the Rams wasted little time dipping their toes in the free agent market by signing linebackers Dexter Coakley and Chris Claiborne within the first few days of free agency.

This year, St. Louis didn’t bother dipping its toes in anything, instead the Rams and new coach Scott Linehan jumped into the deep end head first. The Rams signed linebacker Will Witherspoon to a six-year deal believed to be worth about $33 million.

Witherspoon was perceived by many to be the top linebacker and one of the top defensive players available on the free agent market when the signing period began at 12:01 a.m Saturday.
The flurry of activity that took place between then and Witherspoon’s signing Sunday afternoon has created a market that requires teams getting visits to ensure that the player signs on the dotted line before he gets on the plane to return home.

“Well, they didn’t bar me in the room,” Witherspoon said.

They might as well have, though, considering how competitive the free agent market has become in the wake of the extension of the collective bargaining agreement. After identifying Witherspoon as the team's top target, they brought him in to town with no intention of letting him leave.

“It’s been kind of a whirlwind,” Linehan said.  “We’ve been anticipating these last couple days for over a week now, so it finally got here and we’re happy to have been able to get some things done. There are obvious areas of need, and we talked about need in free agency and we wanted to address those immediately.”

In fact, Witherspoon was greeted at the airport by Linehan, a rarity in the free agent game. After a day that Witherspoon would call "relaxing," the Rams and Witherspoon moved into negotiations. It didn't take long for Witherspoon to realize St. Louis is where he wants to be.

“What it all came down to was that I knew several teams were interested and the Rams were the first choice that kind of came down that list,” Witherspoon said. “They want me to be there first. I want to be there first too, so let’s go ahead and get it out of the way.  Everything from that point on worked out.”

Witherspoon went to college at the University of Georgia, but his wife Rebecca is from Bloomington, Ill. Those ties combined with the chance to be the man in the middle of a revamped defense were enough to entice Witherspoon without his taking a trip anywhere else. That was enough to get him to enjoy what should be the prime of his career in St. Louis.

Adding Witherspoon is, perhaps, the crown jewel in a flurry of moves meant to improve the Rams’ 30th ranked defense. After signing defensive tackle La’Roi Glover and strong safety Corey Chavous, the Rams have improved in every line of the defense. The chance to help improve a defense in need and join players the caliber of Glover and Chavous was especially enticing to Witherspoon.

“Now you just add me in the mix, I guess you have three good guys that know what it is going to take and we are going to have to show leadership and guide our way through this,” Witherspoon said.

After spending the first four years of his career with the Panthers, Witherspoon earned a reputation as an athletic player best fit for the weak side. But Witherspoon will take over in the middle for Claiborne.

Although he’s a bit undersized at 6’1, 231 pounds, Witherspoon has showed the ability to slide into the middle and play on the outside with equal aplomb. The majority of his time in the league has been spent on the weak side.

As a rookie in 2002, he started seven games at middle linebacker followed by four in 2003. He hasn’t started there since, but that is mostly because Dan Morgan has been able to stay healthy.

And though the bulk of his time has been spent on the weak side, Witherspoon had no reservations about moving inside. While Witherspoon wasn’t asked to blitz much in Carolina, he has had some success in that realm. In addition, he has the ability to play in sub packages and stay on the field for all downs. That was one major hurdle the team never cleared with Claiborne, who was often on the sideline when opponents went to three-receiver sets.

“That increases somebody’s value when you know he can stay on the field when you go nickel and dime, and not come off,” Linehan said. “That certainly adds to that versatility I was talking about.”

Witherspoon has 421 tackles in his four seasons and had one of his best seasons in 2005. He finished the year with 109 stops, two interceptions, 2.5 sacks, 13 passes defended and a return for a touchdown. 

“New coordinator, new system, new coach; it’s part of the game,” Witherspoon said. “It’s going to be something that if I didn’t face it now, I was going to face it later.  What it comes down to is new system, new coach, whatever, we are all going to make it work.  It’s a game.  I think it’s a game that we all know the basis of and it’s a game that we all can move forward and get better.”

The effort to get better will continue as the Rams still have some cap space to work with. Though that space has decreased considerably in the past week, there is still room to work. Linehan said he would like to bring defensive tackle Ryan Pickett back, but that looks tenuous at best right now considering the kind of play Pickett is getting on the free agent market.

But it’s probably a safe bet that the Rams will continue in the quest to revamp the defense, even if the exact number for those improvements is unclear.

“I don’t know,” Linehan said.  “Maybe one or two (more players).  I think we’ve got to give a little benefit of the doubt to some of the players that are already here.  In no way is this a reflection on guys that have played here before that may or may not be coming back, because for whatever reason the defense didn’t have a lot of success last year or the year before, there are some guys here that are going to benefit from the addition of some of these players, not just because of their ability, but we’re bringing in some great leadership and knowledge of the game that will help develop some of these players that are already here.”