Completing his first month on the job as the Rams' head coach, Steve Spagnuolo's plate has been quite full even if his wife, Maria, hasn't been able to cook as much as usual in these hectic days.
"She calls every day to make sure I'm eating," Spagnuolo said Thursday, during a pause in the day to introduce the team's new coordinators to the local media. "She keeps saying I'm losing weight."
It does appear Spagnuolo is thinner than he was when introduced on Jan. 19. Hiring a staff, preparing for the combine and evaluating the current roster can take up a lot of time.
So, what has the first month been like?
"Challenging and exciting and wonderful all at the same time," he said.
With his staff hired, Spagnuolo can now tackle the next items on the agenda, most of which involve the start of free agency on Feb. 27. Not only must the Rams put a game plan together concerning who they want to pursue, but they also have to make major decisions regarding players on the roster. Especially those with large salaries.
The Rams are currently about $14 million under the cap, but that doesn't include potential tenders to restricted and exclusive rights free agents.
Staring them in the face are cap charges of $10.2 million for wide receiver Torry Holt and $9 million for left tackle Orlando Pace. If both were released or traded, $14 million would be added to the team's cap, and the club would save that much in 2009 actual compensation. Of that $14 million, Holt is owed $8 million and Pace $6 million.
However, with numerous needs on the team, the team has to decide whether letting them go is prudent because it would create even more holes on the roster.
With questions about Drew Bennett returning from injury, Holt is the only veteran presence on the roster at receiver. At tackle, Alex Barron is entering the final year of his contract, and there are doubts he would be re-signed in 2010/
There is the potential of restructuring the contracts of Pace and Holt and pushing salary into future seasons. In the end, the determination will be whether general manager Billy Devaney is confident the team can at least be competitive next season without Holt and/or Pace, while also building for the future with younger players.
Spagnuolo acknowledged he has had little time to watch tape, and when asked about making decisions on players, he said, "We will have to rely heavily on Billy, others that have been here, as well as coaches that were retained."
If the Rams want to see if contract restructuring is possible, it could be done in one phone call, since Holt has recently hired Kennard McGuire, the same agent that represents Pace.
