Said Bartell, "I had just wanted to come in and meet the coaches that I was considering playing for. You don't want to make a decision without meeting someone. That's just the way I saw it. I came in and they were very busy but I was impressed with the way he just dropped everything to make time. We had a great conversation. Actually right in the middle of the weight room, we spoke for about 15 or 20 minutes. Then, he took me around and introduced me to the rest of the staff. That was big for me.

"We talked about life and the philosophy of life. We didn't even talk about football. We struck up a great rapport."

Spagnuolo was also impressed, but for a different reason, during that meeting.

He said, "It's a little thing, but he talked about when we met in the weight room and when I walked in there, I was just going through to do some work, he had a hat on and the minute I went over there, he took it off. There aren't a lot of young people now a days that do that and that just stuck out and then of course talking to him for 15 or 20 minutes, I could realize this is a quality guy and you don't let quality people get out of the building. That's a little thing and I think those are the little things that separate average people from great people."

Bartell's contract was reported to be worth $28 million over four years, but it will only be that much if he reaches incentives in the deal.

--The contract signed by center Jason Brown is worth $24 million over the first three years and his $20 million in guarantees will be paid in the first two years with $15 million this year. That includes an $11 million signing bonus, a $3 million roster bonus and $1 million base salary for 2009.

--Linebacker Will Witherspoon is visiting U.S. troops at military bases throughout the Persian Gulf along with Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, Giants linebacker Danny Clark and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

Witherspoon, who describes himself as "an Air Force brat," is the son of a retired military officer who was stationed abroad, and he spent part of his childhood living in Germany and England and speaks German. His uncle also spent his career in the Air Force.

Shortly before the trip, he became a father for the third time. While the group was in Washington, D.C/. waiting for their flight to Kuwait, Witherspoon said, "I have a lot going on right now. I packed at 4:00 am after I was up with our newborn. I figured that as long as I threw some underwear in a bag, I would be OK. But I wasn't going to pass on the opportunity to make this trip."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Here I was a second-round draft pick, and I had not had one conversation with the previous general manager (Jay Zygmunt). Not one. How do you have a GM that doesn't even speak to the players? I've been one of the core players and I didn't even talk to the man. And when the top is not in order, it trickles from the top of the team down." -- CB Ron Bartell on how communication has changed in the Rams' front office.