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Saffold faces his 'former' team
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_50c5d084-7428-56c4-b17d-570377eddfaf.html
Rodger Saffold would love to say this is his Super Bowl. That he’d like nothing better than to show the Oakland Raiders that his shoulder is healthy enough to deliver 60 minutes worth of punishing blocks Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.
But he’s not.
“It’s just another game in the season,” Saffold said. “I play for the Rams, so I’m gonna do my best to give us a chance to win against this team.”
For a couple of days last March, it looked as if the Rams were his former team. He made a free-agent visit to Oakland and agreed to terms with the Raiders, who had significantly outbid the Rams for his services.
Tony Sparano, currently the Raiders’ interim head coach, was looking forward to working with Saffold as the team’s offensive line coach at the time.
“I certainly was,” Sparano said during a conference call this week with St. Louis reporters. “We brought him in here and thought an awfully lot about him. I think he’s an outstanding player.
“Explosive player. Athletic player. I really thought he transitioned well coming inside. I liked him coming out of college.”
But just when Saffold was about to don the silver and black, the Raiders said the deal was off because of a failed physical. Oakland had issues with Saffold’s shoulder, specifically with his labrum.
Trades and free-agent signings are always pending the completion of a physical, but rarely do players fail physicals. The surprising turn of events made it a national story in the NFL for a couple of days, particularly when Saffold came back to St. Louis on the rebound.
Many observers felt the Raiders backed off in response to instant criticism nationally over the amount of their offer. It was for $42.5 million for five years, or more than $2 million per year higher than the Rams’ offer.
Turns out Oakland’s concern over Safflold’s shoulder had some merit, because Saffold said this week he would undergo surgery to repair the labrum after this season.
“I’m gonna get it taken care of — period,” Saffold said. “Because I want it done. I’ve actually been wanting it done. With all the craziness of free agency, I never got a chance (this past offseason).
“It was a lot of distraction in the offseason. Just absolute craziness. I’ve gone through absolutely everything under the sun (injury-wise). So I should be done. I should just be able to play.”
After starting all 16 games for the Rams in 2010 as a rookie out of Indiana University, a variety of ailments — several of which were shoulder related — forced him to miss 17 of 48 games from 2011 through 2013.
Despite some shoulder issues this preseason and a dislocation in the Rams’ Oct. 26 contest at Kansas City, Saffold has played in all 11 contests this season.
“Looking back at the play in Kansas City, I feel like (the shoulder) would’ve come out if my arm was completely fine,” Saffold said. “So going on from that, it’s been just keep working and then handle it at the end of the season. I still have a chance to play 16 (games) this year.”
Which is very important to him. Saffold has managed the shoulder issue while continuing to play. He says he’s found a way to use it with confidence, even when punching out at opponents.
After starting at left tackle, right tackle and right guard in 2013, Saffold has settled in at guard this season. Well, kind of. After starting the first four games at left guard, he switched over to right guard for three games once rookie Greg Robinson was ready to play.
When Jake Long suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Kansas City game, Saffold was moved back to left guard. Saffold had played tackle all of his professional and college career until switching to guard last season, so he’s still in a bit of a transitional stage.
“Switching (sides) in the middle there for a little bit was kinda rough,” Saffold said. “But I feel like I’ve got some comfort. ... I can see some more things that I haven’t been able to see (before at guard).”
Saffold has made exactly 16 combined starts at guard in 2013 and ‘14 entering the Oakland game. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer likes what he’s seen from Saffold at guard this season.
“I think Rodger’s playing well, doing the things we expect him to do,” Schottenheimer said. “Extremely strong and physical in the running game. Doing a nice job communicating with Greg over on that (left) side. The guy’s a really good player.”
Good enough to show Oakland a thing or two on Sunday, right?
“All I can say is just knowing me, knowing the way I play, I’m excited about this game,” Saffold said. “I can’t wait for Sunday to roll around. ... My energy and my passion for the game takes over when I’m playing. So who knows what I’m gonna say when I’m on the field on Sunday.”
Saffold isn’t the only Rams offensive lineman who should be highly motivated to face the Raiders. While Saffold almost played for Oakland, Rams right tackle Joe Barksdale was drafted by the Raiders in 2011 and spent his rookie season there before being released early in the 2012 season and then claimed by the Rams.
“I think in the back of every player’s mind who’s ever been cut by a team, whenever they get to play that team it’s a special game,” Barksdale said. “There’s always going to be something there, but at the same time I’m not trying to make it personal because it’s not about me. It’s about the team.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_50c5d084-7428-56c4-b17d-570377eddfaf.html
Rodger Saffold would love to say this is his Super Bowl. That he’d like nothing better than to show the Oakland Raiders that his shoulder is healthy enough to deliver 60 minutes worth of punishing blocks Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.
But he’s not.
“It’s just another game in the season,” Saffold said. “I play for the Rams, so I’m gonna do my best to give us a chance to win against this team.”
For a couple of days last March, it looked as if the Rams were his former team. He made a free-agent visit to Oakland and agreed to terms with the Raiders, who had significantly outbid the Rams for his services.
Tony Sparano, currently the Raiders’ interim head coach, was looking forward to working with Saffold as the team’s offensive line coach at the time.
“I certainly was,” Sparano said during a conference call this week with St. Louis reporters. “We brought him in here and thought an awfully lot about him. I think he’s an outstanding player.
“Explosive player. Athletic player. I really thought he transitioned well coming inside. I liked him coming out of college.”
But just when Saffold was about to don the silver and black, the Raiders said the deal was off because of a failed physical. Oakland had issues with Saffold’s shoulder, specifically with his labrum.
Trades and free-agent signings are always pending the completion of a physical, but rarely do players fail physicals. The surprising turn of events made it a national story in the NFL for a couple of days, particularly when Saffold came back to St. Louis on the rebound.
Many observers felt the Raiders backed off in response to instant criticism nationally over the amount of their offer. It was for $42.5 million for five years, or more than $2 million per year higher than the Rams’ offer.
Turns out Oakland’s concern over Safflold’s shoulder had some merit, because Saffold said this week he would undergo surgery to repair the labrum after this season.
“I’m gonna get it taken care of — period,” Saffold said. “Because I want it done. I’ve actually been wanting it done. With all the craziness of free agency, I never got a chance (this past offseason).
“It was a lot of distraction in the offseason. Just absolute craziness. I’ve gone through absolutely everything under the sun (injury-wise). So I should be done. I should just be able to play.”
After starting all 16 games for the Rams in 2010 as a rookie out of Indiana University, a variety of ailments — several of which were shoulder related — forced him to miss 17 of 48 games from 2011 through 2013.
Despite some shoulder issues this preseason and a dislocation in the Rams’ Oct. 26 contest at Kansas City, Saffold has played in all 11 contests this season.
“Looking back at the play in Kansas City, I feel like (the shoulder) would’ve come out if my arm was completely fine,” Saffold said. “So going on from that, it’s been just keep working and then handle it at the end of the season. I still have a chance to play 16 (games) this year.”
Which is very important to him. Saffold has managed the shoulder issue while continuing to play. He says he’s found a way to use it with confidence, even when punching out at opponents.
After starting at left tackle, right tackle and right guard in 2013, Saffold has settled in at guard this season. Well, kind of. After starting the first four games at left guard, he switched over to right guard for three games once rookie Greg Robinson was ready to play.
When Jake Long suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Kansas City game, Saffold was moved back to left guard. Saffold had played tackle all of his professional and college career until switching to guard last season, so he’s still in a bit of a transitional stage.
“Switching (sides) in the middle there for a little bit was kinda rough,” Saffold said. “But I feel like I’ve got some comfort. ... I can see some more things that I haven’t been able to see (before at guard).”
Saffold has made exactly 16 combined starts at guard in 2013 and ‘14 entering the Oakland game. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer likes what he’s seen from Saffold at guard this season.
“I think Rodger’s playing well, doing the things we expect him to do,” Schottenheimer said. “Extremely strong and physical in the running game. Doing a nice job communicating with Greg over on that (left) side. The guy’s a really good player.”
Good enough to show Oakland a thing or two on Sunday, right?
“All I can say is just knowing me, knowing the way I play, I’m excited about this game,” Saffold said. “I can’t wait for Sunday to roll around. ... My energy and my passion for the game takes over when I’m playing. So who knows what I’m gonna say when I’m on the field on Sunday.”
Saffold isn’t the only Rams offensive lineman who should be highly motivated to face the Raiders. While Saffold almost played for Oakland, Rams right tackle Joe Barksdale was drafted by the Raiders in 2011 and spent his rookie season there before being released early in the 2012 season and then claimed by the Rams.
“I think in the back of every player’s mind who’s ever been cut by a team, whenever they get to play that team it’s a special game,” Barksdale said. “There’s always going to be something there, but at the same time I’m not trying to make it personal because it’s not about me. It’s about the team.”
