NFL St Louis Rams

5 Players St. Louis Rams Should Release In Offseason

5 Players St. Louis Rams Should Release This Offseason

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Jeff Fisher has the St. Louis Rams playing some of the best football in the NFL currently with back-to-back shutouts to their credit heading into an NFC West showdown on Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals. The team’s young roster is set to get even younger next season with several high-priced or underachieving veterans likely on the chopping block. Here are five players the Rams should look to release this coming offseason.

5. Isaiah Pead, RB

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5, Isaiah Pead, RB

St. Louis Rams
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The career of Isaiah Pead could be best summed up in one word: uneventful. The Rams selected Pead in the second round in 2012 with the hopes that he could be a change of pace behind then starter Steven Jackson. With just one year remaining on his rookie deal and now Tre Mason, Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham ahead of him on the depth chart, it’s time for the Rams to admit their mistake and cut bait.

4. Scott Wells, C

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4. Scott Wells, C

St. Louis Rams
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It’s hard to move on from a veteran at such an important position like center, but Scott Wells is 33 years old with an injury history and has had trouble staying healthy in St. Louis. He is on pace to play in all 16 games this season for the first time since he signed with the Rams in 2012. With Tim Barnes and Barrett Jones behind him, the Rams would be okay saving the nearly $ 4 million he’s owed for 2015 by going with a younger, cheaper option.

3. Kendall Langford, DT

St. Louis Rams
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3. Kendall Langford, DT

St. Louis Rams
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

You may have already thought Kendall Langford was cut by the Rams given his relative invisibility on the field this season. With just 19 tackles and one sack, he’s been the odd man out in a rotation with young stars Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald on the interior. Those two former first-round picks were clearly meant to be the future at defensive tackle, so there’s no room for Langford’s bloated $ 6 million base salary on the roster in 2015.

2. Jake Long, OT

St. Louis Rams
Tim Heitman-USA Today Sports

2. Jake Long, OT

St. Louis Rams
Tim Heitman-USA Today Sports

With $ 10 million owed to him in both 2015 and 2016, it’s hard to think the Rams will keep Jake Long around beyond this season. Greg Robinson was selected in Round 1 to become his replacement, and with Long tearing his ACL for a second consecutive season a la Sam Bradford (more on him soon), this is likely the end of his stay with the Rams. His age and health just don’t add up to such an enormous salary in the coming seasons.

1. Sam Bradford, QB

St. Louis Rams
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

1. Sam Bradford, QB

St. Louis Rams
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Fisher may have said he wants Sam Bradford back and healthy in 2015, but the biggest caveat to that statement wasn’t even the healthy part. Fisher also needs Bradford to take a serious pay cut from the ridiculous $ 13 million base salary he’s owed in 2015 and the even crazier $ 16.6 million he’s set to count against the cap. Odds are Bradford refuses to take a big salary reduction and the two sides part ways after a contract impasse.

Anthony Blake is a Senior Writer/Copy Editor for Rant Sports. You Can Follow Him on Twitter, on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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