According to a report by Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post, the Rams are interested in suspended quarterback Michael Vick, who was recently released from federal prison.
Michael Vick update: According to people I’ve talked to who are close to him, Vick is in great spirits and looking forward to the future. I’m told he’s in great “non-professional football shape” and is determined to prove he can regain his superstar status in the NFL. He’s also very determined to do all the little things he didn’t do previously. He intends to spend more time studying the game, more time preparing to play, more time working on his game. Two years alone with nothing but your thoughts can be a powerful motivational tool.
Several people in the NFL told me not to rule out St. Louis as a possible destination for Vick. The Rams might have some ownership issues to deal with before actually signing him, but they have genuine interest. They’ve been doing their due diligence on Vick, and if the Commissioner does reinstate him, look for them to actively pursue him. It makes sense — a new coach with an older quarterback who hasn’t played well. Playing in a dome on carpet would highlight Vick’s speed and athleticism.
As with all rumors, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but as Lombardi notes in his article – don’t rule the Rams out. Then again, the Rams organization is in complete flux because of a possible sale, so they have bigger things to concentrate on right now.
People are generally going to have two thoughts on whether or not a team should pursue Vick. One group will think it’s a disaster waiting to happen, while the other will look at a team signing him as a low risk, high reward type of situation. I guess it all depends on whether or not he’ll be suspended, when the Falcons will officially release him (don’t forget he’s still under contract in Atlanta), and what kind of shape he’s in.
But personally, no matter how high the reward might be, I wouldn’t invite that circus to town if I owned a team. I wouldn’t want to deal with PETA or the media storm that would come with his signing, nor would I want my team to endure that.
