Earth City, MO (Betting Express) - The St. Louis Rams made it official Saturday
and announced they have signed quarterback Sam Bradford, the top overall draft
choice in 2010.
While the team did not disclose terms of the deal, the sides reportedly agreed
to a six-year deal that is worth a record $50 million in guarantees.
"That's probably been the biggest relief since draft night, knowing where I'm
going to play," Bradford said. "Then to have the contract done, it just feet
like it was a huge weight off my shoulders last night."
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Bradford's deal is worth a total of
$78 million. The guaranteed money is the most ever for a single contract in
league history -- for rookies or veterans.
Bradford, 23, will be counted upon to help a Rams franchise that went a
league-worst 1-15 last season. He had been the Oklahoma Sooners' starting
quarterback for the last three seasons, despite playing in only three games in
2009 due to an injury to his throwing shoulder.
The 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, Bradford helped lead Oklahoma to the National
Championship Game that season before falling to Florida. That season, Bradford
threw for 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns, helping the school break an NCAA
record for most points in a 14-game season with 716.
The Rams continued a popular trend of teams selecting a quarterback with the
first overall pick. Dating back to the Colts' selection of Peyton Manning
leading off the 1998 NFL Draft, quarterbacks have been picked first overall in
10 of 13 drafts. St. Louis last picked first overall in 1997 and took Ohio
State offensive tackle Orlando Pace.
The Rams have struggled mightily since "The Greatest Show on Turf," led by
quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk, produced two Super
Bowl appearances, one title, three MVP winners and three straight top-ranked
offensive teams from 1999-2001. St. Louis has posted one winning season in the
last eight years and has won a total of six games in the last three campaigns
-- the fewest in the NFL in that timeframe.
The club's quarterback for the last eight seasons, Marc Bulger, was released
earlier in the offseason, so Bradford figures to be in the mix for the
starting position as a rookie. The other three signal-callers currently on the
roster are veteran A.J. Feeley, Keith Null and Thaddeus Lewis.
