Will Stafford Deal Put Rams On The Clock?

As the holders of the first overall pick in the draft (and they worked very hard to earn it), the Lions have the ability to negotiate with anyone and everyone in the draft pool regarding a potential contract. So if/when the Lions announce a deal with a player, will the Rams then be able to do the same? At this point, it’s not clear. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tells us that the league hasn’t made a decision as to whether the Rams will be permitted to negotiate a deal with one or more potential candidates, saying that it’s a "[m]oot point right now.” The league took a different position last year. After the Dolphins signed tackle Jake Long, the Rams were not permitted to negotiate with potential targets at No. 2. “That has been our policy,” Aiello said at the time. “Only the team with the first pick can negotiate and sign the player.” Aiello also said that the policy would be re-evaluated after the 2008 draft. The problem is that, in theory, the entire draft could be finished before it even starts, if there isn’t a limit to the number of teams that can do deals. With the league trying to make the draft into a television event that consumes much of prime time on an April Saturday night, it makes sense to limit the privilege to one team and one team only.