With the Rams extending a low-level restricted free agency tender to safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, they could soon be in the market for a replacement.
And they might be getting a head start on the process.
Per a league source, safety Brodney Pool may be visiting the Rams on Monday.
Pool, a second-round draft pick of the Browns in 2005, is a restricted free agent. But since the Browns extended no RFA tender, Pool has no restrictions.
A concussion caused Pool to miss the last five games of the 2009 season. And given the NFL’s new sensitivity to concussions, there’s a chance that the Browns decided not to rely in 2010 on a guy who possibly will be missing additional games moving forward. It’s one of the cruel realities of the league’s decision to make the problem a priority. Players who understand the risks and who are willing to accept those risks in order to earn much more money playing a game that they love in lieu of getting a “real” job will find it harder to continue their NFL careers.
Regardless of whether the concussion issue caused the Browns to sour on Pool, it’s a very real dynamic that will be a factor when teams are choosing between available players.