Jason

Brown

Brown, who is currently in or on his way to St. Louis, could be viewed by Oakland as a guard or center. The Raiders have needs at both positions.

The move clears $2.8 million in cap space, and is likely just the beginning of what should be a total overhaul of the Rams’ offensive line. Signed to a five-year, $37.5 million deal in 2009, Brown underperformed from the get-go, grading out as one of the league’s worst centers by Pro Football Focus. He was even worse in 2010 before finally being benched in favor of Tony Wragge last November. A former Raven, he’d be a low-cost flier for Baltimore if it loses LG Ben Grubbs to free agency.

Brown has visited San Francisco and Carolina, and “both teams want to sign him,” per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Ravens are the team with which Brown broke into the league in 2005. NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reported Friday that Baltimore has made Brown a “conservative, one-year offer.”

Brown’s only other known visit was to Carolina, early in free agency. The 49ers have a need at right guard after losing Adam Snyder to Arizona and allowing Chilo Rachal to walk. Brown is being viewed as a guard after washing out at center last season.

Brown would play guard if signed in Carolina, replacing Travelle Wharton and sending Garry Williams back to the bench. Brown has reportedly been contacted by four teams as of Tuesday evening.

Team sources tell the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Brown was not benched for performance, “consistently” grading out as one of the team’s top linemen. The Rams graded Brown as their second best blocker in last Sunday’s loss to Arizona. It sounds like a mistake was made off the field. Wragge, 32, has not made an NFL start since 2008. He’s sure to be a downgrade.

The move would save $2.8 million under the salary cap. Less than three years into a five-year, $37.5 million contract, Brown was benched for journeyman Tony Wragge last November. Brown is due $5 million in base salary this year, with a prohibitive $7.2 million cap figure. The Rams are going to have to overhaul the O-Line for the second time in three seasons.

A colossal, concussion-prone bust as the former No. 2 overall pick in the draft, Smith is owed a $10 million base salary. Smith has started 26 games over the course of his first three seasons and performed miserably both as a pass and run blocker. The expectation is that Smith and C Jason Brown, whose cap number is $7.2 million, will both be asked to take pay cuts.

Center Jason Brown, benched a couple of weeks ago, will move to right guard while journeyman liability Adam Goldberg takes over on Sam Bradford’s blindside. St. Louis’ offensive line has been among the league’s leakiest all season, and it’s about to get even worse.

He was on time to Ravens camp.