In a move that merely confirmed something most of us thought had already happened, the Rams officially shut down quarterback Marc Bulger for the rest of the season Saturday by placing him on injured reserve.
Bulger hasn’t played since a Week 11 loss to the Cardinals because of a broken shin bone and won’t play again for the rest of the season. That leaves the Rams with a pair of questions to answer about their quarterback position.
The first is whether Kyle Boller returns to the lineup or if they stick with Keith Null for the third straight game. All signs have pointed to another go for Null this week, which might provide a bit of insight into the second question.
Is this the last we’ve seen of Bulger in a Rams uniform? He’s had three mediocre seasons since signing a contract extension before the 2007 season and is still due $38 million over the next four seasons. Assuming 2010 is an uncapped year, the Rams can dispatch him without taking an immediate cap hit something that would fit the rebuilding that began when the team hired general manager Billy Devaney and coach Steve Spagnuolo before this season.
Null, a sixth-round pick in April, might not be the long-term answer but he hasn’t acquitted himself much worse than Bulger did this season. The Rams will likely be picking first overall in the 2010 Draft and there’s a good chance they’ll look to leverage that pick into their next franchise quarterback.
The Rams promoted Cord Parks from the practice squad to take Bulger’s spot on the roster. An undrafted rookie from Northeastern, Parks played defensive back in college and was switched to wide receiver by the Rams.
