ST. LOUIS (AP) -Ravens center Jason Brown and Giants safety James Butler made visits to the St. Louis Rams on the first day of free agency. As a sign that talks were serious, the team anticipated negotiations might stretch into Saturday.
The players, who would fill major areas of need on a team that went 2-14 last season, and their agents were taking a dinner break Friday night before resuming negotiations. General manager Billy Devaney said talks had gone farther with Brown, who arrived earlier in the day.
It’s believed Brown is seeking about $8 million a season, which would make him the highest-paid center in the NFL.
“I don’t know how you’d categorize it, whether it’s encouraging, hopeful,” Devaney said. “They’re moving forward. The ideal thing is we work something out tonight or tomorrow morning.”
Talks also were ongoing with Rams free agent cornerback Ron Bartell, who visited New Orleans on Friday.
eiver Torry Holt – two holdovers from the 1999 Super Bowl championship team. The Rams could free up $14 million in salary cap space, $8 million for Holt and $6 million for Pace.
The 25-year-old Brown, 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, is considered perhaps the top interior lineman in the free agent class. The fourth-round pick in 2005 out of North Carolina moved to center last season after starting 28 straight games at guard for Baltimore.
The Rams want to add a power element to the line that was lacking last season.
Butler, 26, played for new coach Steve Spagnuolo in New York when Spagnuolo was the Giants’ defensive coordinator. He had three interceptions last season. The Rams believe he’d be a good fit at strong safety opposite free safety Oshiomoghe Atogwe, who was given the franchise tag designation.
The Rams made one-year qualifying offers to offensive guard Richie Incognito and defensive end Victor Adeyanju, both restricted free agents.
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