St. Louis Rams Roster News: Team Signs Veteran Wes Welker after Stedman Bailey Suspension
The St. Louis Rams received news earlier that wideout Stedman Bailey has been suspended by the NFL for the violation of its substance abuse policy, ultimately prompting team officials to sign veteran receiver Wes Welker to fill the vacancy for the moment.
The suspension is actually Bailey's second in two seasons; he was suspended four games for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances before the 2014 season, but the same was revised to two games. The 25-year-old wide receiver is the team's third receiver this season but hasn't really been that productive offensive-wise.
Welker was seen working out for the team on Monday along with two other veteran receivers in Vincent Brown and Hakeem Nicks, as reported by ESPN's Nick Wagoner via ABC 7. In the same report, Rams coach Jeff Fisher praised the veteran's conditioning. "He is in outstanding shape. We saw that early this morning. He's anxious and eager to play," the coach added.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The addition of a veteran presence like that of Welker will definitely help the Rams, which actually has been struggling as of late, ranking last in the entire league for third-down conversions. The 34-year-old currently has 890 receptions for 9,822 yards along with 50 touchdowns in a career spanning 11 long years. He had stints in San Diego, New England, Miami, and Denver.
Bailey isn't the only Rams player on the suspended list. He will be joining running back Trey Watts, who earlier got an indefinite suspension for the violation of the same drug abuse policy that the NFL has recently been very strict and committed to enforcing. For their part, Rams team officials are saying that they will be increasing their efforts in player education, specifically about the drug use and its risks.
Having two suspensions in the very same week is never good news for a St. Louis team that lost to the Vikings last Monday, 21-18, and is currently facing a slump with a 4-4 record. At this point, they need all remaining players to straighten it up.
