NFL

Rams Release Bulger

Rams released QB Marc Bulger. The move saves $8.5 million in salary, which will come in handy when the Rams make Sam Bradford one of the league’s highest paid quarterbacks later this month. Bulger, who turned 33 today, has seen his YPA average drop in six consecutive seasons and his completion rate fall in five straight while looking shell shocked in the pocket behind a swinging-gate offensive line.

He’ll have suitors (e.g. old coaches Mike Martz and Scott Linehan in the NFC North), but is unlikely to receive a serious chance to start with his new team.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

New Orleans: According to the Chicago Tribune, the “unknown team” free agent Alex Brown will visit with on Tuesday is the New Orleans Saints. The 31-year-old is also getting interest from the Bucs and Panthers, who both run the Tampa 2-style system Brown has played in for most of his career. In New Orleans, though, he’d help fill a gaping hole at left end and allow the Saints to draft the best player available with the Nos. 32 and 64 overall picks.

Cincinnati: Bengals OG Jason Shirley may be lost for the year after suffering what’s believed to be a torn Achilles’ tendon during spring workouts. Shirley, whose transition from defensive tackle to offensive guard was profiled closely on last year’s edition of HBO’s Hard Knocks, was injured during a charity basketball game.

Houston: Texans agreed to terms with K Neil Rackers on a two-year contract worth up to $4.1 million, though just $350,000 is guaranteed. The Houston Texans will hold an open competition between Rackers and Kris Brown in camp. Rackers has a stronger leg for touchback purposes and has been more accurate over the last two seasons, missing just four regular season field goal attempts compared to Brown’s 14, including 11 last year alone. Neither is especially great in the clutch, but Rackers should be the favorite.

Green Bay: Packers re-signed restricted free agent G/C Jason Spitz to a one-year, $1.76 million contract. He got a 10% raise from his 2009 salary after receiving a second-round tender. A third-round pick out of Louisville in 2006, Spitz beat out Scott Wells to be Green Bay’s starting center last September before landing on injured reserve with a herniated disc in his back five games into the season. This year, Spitz will battle T.J. Lang and Daryn Colledge at left guard.

Washington: The Washington Redskins will reportedly allow the player rep for restricted free agent Jason Campbell to seek a trade for his client. Washington is “open” to retaining him as Donovan McNabb’s backup, but Campbell would obviously prefer a chance to start elsewhere. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is expected to address Campbell’s situation further at McNabb’s introductory press conference Tuesday. In the unlikely scenario that Campbell sticks around, he’d collect $3.14 million per his one-year tender.