Despite early rhetoric about a potential long-term deal and the desire to secure his future with the franchise, St. Louis backup quarterback Marc Bulger on Sunday signed just a one-year contract for $375,000, the league minimum for a player entering his third season.

	Bulger

The minimum contract for Bulger, who was a so-called "exclusive rights" free agent and not yet able to bargain with other teams, comes despite a breakout 2002 season in which he won the first five starts of his NFL career and posted a 101.5 passer efficiency rating.

"There really was never any (substantive) dialogue with the Rams about a long-term (contract)," said agent Tom Condon of IMG Football. "And right now, with Marc only having two years accrued in the league, there is nothing you can do. He just has to play this hand and then we'll see what happens later."

Even by backup standards, the Bulger contract is a modest one, but probably will only become an issue in St. Louis if starter Kurt Warner falters again and the youngster has to take over the top spot. Because of his short NFL tenure, the Rams were not compelled to offer Bulger anything more than the minimum-salary contract.

No matter what transpires in 2002, Bulger, who established an NFL record for the most passing yards in the first five starts of a career (1,496) but who will be relegated to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Warner, will join the millionaire tax bracket in 2003.

There are several ways in which that status can be achieved: The Rams could decide during or after the season to sign Bulger to a long-term contract. The team certainly will make Bulger, eligible for restricted free agency next spring, a qualifying offer to retain a right of first refusal on him. Another team could sign him to an offer sheet and, whether the Rams match it or not, the compensation would be for seven figures.

The strongest likelihood is that Bulger, 26, will remain with the Rams through the 2004 season. If he signs just a one-year restricted free agent qualifying offer next spring, he would be eligible for unrestricted free agency, and a potential blockbuster contract, in the spring of 2005.

For now, Bulger contends he is unconcerned with the future, and is concentrating only on preparing for the upcoming campaign. Rams officials have told Bulger that they intend to have him around for a long time but, actually, he will have some control over that.

"Whether I'm the No. 1 guy, the backup, whatever, my (regimen) is still the same," said Bulger, who was voted the Rams' most valuable player by his teammates last year. "I'm still a young guy, trying to make it in the league, still trying to get better. About the only difference now, I think, is that I'm not scraping just to make the roster. Last year was a big step for me but there's still a ways to go."

Bulger, who has added about 10 pounds in the offseason, has completely recovered from finger and neck injuries suffered in 2002.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.