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Marc Bulger was banged up in 2007 and started just 12 games for the Rams, throwing 11 TD passes.

EXPERTS' PICKS

The Rams finished last in the NFC West last season with a 3-13 record. For Rams and NFC West coverage, visit Mike Sando's NFC West blog. | Discuss Rams | MAG preview

ANALYST	PREDICTION
Jeffri Chadiha ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  Injuries crippled the Rams in 2007. They should be better this fall, but that doesn't mean they'll have a winning season.
John Clayton ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The Rams lost two offensive linemen in Week 2 of the preseason and Marc Bulger was taking a regular season beating, just as he did in 2007. Expect a long season in St. Louis.
Tim Graham ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  The Rams weren't all that special with Steven Jackson on the field. With his prolonged holdout, the NFL's 28th-ranked scoring offense looks that much easier to beat.
Jeremy Green Scouts Inc.	DIVISION FINISH: 3  The Rams are better than what they showed last season, but they're still not a contender because they are aging and not as explosive on offense. They will be better defensively, but I am still not convinced the Rams are good enough up front to protect a shaky secondary.
Paul Kuharsky ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  Will veteran faith in Scott Linehan fade, again, if the Rams don't start well? The offseason moved things in the right direction, but not enough. And the first half of the schedule looks brutal.
Matt Mosley ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  Baby steps. Baby steps. Chris Long will be a nice addition, but let's have some reasonable expectations here. Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson should be a lethal combination, but for some reason, teams don't seem to fear them.
Mike Sando ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The Rams lack depth. Their starters aren't as good as they once were, particularly on offense. Getting Steven Jackson back changes the dynamics, but depth on the offensive line and at linebacker appears insufficient.
Kevin Seifert ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  Scott Linehan is probably coaching for his job in St. Louis, where a once-proud offense is getting old. The Steven Jackson holdout didn't help matters.
James Walker ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  Running back Steven Jackson's late arrival should be cause for concern. Look at what happened last season to Larry Johnson and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Seth Wickersham ESPN The Magazine	DIVISION FINISH: 2  With a murderous first-half schedule, St. Louis will need a healthy offensive line and a happy Steven Jackson to challenge for the division title.
Bill Williamson ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The Rams were unexpectedly lousy last season. With a little luck, they could be competitive. Coach Scott Linehan hopes so or he will be an offensive coordinator somewhere in 2009.
Matt Williamson Scouts Inc.	DIVISION FINISH: 3  The offensive line will be far better than a year ago, and RB Steven Jackson is primed for a monster season. But in a dramatic change from years ago, the receivers might just hold this offense back. DE Chris Long will help, but this defense needs more in its back seven.
Pat Yasinskas ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  Yes, they still have Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson. But there's not much else and the Rams could be in for a season very similar to 2007. If that happens, there could be a house cleaning at the top.
	CONSENSUS DIVISION FINISH: 3 | NFL standings

BEST OF THE RAMS

Best news: Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Pace has made it through training camp and two exhibition games without aggravating the injuries that sidelined him most of the last two seasons.

Best reading material: Al Saunders practically needed a hand truck to carry the playbook he brought as the Rams' new offensive coordinator. The Rams will need time to make sense of it.

Best weapon: Running back Steven Jackson once rushed for 1,528 yards and caught 90 passes in the same season. If only he would end his holdout.

Best prep resume: Linebacker Pisa Tinoiasamoa was the high school football player in San Diego County history to earn all-California Interscholastic Federation honors on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 1,600 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior at Vista High.

Best buy: The Rams paid plenty for former Seahawks kicker Josh Brown in free agency, but at least they won't have to watch him nail game-winning kicks for a division rival.

-- Mike Sando, ESPN.com

SCOUTS INC.'S FAB FIVE

Scouts Inc. has evaluated and graded more than 2,400 NFL players heading into the 2008 season, giving Insiders a leg up on the competition with exclusive grades, alerts and scouting reports.
Top five players	ANALYSIS
1. Steven Jackson Running back 6-2 | 235	(Grade 85) He is very productive as a runner and receiver. He is a workhorse-type back with good strength and balance. Jackson has excellent vision and quickness for his size. He is very quick initially with the ball in his hands.
2. Torry Holt Wide receiver 6-0 | 190	(82) He's a very good athlete with good size and speed. He is a smooth and fluid route-runner with good speed and burst. Holt challenges coverages with his ability to produce underneath, over the middle or vertically.
3. Orlando Pace Offensive tackle 6-7 | 325	(79) He has excellent size, strength and athletic ability. Pace comes off the ball with good initial quickness in the run game. He shows adequate pad level on contact with good strength for creating movement.
4. Will Witherspoon Linebacker 6-1 | 240	(75) He can read and react quickly versus the run, but is not a stout player at middle linebacker. He's quick and aggressive, but lacks strength taking on blocks. He has good acceleration and speed to the perimeter.
5. Marc Bulger Quarterback 6-3 | 204	(72) He is accurate and with adequate set-up quickness from under center. Bulger has an adequate feel for pressure. He can get in a rhythm and does a good job of delivering the ball to his receivers.
Player grading scale: Elite (90-100), outstanding (80-89), solid starter (75-79), good starter (70-74)

SCOUTS INC.'S ANALYSIS

Best play option WR Torry Holt has always made big catches. Here's how he is able to make so many plays for the Rams. More best plays

Strengths

Healthy offensive line: Just the fact that the merciful end of the 2007 season finally gave the Rams' offensive line time to heal -- and escape further injury -- is a huge plus for the team. With LT Orlando Pace healthy again, Alex Barron can move back to the right side. The free-agent addition of Jacob Bell solidifies left guard, and there is legitimate competition at center and right guard, not merely winners by default. Brett Romberg, Richie Incognito and Mark Setterstrom, among others, give St. Louis the flexibility to move players around in the event of more injuries.

Running back: Steven Jackson's exceptional strength and balance make him a very good interior runner, but he also has the hands and open-field speed usually seen only in smaller backs. All of these qualities should allow him to flourish in the team's new offense. As long as he's able to quickly familiarize himself with the scheme, his extended contract holdout won't adversely affect him. It may even be a blessing for a runner who tends to get dinged up.

Tight end production: Randy McMichael should get more opportunities to make plays in an offense engineered by new coordinator Al Saunders. Backup Anthony Becht provides a more physical presence in the run game, and he's not a bad possession receiver.

Weaknesses

Scoring offense: St. Louis sputtered in 2007, lacking the quick-strike scoring ability that had been its trademark for years. After ranking 28th in the NFL in scoring last season (16.4 points per game), the Rams could make headway just by staying healthier. But with their talent at the skill positions (Jackson, WR Torry Holt and QB Mark Bulger), they have no excuses for scoring so few points.

Defensive tackle: The suspension of DT Claude Wroten for the season is a blow that affects the team's inside pass rush and tackle depth. Aging La'Roi Glover (34) will miss the rest that Wroten would have afforded him. Though he has lost a step as a pass-rusher, Glover still plays the run with good technique and reactions. But at his size and age, he could wear down fast or break down altogether.

Linebacker: Will Witherspoon is very productive and has been durable in his five seasons as a full-time starter. But the same can't be said for a key position mate. LB Pisa Tinoisamoa has all kinds of speed and athleticism, but he hasn't been healthy for a full season since '05. Quinton Culberson is the favorite to replace Brandon Chillar at strongside linebacker, but he's unproven. Chris Draft is experienced and provides great depth -- he can play all three linebacker spots -- but opponents can exploit his so-so speed.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles.