There was some nervous laughter surrounding Torry Holt's recent comments about him becoming a Carolina Panther (see the video above ... the comments below). Holt was at a golf outing in North Carolina just after his brother Terrence signed with the Carolina Panthers.
"I wanted to send in my resignation to the the Rams and see if I could join him," the elder Holt joked. "I'm excited, but I'm also a little jealous because I've always wanted an opportunity to come back home."
Holt is from Greensboro, NC and was a star at NC State. There was some joking there, especially when the word "resignation" was thrown in.
However, it has to be a bit concerning to the Rams that Holt said this, especially as he enters the final two years of his contract. He's had a rocky relationship with head coach Scott Linehan and just witnessed the unceremonial exodus of fellow receiver Isaac Bruce this offseason.
Recent comments threw some more fuel on the fire ... especially since he name dropped the Panthers again.
"I have this year and next year, and hopefully I can finish those years out," Holt said at the conclusion of the day's minicamp practice. "Then, I'll see where I'm at. I'll see where I'm at physically. I'll see where I'm at emotionally, financially.
"And then, if they would like to do something here, I'll consider it. If not, then I'll have the option to go and explore and give my services somewhere else. So if that happens, Carolina will definitely be the first choice - no question about it. But I have '08 and '09 left to play, and that's what I plan on doing."
There it is again. While not saying he wants out, he is setting the table for if/when he does eventually leave. No doubt the Panthers would love to bring Holt in to play opposite Steve Smith. The NFL is full of players who long to return home to their roots to play for their local team.
The Rams are coming off a 3-13 season and aren't expected to contend in 2008. Sure, a guy like Holt would love to see his career end with the team he started with (and won a Super Bowl), but he just watched that same franchise shove fringe Hall Of Fame candidate Isaac Bruce off the plank. He may elect to leave on his own terms before the Rams decide for him.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. If the Panthers ended up with Tory Holt as another WR, this train wreck would skid all the way into the playoffs and maybe the Super Bowl! That's just a conservative guess...
Posted at 11:13AM on May 12th 2008 by Harrison
2. I wish I could agree Harrison, and if this was most any other team, I would...
But I think the Panthers are pretty stacked at receiver even without Holt if what i hear about jarrett having a good mini-camp is true. But I think that with that boring, predictable offense that the Panthers run even after doing away with Dan Henning, it wouldn't matter if we got Holt and Chris Henry to come to Carolina; we'd lack the ingenuity for a deep playoff run. BTW, Henry has no known desire to come to Carolina; it's simply a fantasy of mine to see him here
Posted at 9:16PM on May 12th 2008 by soulcitysigma1914
3. This is one more reason the Rams should have taken the top receiver in the draft at the second pick of the second round. They had a choice of any receiver on the board and took the one rated, at best, fifth on most depth charts. This is strange. They must think they are getting another Az Hakim, who, by the way, they let go. There had better be another big time receiver on the horizon. It sounds like Torry is gone in '09. A top receiver at the second round second choice would have upgraded this draft. Or maybe Donnie Avery is going to be something special, although he is too small and lacks the talent of the top receivers in the draft. One never knows what is going on in the heads of the Ram brass.
Posted at 10:55AM on May 14th 2008 by robert montion
4. In all the talk about Torry Holt, Drew Bennett and Donnie Avery, don't forget that the Rams may have one of the top three tight ends in football in Randy McMichael. Randy will draw attention. And with a third down receiver like Dane Looker and a running back like Steven Jackson who is a good receiver, we are not that far from the "Greatest Show on Turf" again. If the line protects, the Rams are a top five offense. And the defense looks much improved. We need one more DB and one more LB in the post-cut free agency market. I'm a believer again.
Posted at 12:04AM on Jun 5th 2008 by robert montion
5. Before I get too giddy, we missed an opportunity to get Jeremetrius Butler back today. He was signed by someone else. Again, the front office fell asleep at the switch. Butler is better than any DB on the roster right now.
Posted at 12:06AM on Jun 5th 2008 by robert montion