One of the most highly sought after free agents on the defensive line has reportedly agreed to terms on a new deal.
Adam Schefter is reporting that defensive tackle Nick Fairley has signed with the St. Louis Rams . The contract is reportedly a one year ‘prove it’ deal which will see Fairley earn up to $7.5 million.
Rams gave Nick Fairley a one-year deal, stacking their D-line. Robert Quinn, Chris Long, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers and Fairley.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2015
#Rams signed DT Nick Fairley on a 1-year deal worth $5M base, source said. He can make up to $7.5M in incentives. A prove-it deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2015
Nick Fairley Signs with the Rams
Fairley has been a mainstay of a vaunted Detroit Lions defensive front in his four seasons with the team. Him and former Lion Ndamukong Suh (who has since signed with the Miami Dolphins) made up a unit that was a continued headache for opposing offenses, disrupting running games and putting a great deal of pressure on the quarterback.
After winning a national championship with Auburn in 2010, Fairley was drafted 13th overall by the Lions. He struggled to break into the starting lineup his rookie season, with Corey Williams seeing the bulk of the action next to Suh on the interior of the Detroit defensive line. His second and third seasons with the Lions saw him finish with a combined 11.5 sacks in his 22 combined starts as Detroit began to phase out the aging Williams.
2014 was expected to be a year where Fairley would further cement his reputation as an effective A-gap pass rusher, but an MCL sprain suffered in a late-October win over Atlanta in London derailed those ambitions. He would miss the remainder of the season and it was interesting to speculate how this injury affected his value on the free agency market.
Another issue that has affected Fairley from time to time has been a handful of transgressions off the field. He was arrested twice in 2012, once for marijuana possession and and another time for driving under the influence. It’s likely this new deal will have incentives and clauses in place related to him being able to stay out of trouble.
Either way, the Rams have a proven player on the defensive line entering his prime years.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @LWOS_JB3. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
Main Photo:
