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Davin Joseph gets 'prove it' deal with Rams' rebuilt offensive line

The St. Louis Rams have signed former Pro Bowl guard Davin Joseph to a one-year contract.

By James Brady
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Rams have signed free agent offensive lineman Davin Joseph, the team announced on Wednesday. Rumors began to circulate on Tuesday that Joseph had signed, and the team tweeted out a picture of Joseph signing his contract. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.

What is reported, however, is that Joseph will be joining the Rams on a one-year deal, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Joseph is a two-time Pro Bowl player, but an injury-riddled 2012 and a down year in 2013 virtually guaranteed he'd have to sign a "prove it" deal heading into this season.

Joseph was reportedly on the trade block this offseason, but no team wanted to absorb the $6 million he was slated to make in 2014, nor were they willing to take the $27 million that was remaining on his deal, which ran through 2017. And on top of all that, they certainly didn't want to offer up a player or a draft pick.

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Of course, Joseph was always going to find a team, and it's no surprise he found one after the NFL Draft. With plenty of recovery time and with teams getting a good look at their draft hauls, a healthy Joseph is an attractive option for a lot of teams. Joseph had a significant knee injury in 2012, which is where his primary health concerns lie.

But what does it mean for the Rams? St. Louis recently drafted offensive lineman Greg Robinson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Robinson is known as a tackle, but the Rams could end up playing him at the left guard spot. Jake Long seems to have the left tackle spot locked down, and Rodger Saffold, who returned in free agency, also seems primed to start at one of the guard spots.

Saffold struggled as a tackle in the NFL, but excelled big time when he played along the interior, so Joseph would have a hard time beating him out for the job. It's unclear if St. Louis is bringing Joseph in to potentially compete for a starting role, to take a starting role in the event that Robinson plays tackle, or if they simply want a strong veteran waiting in the wings. Whatever the case, a healthy Joseph could be a solid contributor for this team.

Here's the picture of Joseph signing his contract:

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