Rams re-sign free agent defensive end Eugene Sims for three years and a reported $10 million
Rams defensive end Eugene Sims goes after Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel during the fourth quarter of a game on Oct. 25.
Four days after re-signing one of their free-agent defensive ends, the Rams agreed to terms with another.
Eugene Sims, who started nine games for the team last season, on Sunday finalized a three-year contract that reportedly is worth $10 million.
Sims, 29, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Rams in 2010. He had 11/2 sacks last season.
End William Hayes, 30, re-signed with the Rams on Wednesday, the first day of free agency. Tackle Nick Fairley, 28, also is an unrestricted free agent.
Sims’ contract situation was finalized during a weekend marked by a published report that the Rams included language in new contracts so that workers’ compensation claims would be handled in Missouri rather than California.
ProFootballTalk.com, citing an unnamed league source, said new contracts being offered to players by the Rams state that the laws of Missouri, not California, control the relationship, and that the NFL Players Assn. instructed agents to reject that term as “inappropriate.”
Kevin Demoff, the Rams’ executive vice president for football operations, refuted the report Sunday.
“The team’s legal move to California coincides with the start of the off-season program on April 18,” Demoff told The Times. “As such, all contracts are still subject to Missouri law at time of signing. We were able to work with agents on a simple fix saying the contracts will transfer to California law once the team move is official.
“This really shouldn’t have been an issue given that all involved also believe that all of the contracts signed in previous years transfer to California as well. If that position was assumed by both the team and the agents, then it only logically follows that any contracts signed this off-season would transfer as well.”
The Rams also were scheduled to meet Sunday with free-agent tight end Zach Miller.
Miller, who played in college at Nebraska-Omaha and was a sixth-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009, played last season for the Chicago Bears and caught 34 passes for 439 yards and five touchdowns. He has 79 career receptions, nine for touchdowns.
Miller, 31, has connections to the Rams staff. Mike Groh was recently hired as the receivers coach and passing game coordinator after three seasons as the Bears’ receivers coach. Offensive coordinator Rob Boras coached Miller when he was tight ends coach for the Jaguars in 2009.
The Rams last month released tight end Jared Cook. Lance Kendricks and free agent Cory Harkey were other tight ends on the Rams’ roster last season.
Twitter: @latimesklein
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