How to Solve the Danario Alexander Dilemma

If you were just to look at Rams wide receiver Danario Alexander, you would think there is no way the kid couldn't make it as an NFL player. He has the size. He has the speed. He has the look. He has everything a player needs to make it in the National Football League. He has it all, with the exception of one thing.

He can't stay healthy.

Alexander has had his knee operated on no less than five times. It still isn't 100 percent. Steve Spagnuolo and the Rams have had to manage Alexander's playing and practice time in training camp because of his bad wheel. Because of that he hasn't been able to show this coaching staff and front office exactly what he can do.

All of which makes the next several days very difficult for Billy Devaney and the rest of the front office. You see, they have to trim the roster down to 53 men in a few days. Is there any room for a talented wide receiver, one that has flashed potential when he's been on the field, but who hasn't been able to stay healthy?

The Rams already have a lot of depth at the position. They re-signed Mark Clayton on Wednesday. If he's ready to come off the PUP list, then he, Danny Amendola, Mike Sims-Walker and Brandon Gibson are locks. That leaves three spots remaining if the Rams decide to carry seven

Among the candidates for the remaining spots are Mardy Gilyard, Greg Salas, Austin Pettis, Donnie Avery and Alexander. It's very possible that one of the rookies is going to be cut. I think Avery makes the club, and if Clayton starts the season on the PUP list then Gilyard might stick around.

Those decisions won't be the toughest Billy Devaney has to make. No, the toughest decision will be what he decides to do with Alexander.

There are three possibilities. They can keep him, hoping the knee holds up. They can place him on injured reserve and hope that a year away from the daily grind of playing in the NFL fixes his troublesome knee. Or they can flat out cut him if they decide it's just not going to work out.

I would stash him on IR. Look, I've spoken to people around the league who have told me that the Rams should cut ties because the knee will just never come around. But Alexander has too much talent. I wouldn't risk him going somewhere else and turning into a star just yet.

Putting him on IR is the best move the Rams can make with Alexander. It gives the Rams time, a whole year in fact, to come to a final decision about the kid. Put him on IR, shut him down for the year, let him rehab that knee and try again next summer.

Let him do what he needs to do to take care of the knee. Let him go through an entire offseason program with the club (something he hasn't been able to do since leaving Mizzou). That means going through the offseason conditioning program, mini-camps and organized team activities.

Try it one more time next summer. If the knee comes around, then it will be worth the wait. If the knee doesn't come around, well, at least they tried.

The Rams are in a tough spot here. Alexander is a popular guy because of what he did in college. Cutting him wouldn't go over very well with the fans. Using a roster spot on him when that spot could be used in a more effective way would be shooting themselves in the foot. So the only thing you can do with DX is to shut him down for the 2011 season.

Devaney and the team have only a few days before deciding what to do about "The Danario Dilemma." The problem is going to keep Devaney up for the next few nights.

Let's hope he makes the right call.