In the days leading up to the recent NFL draft, Rams football czar Dick Vermeil seemed convinced that his team's defense would profit most from the immediate help that a first-round draft choice can provide.

But whether it was gamesmanship, draftsmanship, secrecy, or whatever...it gradually become obvious that Vermeil changed his mind...and that he also felt strongly about his team's need to acquire a bookend left offensive tackle.

That both of the marquee cornerbacks available this year would most likely be gone by the time that the Rams were up (sixth overall) probably had something to do with Vermeil's thinking.

But that monster Ohio State Buckeye LT Orlando Pace was out there...and that Jets major domo Bill Parcells (who owned the first pick in the draft) seemed to want quantity from this year's draft, rather than quality, made things easy for Vermeil to focus on Pace and his left tackle spot.

So a trade was arranged, and it looks as though Orlando Pace, this fall, will be wearing a St. Louis Rams uniform.

What happened?

Well, try this on for size. It's a whopper, so be patient.

Here's the proposal: if it hadn't been for Jerome Bettis and the success that he enjoyed in Pittsburgh during last year's NFL season, the Rams might not have traded up and selected Orlando Pace.

Recall that the Steelers recently re-signed Bettis, their big bruiser of a running back, to a multi-million dollar multi-year contract.

Steelers coach Bill Cowher apparently thought so much of Bettis that he and his management cohorts bestowed precious salary cap dollars on Bettis, as opposed to some of the other free-agent Steelers...who have left for greener pastures.

In other words, Jerome Bettis, in the eyes of of Bill Cowher, is one good football player. And Bettis' 1996 Steelers stats provided strong support for that supposition.

But recall that, in 1995, Bettis posted mediocre rushing stats while carrying the ball behind a highly-touted Rams offensive line chock-full of high draft picks and free-agent pickups.

Also recall that the Rams 1996 first-round draft choice, Lawrence Phillips, posted Bettis-like numbers (i.e. 1995 Bettis numbers) in his rookie year.

Just to simply things--

*Bettis, in 1995, behind the Rams offensive line, looked slow and uninspired while putting up mediocre rushing stats.

*Bettis, in 1996, behind a Steelers offensive line, posted All-Pro-type numbers.

*Phillips, in 1996, behind the Rams offensive line, looked slow and uninspired while putting up mediocre rushing stats.

So...Bettis' 1996 performance in Pittsburgh made it clear that maybe, just maybe...Phillips' on-the-field problems were not of his own making.

Bettis' 1996 performance in Pittsburgh made it seem that Lawrence Phillips, running back, deserved another chance. And Vermeil wants Phillips to have a good chance.

So, in what sounds like a chicken-and-the-egg problem, Vermeil believed that drafting and signing Orlando Pace will help answer the following questions.

Will Lawrence Phillips run with abandon behind a quality offensive line? And can a Rams offensive line actually block people effectively enough so that Phillips can run with abandon?

In the wake of the just-completed 1997 draft, those are questions that Vermeil appears set to answer.

With the selection of Pace, the Rams appear to have the left tackle that anchors most quality NFL offensive lines.

And Pace's acquisition has had a domono effect on nearly the entire Rams o-line.

Last year's starting LT, Wayne Gandy, will be switched to RT...and last year's (sometime) RT, Zach Wiegert, will be moved to LG.

RG will be up for grabs between Gerald Perry, free-agent acquisition John Gerak, and perhaps Dwayne (the Road Grader) White.

Bern Brostek is expected to start at C, with competition coming from recent draftee Ryan Tucker (TCU).

Under the tutelage of Jim Hanifan, the Rams offensive line will have a chance to grow together and become the kind of unit that quality NFL running backs dream of running behind.

All of which will enable Dick Vermeil, and the rest of us, to finally decide--is Lawrence Phillips a quality running back?