Torry Holt: The End of an Era in the Gateway to the West?

Since 2000, no receiver has been on the level of Torry "Big Game" Holt. No receiver has played with the class and charisma of Torry Holt.

No receiver has put up the numbers Holt has on a consistent basis. In a nut-shell, Torry Holt is a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer.

But as Holt heads into the twilight of his career, his team, the St. Louis Rams, are in the middle of one of the darkest eras in franchise history...an era that has prompted questions as to how long Holt will remain the the franchise that drafted him with the sixth pick in the 1999 draft.

In his 10-year career, Holt has earned seven Pro Bowl selections and one All-Pro selection. He has caught 869 passes for over 12,000 yards and scored 85 touchdowns.

Holt has accomplished all of that without being the distraction that receivers like Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson have been. Holt is one of the true class acts of the NFL.

Holt recorded over 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons spanning from 2000-2007. From 2000-2005, Holt recorded six seasons of over 1,300 yards. He is clearly among history's elite as far as consistency goes.

He has been there for the good times, the mediocre and he's stuck with the team through these dark times.

Now it seems as if Holt is ready for a change of scenery as he has reportedly asked for his release.

For Holt, he would be leaving the city where he became one of the most feared receivers in the game. He would be leaving the franchise that he helped win its first and only Super Bowl championship.

For the Rams, it would signify the official end of the "Greatest Show on Turf". Now, the GST is WAY past its heyday in which it was the most potent offense that anyone had ever seen. But Holt is the last remaining skill position of that group.

The Rams would see their receiving corps lose a tremendous leader on and off the field. The veteran of the group would be Dane Looker, who brings maybe about a third of what Holt brings to the table every Sunday.

Who can blame Holt for wanting out? Really. The guy has not sniffed the playoffs since 2004.

The Rams are in no way, shape or form poised for a deep playoff run in 2009, and Holt is not at the age where he can wait around much longer for a team to rebuild from scratch.

Now I'm not saying the Rams will not make the playoffs next season, because the Dolphins disproved that theory this year by going from 1-15, to 11-5.

The Rams will likely try to trade Holt somewhere if they were to send him packing. That will not be necessarily easy.

Holt has a lot of money coming his way in 2009, which makes the market for him pretty small. Teams like the Eagles, Giants, or Titans could be the top contenders should the Rams pursue a trade.

Either way you look at it, Torry Holt's stint in Blue and Gold could be coming to its end...as hard as it may be for Rams fans to believe.