Nick Fairley: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent DT

Defensive tackle Nick Fairley has reportedly agreed to a deal with the St. Louis Rams.  

Continue for updates.  

---

Fairley Agrees to Deal With Rams

Friday, March 13

The St. Louis Rams announced Friday that they have signed Fairley. 

---

Lions Reportedly Tell Agents They're 'Out of the Running' for Fairley

Wednesday, March 11

"The Detroit Lions appear ready to move on from Nick Fairley after telling at least two agents they are out of the running for the defensive tackle," reported Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "The Lions were in negotiations with Fairley's agent for part of Tuesday but could not come to an agreement on terms," Birkett later added.

After ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on March 8 that Ndamukong Suh will sign with the Miami Dolphins, Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson reported the "Lions were making Nick Fairley a priority with Ndamukong Suh on the way out."

On March 4, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported the Lions and Fairley had productive talks.

---

Fairley to Visit Bengals 

Tuesday, March 10

Fairly will be visiting the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. 

On Feb. 26, Bleacher Report's Chris Simms broke down why the Bengals should pursue Fairley in free agency:

---

Fairley Confident the 'Future is Bright'

Sunday, Feb. 22

Fairley, a 2011 first-round pick, spent his first four seasons in Detroit. An enigmatic figure nearing on bust level heading into 2014, the Auburn product began realizing his potential alongside Suh before a knee injury derailed his season. Fairley finished with 14 tackles and one sack in eight games but with enough impressive game tape to hit free agency a valued commodity.

"I think it's bright," Fairley told reporters of his future. "I think I can still make my name on this league as far just being a consistent player each and every year, no matter where I'm at. That's going to be my goal, you know what I'm saying. Just stay consistent and just be there for the team and help them win and do whatever I got to do." 

Should they lose him, the Lions may live to regret it. After spending his first three seasons struggling with a combination of weight, effort and production issues, Fairley slimmed down and looked like a potential star at points. He and Suh were the NFL's most dangerous interior tandem during the eight games they played in 2014, and an ideal scenario would involve bringing both back.

USA TODAY Sports

That's highly unlikely. Massive contracts handed to Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and others leave Detroit with little wiggle room under the cap. 

Fairley is in no position to command equal salary as Suh. There's no guarantee he'll be as effective going forward as he was in 2014. Three years of film show a player who wasn't even worthy of the Lions picking up his fifth-year option. Sometimes, players with a ton of talent need more time to click. Other times, a player comes through and gets his act right just in time for a big contract.

Eliminating the second half of the season, Fairley was the 14th-best run-stopping defensive tackle and tied for third-best in pass-rushing productivity. Had he been able to keep those numbers up for 16 games, we'd possibly be talking about the second-best defensive tackle on the market behind Suh.

As it is, teams have to navigate 38 games versus eight. Which player will be the Fairley to whom they give eight figures in guarantees? If it's the 2014 version, Fairley might prove to be one of the offseason's best free-agent buys. If it's the 2011-13 version, though, Fairley may not have completely shed that bust label after all.   

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter