The day of reckoning is finally here – at least for 20 Rams players who are going to be handed pink slips.

The cuts are coming in spurts throughout the day and it started early this morning.

First three to be handed their walking papers were:

1) LB Zac Diles – Thought he did okay in camp. Not enough though to make the team though.

2) OL Renardo Foster – Kinda surprised to see him go.

3) WR Mardy Gilyard – as reported by himself via Twitter.

Straight from him.

Then we had a steady flow of cuts trickle in via Twitter:

4) TE Fendi Onobun – Does this mean they’re keeping Hoomanawanui?

5) RB Chase Reynolds – Didn’t have much of a chance behind Toston.

6) RB Keith Toston – Loved this kid in camp and in games. Sad to see him go.

7) S Jonathan Nelson – First 2011 draft pick casualty.

8) DE George Selvie – Probably the biggest shocker. Lots of love on my timeline for Selvie.

9) OL Quinn Ojinnaka – Another head scratcher. Rams must have an alternative plan?

10) WR Greg Matthews – Already log jammed at WR. Didn’t think he’d make it.

Just adding to the growing list as the last hour ticks away:

11) CB Tim Atchison

12) DT Marlon Favorite - Short stint with the team as he was just signed on August 31.

13) TE DeMarco Cosby

14) DT Daniel Muir – maybe. This is still trying to be confirmed.

15) WR Donnie Avery – YIKES.  At the last second, BAM!

Donnie's Farewell Tweet

16) QB Thaddeus Lewis – I think this is big mistake.  He played very well and could have taken the #2 QB spot.

17) DT John Henderson

18) T Kevin Hughs

19) T Ryan McKee

20) DB Tae Evans

The current 53-man roster breakdown is as follows:

2 QB’s, 4 RB’s, 7 WR’s, 4 TE’s 8 OL’s and 3 ST’s.

9 DL’s, 7 LB’s,  9 DB’s.

And as expected Rams place WR Mark Clayton on the PUP list.

Wow, that was brutal to watch unfold.  Like a slow dying death.

Getting word that the Eagles just cut CB Joselio Hanson.  He’d be a nice addition for the Rams secondary.  He would also have some insider info on the Eagles, would he not?  It feels so Danny Woodhead-ish with switching teams.

But the Rams and the fans have to leave hurt feelings and favorites behind.  Of course, this roster is still in flux as they look for other newly released free agents to fill in the holes possibly at the O-line and CB positions.  The FINAL game day roster may look different come September 11.

@MarkClayton89

In an interesting turn of events, WR Mark Clayton just announced on Twitter he has re-signed with the Rams.

Wow!  I didn’t see that one coming this soon.  I imagined this may have happened during the season but not right before the big cut week just.

Howard Balzer said he’s talked to Mark Clayton.  According to Clayton he’s not quite ready to play.  He will not be joining the team in Jacksonville and will be at Rams Park when the team returns from the last preseason game.

So what does this mean?  Does he start out the year in PUP and miss the first 6 weeks?  More importantly, who is going to get cut to make room for Clayton?

Here we go again.  Who’s safe in the WR corp and how many receivers do they keep?

Slam dunks:

1) Danny Amendola: A no brainer.  Best slot guy and a special teams contributor.

2) Mike Sims-Walker: Big WR free agent signing from Jacksonville and has shown he can make plays in preseason games.

3) Brandon Gibson: Another returning Rams WR and has gotten more comfortable with Sam Bradford.

Now this is where things get murky.

4) Mardy Gilyard: Got lots of time in the return game.

5) Donnie Avery:  He has his speed and is also in the last year of his contract.

6) Danario Alexander: Size, speed but is that enough?

What about the rookies?

7) Austin Pettis: Hasn’t shown a whole lot during the preseason games but had flashes of potential during practices.  Good hands.  Hard to let go a third round pick.

.8) Greg Salas: He’s gotten more time on the field and with the first team during game and practice.  He makes mistakes but has shown he’s got a short memory and bounces back.

Did I miss anyone?  Eight is enough, right?

9) Dominique Curry: Oops, I did miss one.  One of my Twitter followers just pointed out Dom Curry is still lurking.

Turf Show Times points out only 4 WR’s are eligible for the practice squad:

Something to think about in the Rams wide receiver race: only Austin Pettis, Greg Salas, Greg Matthews and Dominique Curry are eligible for the practice squad.

I hate to be Spags and Billy Devaney right now.

Good news: They have plenty of receivers to choose from.  Bad news: They have too many to choose from.

Looks like I’m involuntarily getting an early start today.  But it’s all good.  Don’t we all need more hours in our workday to get things done?  I’m just getting a head start.  Plus, when was the last time you actually got to see a sunrise?  It’s highly underrated if you ask me.

It’s hump day which means the Rams will wrap up their short week of practice and prepare to head out to Jacksonville.

Coach Spags said yesterday everyone but injured TE Mike Hoomanawanui will be making the trip to face the Jaguars.  Hoomanawanui is nursing a strained calf muscle.

Thursday’s last preseason game will serve many functions as the coaching staff tries to figure out the final roster heading into the first regular season game against the “Dream Team” of Philadelphia.  27 won’t make it.  27!

Rams @ Chiefs 08/26/11

1) Mike Sando jots down his thoughts on Mardy Gilyard.  He thinks the Rams should give Gilyard a shot.

I think Mardy’s special teams plays give him an advantage when all other things are equal.  Two for the price of one deal, you know?

Although, he’ll be sharing that return field with Danny Amendola.  Amendola in a phone interview yesterday  on 101ESPN said, “I’m chomping at the bit to get back there.”

2) Steve Korte takes a look at the Rams first round pick, Robert Quinn, and how he’s coming along this preseason.

As with any rookie in his first season he’s got a long way to go.  And if the Chiefs’ game is any indication of what he’s capable of (multiple QB pressures, a sack, and a blocked field goal), the Rams have themselves a gem.

3) Here’s another great write up by Jim Thomas on free agent signing Mike Sims-Walker.  It’s always interesting to read some of the back story on each player.  Learned a couple of new things about MSW in this article.

Anyone else getting anxious about the Jaguars game?  For some reason, I am.  Maybe it’s because I know TOUGH cuts are coming after that game and I have a feeling some of my favorites may be on the chopping block.  Or maybe it’s because I know the regular season is just around the corner and we get to watch some real football.

STL Rams at KC Chiefs

Is it JUST another preseason game tonight?  Not if you’re from Missouri.  The Rams and the Chiefs will battle it out for the bragging rights and the Governor’s Cup in Kansas City Friday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson, and the Rams will do their best to bring the trophy back to this side of the of the state after losing the Cup in a 13-27 loss last December at the Edward Jones Dome.

This will mark the thirteenth time the two have met since 1995 when Rams moved to St. Louis.  The Rams franchise holds the preseason record of 12-8 against the Chiefs and will look to add another win tonight.

What I’ll be watching for:

1) Roster spot battles.  With the first team scheduled to play the first three quarters or thereabouts the competition for the last couple of roster spots will definitely be heating up tonight.  Each block, missed tackle, or dropped ball could mean you stick or get cut.

Again with Danny Amendola, Mike Sims-Walker, and likely Brandon Gibson already having cemented their place on the roster I’ll be keep a close eye on Danario Alexander, Donnie Avery, and Mardy Gilyard.  I’m going to assume unless there’s some gross error on the rookies’ part Austin Pettis and Greg Salas should be safe.

Watch for LB’s Ben Leber, Brady Poppinga, and Zac Diles to get more playing time today as they try to earn starting positions.

I also expect CB’s Al Harris, Justin King and Dionte Dinkins to see their fair share of time on the field as well.

2) First of the two biggest things that worried me from the Titans game: The number of times Sam had to peel himself off the turf.  He’s going to need better protection up front from the big guys otherwise all those offensive weapons down field won’t matter.

If he’s rushed look for flashes of last season where he’ll be dink and dunking off short passes to either his TE’s or RB’s.

Remember that $1,000/game incentive?  Maybe Sam should sweeten the deal.  Nothing like positive reinforcement, right?

3) The other big issue from last week’s squeak of a win was the sloppy defense.  Miss tackles and blow gap coverages made the Titans’ back-up RB’s, Jamie Harper and Stafon Johnson, CJ2K-esque (to a point, of course).

Things will not be any easier tonight as the Rams defense will go up against Chief’s RB duo of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones.  And don’t forget the self proclaimed Offensive Weapon, Dexter McCluster.

James Laurinaitis

Degrees of separation or Hoody’s discipline reunion:

Rams OC Josh McDaniels and Chiefs DC Romeo Crennel spent four seasons together on Bill Belichick’s staff.

Rams TE Coach Frank Leonard coached Chiefs GM Scott Pioli at Central Connecticut State.

Leonard and Pioli also worked together with the NE Patriots.  Leonard was a special assignment scout for the Patriots in 2004 when Chiefs DC Crennel was DC in New England.

Make Master Hoody proud, gentlemen!

Final wish:

It would be outstanding to come out with a win tonight and bring back the Governor’s Cup.  But in the end, I just wish the guys a safe game with no more injuries to the team.

Kick off is set for 7:00 p.m. CT.  Enjoy the game!

Have you been the St. Louis Rams website recently?  I’ve been perusing their site more lately.  They have tons of information and features all Rams fans will be very interested in: player bio’s, schedules, photos, videos, etc.

But the one thing on Rams fans’ minds at this point in the preseason: The team depth charts.

How are the Rams listing their players as of this week?

This has to be current as of three days ago since long snapper Chris Massey is not on the special teams chart.  Massey was just released on Monday.

Rams Offensive Depth Chart

Anything on here surprise you?  Or do you think this is just for show?  If this is what they’re really thinking in terms of the WR corp then the rankings are sure to ruffle some feathers.

I think we can all agree on Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson as the two clear cut starters now.  Second stringers include Mike Sims-Walker, another no brainer, but I’m surprised to see Donnie Avery as the other second WR.

This leaves DX and Dominique Curry as the third team WR’s and the rookies Austin Pettis and Greg Salas are are odd men out.  Which I don’t believe will be the case in the end.  This chart does not bode well for Mardy Gilyard for a WR spot but he makes onto the team as a kick/punt returner.

It will also remain to be seen what the Rams will do at the TE position.  Mike Hoomanawanui is said to be sitting out for at least two weeks with a calf muscle strain.  The talented kid can’t seem to stay healthy.

Do the Rams blow a roster spot and keep the injury prone TE because they like him/his potential?  Or should they cut their losses and keep a player they don’t have as many questions about.  Hmmm, WWSD?  (What would Spags do?)

All those critics, including myself, who were scratching heads when the Rams took TE Lance Kendricks can just shut up now.  That pick is looking mighty smart in hindsight.

The chart shows Cadillac Williams beating out Jerious Norwood for the RB2 but in reality I think they are more RB2a and RB2b.  That means bye-bye to Keith Toston who’s shown some real potential during camp and in the two preseason games?  Maybe he makes the practice squad.

It looks like the Rams may have discovered the secrets behind human cloning as they list Renardo Foster as both LT and RT.  I’m sure he’s versatile…

Any other positions here that surprise you?

Let the debating begin!

    STL Rams vs. TEN Titans

Most of Rams Nation had their head in the clouds all week but it all came crashing down when the Titans brought the Rams back to earth with their aggressive defense and surprising running game despite the absence of their star RB, Chris Johnson.

The St. Louis Rams still came away with another victory last night.  But it wasn’t nearly as tidy as their preseason week 1 performance.  They were flagged for 7 penalties for 64-yds.

Were the Rams just that much better or were the Colts just not trying very hard?

Let’s go over the key points from my preview and see if my questions were answered.

Tonight’s game should give us a closer look into the continuing battle for the last couple of roster spots for the WR position.

My locks for WR’s are: Danny Amendola, Mike Sims-Walker, Austin Pettis, Greg Salas, Brandon Gibson, and Danario Alexander.

My “WR Locks” had a ho-hum night.  Amendola only caught two of four targets for 18 yds., MSW had one of three for 26 yds., Pettis only had one catch for 6 yds but he did get lots of reps with special teams throughout the game, Salas got extra time on the field catching three of four targets for 25 yds., and Danario’s lone one target, one catch yielded at 15-yd gain.

Brandon Gibson only had two targets all night but he made the first one count.  Right out of the gate Bradford throws a 83-yd long ball to “Gibby” who took it to the house and ignited the entire dome.

This leaves the likes of Mardy Gilyard and Donnie Avery on the bubble if the Rams want to carry more than 6 WR’s.  Then there’s Joe West, Greg Matthews, Jared Jenkins, and Dominique Curry on the outside looking in.

Gilyard’s strength comes in his versatility as a special teams contributor and Donnie Avery, if he can show he still has the speed, will give him a leg up.

Gilyard and Avery must have read my post before the game, right?  Wow, did they come to prove doubters wrong.

Gilyard did double duty on special teams (kick returns and punt returns) with 111 total return yards.  But the highlight of his night had to be the monster take down of the Titans return man, Mark Mariani.  BAM!  I haven’t seen Sports Center yet but I would love it if that hit made the highlights.

The stats for Donnie Avery don’t tell the whole story.  2 out of 5 catches for 26 yds and 1 TD.  I’m sure we saw some of his sub-4.3 sec 40 speed on a few of the routes he ran.  It was great to see him step it up and show the coaches and fans that he’s back.

I’m looking to see who they will utilize to stretch the field and how effective they’ll be.  My eyes will be on Mike Sims-Walker, Danario Alexander, and Donnie Avery.

MSW had three targets and only reception for 26 yds. and Danario only had one pass/one reception for 15 yds.  Hardly much to go on but maybe this tells us Spags and McDaniels have already made up their minds about them.

Another position I will be keeping an eye is the secondary.

Veteran (Ok, I think they could call him Grandpa Al…) CB Al Harris is slated to play tonight probably rotating in between Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher.

Al Harris didn’t get a lot of playing time and recorded only one tackle all evening.  The biggest contributors from the secondary came from the safety position.

Look for Spags to be aggressive in going after Matt Hasselbeck with plenty of pressure from the D-line.

This is where things sort of went down hill and showed the Titans had a better O-line than I had imagined.

The Rams front four only got two recorded hits on the Titans’ QB’s:  DE George Selvie and DE Eugene Sims.  The other two take downs were courtesy of LB’s Josh Hull and James Laurinaitis.

But it clearly wasn’t the showing Spags probably had envisioned for his defense.  Especially, the run defense.  Here’s a snap shot comparisons of both teams rushing efforts.  Might want to look away, Rams fans.  It isn’t pretty – on either side of the line for the Rams.

Rushing Numbers for Titans at Rams 08/20/11

Yeah, I told you it was ugly.  I can’t even lie and say I know who the Titans’ RB’s are.  Harper, Johnson, and Donaldson?  Household names, I’m sure.  The Rams D will have plenty of tape to go over this week and Spags will not be happy with what he sees – lots of gaping gaps in the line and bad tackling.

I think rookie DE Robert Quinn will chalk up his first NFL preseason sack tonight.  I’m calling it now.

Hmm, think I gave Robert Quinn a kineahora?  I might have jinxed him for the game by predicting a sack from our first round draft pick.  Quinn played mostly with the second and third team defense and wasn’t used much to pressure the QB.  Most of his work was done on the line.

One Titan we need to look out for is Cortland Finnegan.  He could be wreaking havoc down field.

TEN Titans Defensive Stats 08/20/11

Finnegan plays a whole lot bigger than he appears.  Like a pesky bug that hovers in your ear he was buzzing about in the Rams backfield and took down Sam Bradford in the 2nd quarter.

Bradford got sacked twice in that quarter and a couple of hard shots from the Titans D.  He spent way too much time picking himself off the turf for my liking.  This means no $1,000 bonuses for his O-line come Monday.

I’d like to see a repeat of last week’s “almost no penalties” by the Rams.  For the most part they played a clean game.

So much for that wish.  The Rams finished the game with 7 penalties for 64 yds.  A delay of game, a few false starts, a personal foul by #70 Foster for excessive pushing, etc.  This will be another sticking point for Spags as he reviews the tape and tries to get his team ready for the trip to KC next Friday.

It looks like back to the drawing board for the next game.  The WR corp battle might have gotten a bit clearer after last night with Gilyard and Avery making their case for a roster spot.  But with so many able guys who do you cut?  Do you keep more than 6 WR’s?

I would be amiss if I didn’t give Mr. Demoff another shout out today for the amazing seats last night.  It pays to follow him on Twitter, folks.  His handle is @kdemoff.

Thanks again, Mr. Demoff!

    STL Rams vs. TEN Titans

When you think of Rams vs. Titans one memory instantly comes to mind.  Super Bowl XXXIV.  The Greatest Show on Turf congers up that last second reach by Titans WR Kevin Dyson one yard short of the goal line to prevent a potential game-tying touchdown.  That game’s hero in my book: Rams LB Mike Jones.

Fast forward 12 years later.

Sam Bradford is the new Kurt Warner.  Steven Jackson is the new Marshall Faulk.  But who’s going to step it up and be the Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce of the new Rams?

Tonight’s game should give us a closer look into the continuing battle for the last couple of roster spots for the WR position.

My locks for WR’s are: Danny Amendola, Mike Sims-Walker, Austin Pettis, Greg Salas, Brandon Gibson, and Danario Alexander.

This leaves the likes of Mardy Gilyard and Donnie Avery on the bubble if the Rams want to carry more than 6 WR’s.  Then there’s Joe West, Greg Matthews, Jared Jenkins, and Dominique Curry on the outside looking in.

Gilyard’s strength comes in his versatility as a special teams contributor and Donnie Avery, if he can show he still has the speed, will give him a leg up.

But this second game is going to showcase the starters a bit more.  Coach Spags indicating the first team could see significant more playing time – maybe up to the entire first half of the game.

I’m looking to see who they will utilize to stretch the field and how effective they’ll be.  My eyes will be on Mike Sims-Walker, Danario Alexander, and Donnie Avery.

Another position I will be keeping an eye is the secondary.

Veteran (Ok, I think they could call him Grandpa Al…) CB Al Harris is slated to play tonight probably rotating in between Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher.

With Titans start RB and the lifeline of the team holding out for a mega contract most of the focus will on a familiar NFC West mug of newly aquired QB Matt Hasselbeck.  I’m sure Hasselbeck will have a few notes or two about the Rams from over the years.

Look for Spags to be aggressive in going after Matt Hasselbeck with plenty of pressure from the D-line.  I think rookie DE Robert Quinn will chalk up his first NFL preseason sack tonight.  I’m calling it now.

One Titan we need to look out for is Cortland Finnegan.  He could be wreaking havoc down field.

I’d like to see a repeat of last week’s “almost no penalties” by the Rams.  For the most part they played a clean game.

I’ll be in attendance at the game tonight again courtesy of Mr. Kevin Demoff and his Twitter trivia questions.  Thank you, Mr. Demoff!

If you’re a fan of Mike and Mike in the Morning you know it’s that time of the year again.  Greeny and Golic do their own two-a-days each fall.  Haha, and before you start laughing at the prospect of Greeny doing anything close to something athletic, calm down.  They cover two teams a day answering 5 questions surrounding two NFL teams and give their predictions for the final season record.

1) Does the entire 2011-2012 season rest entirely on the arm of QB Sam Bradford?

Not entirely, but with all those rookie records, yes, a lot will be riding on Sam.  He will have a lot of help from RB Steven Jackson though.  The Rams have to expect Sam Bradford to take that next step in his development and lead the team to the division title.

Sam Bradford's 2010-2011 Stats

2) Can Steven Jackson rush over 1,000 yards with the additions of Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood?

Being the competitive athlete he is, Steven Jackson will not want to give up playing time and reps to his back-ups.  But to his chagrin those few breathers on the sideline will give him fresher legs to prolong his NFL career.

Jackson had a team high leading 330 carries.  His back-up, Kenneth Darby, only 34.  Look for Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood to take a bite or two out of that pie.

Rams 2010-2011 Rushing Leaders

3) Which Rams WR will have a breakout season?  Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson or Mike Sims-Walker?

Obviously, they haven’t been paying much attention to what’s been transpiring at training camp.  If they had even taken a quick looksie they would have discovered the other targets that Sam has at his disposal.

Second round draft pick TE Lance Kendricks has been getting lots of reps with the first team offense as well as third and fourth round picks WR’s Austin Pettis and Greg Salas.  But don’t turn a blind eye to the veterans on the team either.  Mardy Gilyard, Donnie Avery, Danario Alexander, and Dominique Curry are all still lurking in the background.

Look for McDaniels to have Sam spread the ball around to as many receivers as he can.

Rams 2010-2011 Receiving Stats

4) Do you expect to see DE’s Chris Long and James Hall maintain their level of performance from last season?

Chris Long had 8.5 sacks and James Hall with 10.5 sacks.  The Rams actually had 43 sacks putting them #7 in the league.  Most of those sacks coming from the D-line.

Expect the Rams first round draft pick, Robert Quinn, to ease into the lineup this season.  He’s still learning his way around an NFL D-line.  But from what I saw he’s got potential and could make a contribution to that sack total this season.

5) How will the Rams finish this season?

Greeny and Golic both have the Rams 9-7 and winning the division.  *Seattle’s line is blank as they will be covered on August 29.

Mike and Mike's (& Liam's Mum's) Projections for the 2011-2012 Season

Greeny was not at all banking on any of the other QB’s in the division: the 49ers QB Alex Smith, Seahawk’s Tavaris Jackson, and even Arizona’s Kevin Kolb.

By the way, Liam’s mum has NO IDEA about football (or horse racing and basketball for that matter) yet she was eerily good at predicting such things.  Should we feel some comfort in the fact that she loves the Rams?

A stat you didn’t know:

Sam Bradford‘s favorite target, Danny Amendola, tied Cardinal’s WR Larry Fitzgerald for the league lead in red zone targets.  Greeny didn’t say exactly how many and I for one am looking into this.  I’ll get back to you guys once I get an answer from the stat guru Mike Clay.

Well, there you have it.  Mike and Mike’s Rams two-a-days.  Sounds like they’ve partaken in the Rams kool-aid.  What do you guys think?

08/15/11 Rams Camp WR Corp. (Personal Photo)

Despite the craziness of Monday I was able to join fellow female Rams fans at training camp yesterday – even if it was only for an hour.  The announcement had said there’d be “light refreshments” served.  They were being very modest.  It was quite the spread the Rams put on.  BBQ sandwiches, cole slaw, potato salad, etc.  If I had known I wouldn’t have eaten so much at lunch!

But I didn’t have much time so the food took a back seat to watching football.

I focused my attention to the WR’s that afternoon.  It was great to see Greg Salas back on the field as well as Dominique Curry.  Curry, who recently had hand surgery, was already back and doing drills.  He even participated in catching drills despite having a club for a left hand.  I’m not sure how he caught those passes but he did.

Brandon Gibson, Mardy Gilyard, Danario Alexander, Austin Pettis, TE Lance Kendricks, and of course, Danny Amendola participated.

Austin Pettis lost his footing, slipped a bit, and just missed on the catch.  He was NOT happy about it.  Love the competitive fire the kid has.  His intensity and will to get each catch perfect is refreshing to see.  No easy sailing and cruising for Pettis.

One thing I noticed about Amendola is he’s always ON.  The drills I saw, he was always going full speed.

It was also great to see LB James Laurinaitis back, too.  Didn’t get to see much of the defense practice but he was out there.

1) Tony Softli has a good breakdown on the three RB’s who are vying for the back-up RB2 spot.

He makes a case for all three in the chase.  Free agent signees Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood, and Rams second year RB, Keith Toston.

If I had to make a decision based on the first preseason game it would be a battle between Norwood and Toston.  I like Caddy’s running style better but the always looming durability question is a drawback.  Norwood’s quickness is attractive and Toston looked pretty good in the second half of the game.

I’d like to see how Toston and Norwood fair against an NFL starting defense.  Maybe they’ll get more playing time so this question should be answered.

2) Howard Balzer has his own Rams practice update in his column from this morning.  

One of the other ladies noticed only three red jerseys.  It looks like the UDFA QB Taylor Potts was released.  That leaves the Rams with Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, and Thaddeus Lewis.  That should carry them into the regular season.

3) You thought the media was tough on Mardy Gilyard?  Turns out he’s his toughest critic.

Even thought he did make some mistake I thought Gilyard was doing quite well during training camp and the first preseason game.  He’s only had a few weeks to learn this new McDaniels offense and it seems Gilyard is further along than he was this time last year.  For all the criticism he took about not absorbing the playbook last season he’s taken leaps and bounds.

I thought he’d be one of the WR’s definitely on the bubble to make the roster but with the strides he’s made and the fact he contributes in special teams should give him that little boost.

Today’s practice starts at 1:15pm.  SI’s senior writer, Peter King will be making a stop at Rams Camp for his Training Camp Across America Tour.  I’m hoping to say hello to him and maybe get a photo with him.  Wish me luck!

Rams Offense

Speaking of injuries, I think I tweaked my own knee today while on my run this morning.  Doctor’s orders: 400 mg Ibuprofen and lots of ice.

I’m half way through my training (9 weeks to go until the race) and this is where the mileage starts to really ramp up.  I’m scheduled to run 15 miles on Saturday – the longest distance I’ve ever ran.  That’s about three laps around Forest Park.  One thing’s for sure:  I have to be careful not to burn out mentally and wear out physically.

Rams training camp started its third week yesterday and they’ve already accumulated a number of boo boo’s.  Mostly minor, some season ending, and some still unknown.

1) CB Jerome Murphy #23 probably has the most serious injury right now.  A broken ankle.  He’s having surgery today on it and will most likely land him on the IR.

Good luck to Murph (and his surgeons) as he goes under the knife.  Wishing you a speedy recovery!

P. S. I’m not exactly sure where his fracture was and the extent of his injury but having broken my ankle almost 10 years ago I know how hard it can be to get back to normal after surgery.  My ankle is still not quite right even after 2 metal plates and 14 screws later.  Yep, it was a doozy!

2) WR Dominique Curry had surgery on his hand last week and is expected to miss several weeks as it heals.  It’s competitive as it is without a set back like this. This could really hurt his chances in making the team.

3) The biggest news from yesterday was that LB James Laurinaitis left practice with an aggravated pectoral muscle.  We’ll have a better idea today after he gets x-rays but Tony Softli thinks he just needs some rest.  It’s the same type of injury JL suffered last season.

4) DB Chris Smith suffered the lone injury during the scrimmage on Sunday.  He hurt his knee.

5) Mardy Gilyard left practice yesterday with eye issues.  Per Spags:

I think Reggie said he’s having trouble seeing. Sometimes the sun, and I don’t know if it’s migraines or what it is, but that’s what he told me so that’s why I sent him in.

6) Players didn’t participate in Sunday’s scrimmage:

• Michael Hoomanawanui (TE) – concussion
• David Vobora (LB) – concussions
• Ron Bartell (CB) – thigh
• Jermelle Cudjo (DT) – lower back
• Fendi Onobun (TE) – groin and wide receivers
• Danario Alexander (WR) – swelling and fluid on knee)
• Greg Salas (WR) – hamstring
• Donnie Avery (WR) – hamstring