Rams News

Vermeil says Heyward
isn't a Ram if fullback doesn't control weight

03/21/98

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff
Dick Vermeil has informed Craig ``Ironhead'' Heyward that if he weighs 280 pounds when minicamp or training camp begins, the fullback needn't bother to show up.
``Forget about it,'' the Rams coach said. ``Consider yourself retired until you make the weight. And that's retired from the National Football League, not just the Rams.''
Heyward earned a spot in Vermeil's doghouse last summer when he ballooned to 287 pounds in training camp.
Now, much to the chagrin of some Rams coaches and front-office personnel, Heyward has opted to train at home in Atlanta rather than participate in the team's offseason conditioning program at Rams Park.
``You can't force a guy to live here,'' Vermeil said. ``But that's his choice. I expect him to get himself in great condition. Because on the practice field, he has great work habits. And on game day he has great work habits. He just has to cut the teeth off his fork.''
In other words, watch what he eats.
``That's all there is to it,'' Vermeil said. ``If he doesn't do that, then he can't make the total contribution as a football player in the offense that we have.''
Vermeil says he and other members of the coaching staff have stressed this to Heyward on several occasions during the offseason.
``If he doesn't get it done, he isn't going to be a Ram,'' Vermeil said. ``I guarantee he knows this exactly. It's been echoed to him probably three times since he left here (at the end of the '97 season).
``First guy to tell him, the day he drove out of here, was me. Then, the coaches have told him. And Frank Gansz was in Atlanta and visited with him. They all feel very good about the reaction. But `Ironhead' always says the right thing.''
The Rams have two minicamps, scheduled for the end of April and mid June, with training camp opening the third week of July.

Wounded knee
Defensive end Gabe Wilkins, who chose San Francisco over St. Louis in free agency, couldn't work out at a 49ers minicamp last week because of knee problems. Wilkins, remember, left the Super Bowl in the first quarter because of knee problems. He may need to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery.
The former Green Bay Packer signed a five-year, $20 million contract with San Francisco even though the Rams' front-loaded offer would have paid him $3.2 million more in the first year.
'Niners coach Steve Mariucci said Wilkins' knee problem was merely tendinitis and insists it's not serious. ``He's made some progress, but not enough,'' Mariucci said. ``We're getting a little anxious to have him healthy.''

On guard
The Rams can't seem to find help -- high-profile starters or obscure backups -- for the interior of their offensive line.
Leo Goeas, recently cut by the Baltimore Ravens, and utilityman Matt Elliott, an unrestricted free agent from Carolina, both failed their physicals during recent visits to Rams Park. Elliott subsequently signed with Atlanta.
Center/guard Roman Fortin, released by Atlanta in February, turned down a more lucrative offer from St. Louis to sign with San Diego. Fortin played collegiately at San Diego State. In addition, former Falcons coach June Jones is on the Chargers staff.
The Rams then turned their attention to guard/center John Flannery, an unrestricted free agent from Dallas, and Washington offensive tackle Ed Simmons. Flannery, 29, started four games for the Cowboys last season, three at right guard and one at left guard. He visited Rams Park on Friday.
A scheduled Monday visit by Simmons was canceled because of concerns by the Rams over chronic knee problems. Simmons, 34, was released last month to free up salary cap room when the Redskins traded for Dan Wilkinson.

So Long, Sean?
The Rams' interest in defensive lineman Sean Gilbert of Washington appears to be waning. Gilbert's agent, Gus Sunseri, wanted interested teams to submit preliminary offers last week, but the Rams passed.
``We've made no preliminary offer, because we want to wait to see what the ruling is,'' Vermeil said. ``No sense in making an offer if you're not even going to be involved.''
A decision could be reached as early as Monday on Gilbert's request to have his franchise tag removed. But Vermeil strongly suggested the price might be too high.
``What startles you is the contracts that Warren Sapp and these guys are signing,'' Vermeil said.
Tampa Bay extended Sapp's contract Wednesday with a six-year, $36.05-million deal that included an $8.05 signing bonus for the defensive lineman. Gilbert and Sunseri surely are looking for a contract in the same neighborhood.
Vermeil said he wasn't sure ``whether I would, or the Rams would, want to commit that much money to that position at this time.''

Losing Crawford
Former Rams special teams captain Keith Crawford signed a two-year contract worth $1.2 million to join Atlanta as an unrestricted free agent. The deal included a $200,000 signing bonus and incentives that could add $700,000.''
``I was disappointed, but I understand,'' Vermeil said. ``I visited with him after he signed. He just felt he had a better opportunity to be a receiver there than he did here. You always hate to lose a captain. You always hate to lose a combination position player/special teams player.
``He's great in the locker room and all those kinds of things. But I've never been so naive to believe that we're going to be able to keep everybody.''
The Rams made basically the same offer as Atlanta. Vermeil said he had the option of upping the Rams' offer, but decided against it.
``By paying him more, it still wouldn't change the fact that he felt he had a better opportunity to be a wide receiver there,'' Vermeil said.

Rumor of the week
Rumor had it that the Philadelphia Eagles were offering defensive end Mike Mamula to the Rams in order to switch draft spots in the first round. The Eagles have the 11th overall pick; the Rams select sixth.
If that's true, it's news to Vermeil, who has the final say on all Rams personnel decisions.
``The Eagles never talked to me about it,'' Vermeil said.
Charley Armey, Rams vice president of player personnel, also said no one from the Eagles had contacted him about any trade.
Why would the Rams want Mamula, anyway? He's an undersized underachiever who had only four sacks for Philly last season. He became expendable when the Eagles traded second- and fifth-round draft picks to the New York Jets for Hugh Douglas.
The Rams were interested in Douglas, but Vermeil thought the asking price was too high.
``I don't believe in immediate fixes,'' Vermeil said. ``I think the draft has to be held in the highest esteem. We've got to develop our players. I didn't want to give up two draft choices.''

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