Rams News

INSIDE SLANT

With Kevin Carter on the left side and Grant Wistrom on the right side, the St. Louis Rams think they'll be corralling more quarterbacks over the next few years.

Carter, the sixth overall pick in the 1995 draft, is 24 years old. Wistrom, the sixth overall pick in this year's draft, is 21.

"You've got two guys with great speed coming off the corners," defensive line coach Carl "Big Daddy" Hairston said. "All you need now is two big defensive tackles who can push the pocket and keep the quarterback sitting there."

The Rams' pass rush hasn't evoked a lot of fear in recent years. They had 38 sacks last season, ranking them 23rd in the NFL.

Fifteen of those sacks -- more than one-third of the total -- were recorded by players no longer with the team.

Defensive end Leslie O'Neal, who was released Feb. 23, had 10 sacks. However, O'Neal was a severe liability against the run.

The Rams believe Wistrom can be a more complete player.

"We feel he is more of a complete package than Boulware was last year," Rams coach Dick Vermeil said, referring to Baltimore linebacker Peter Boulware, the fourth overall pick in the 1997 draft who was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year. "He can take on a tackle and straighten him up."

Wistrom won the Lombardi Award as the top collegiate lineman in 1997. He also was the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Wistrom had 51 tackles, including 17 stops for a loss, and 8.5 sacks as a senior last season for the co-national champion Cornhuskers. He also had 25 quarterback pressures and three pass deflections.

Vermeil said Wistrom reminds him of Fred Dryer, who played defensive end for the Rams from 1972-81.

"Remember Freddie Dryer, the lean, mean, tall, skinny guy who was lightning quick," Vermeil said. "He could move like a lizard."

Like Dryer, Wistrom is undersized for a defensive end. He recently added 20 pounds, raising his weight to 273.

Some scouts were concerned that Wistrom would get swallowed up by the big offensive tackles in the NFL.

"I went against some big tackles -- 330-pounders, and that's about the right size for the NFL," Wistrom said. "I don't see that as a problem. Obviously, it is going to take some adjusting. It's a whole new ballgame. It's something I feel confident I will be able to do."

Vermeil noted that Wistrom still ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds with the extra weight at the combine.

"I'd like him to end up at 280," Vermeil said. "Most of these guys get better and stronger. Just like us, as we get older, we get a little fatter."

Vermeil said Wistrom will be pushed for playing time by fourth-year man Jay Williams.

"I think they will help each other grow," Vermeil said "Jay Williams doesn't know what it is to take a slow snap on the practice field."

Carter started slowly but came on strong at the end of the season to finish with 7.5 sacks last year. Vermeil believes Carter could conceivably double that total this season.

"Our goal is to get Kevin up to that next level," Vermeil said. "As soon as he goes to that next level in pass-rushing technique, then we will have a 9-11-14 sack guy."

NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES

The Rams are interested in former Washington Redskins tackle Ed Simmons. The 6-5, 334-pound Simmons visited St. Louis last week. All of Simmons' 106 career starts have been at tackle, but the Rams would like to move him to guard. Simmons, 34, has been bothered by knee problems in recent years. He started 13 games last season.

The Rams held Rookie School this past week for draft picks and rookie free agents. In addition to the team's offensive and defensive schemes, players were lectured on how to stay out of trouble off the field.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "In college, I always wanted a chance to play against him. That never worked out for us, but we'll be butting heads about every day in practice now. When you go against a great player, a player like Orlando, obviously it is going to make you better." -- Rams rookie defensive end Grant Wistrom, on going against Orlando Pace in practice.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

As expected, the Rams released middle linebacker Robert Jones, their leading tackler with 115 takedowns last season, on Tuesday.

By waiting until after June 1 to dump Jones, the Rams saved $280,000 under the salary cap. Jones completed two years of his five-year, $10 million contract with the Rams. Jones' release became inevitable after the Rams signed middle linebacker Eric Hill from the Arizona Cardinals. Jones has known of the Rams' intention to release him for several months. His No. 55 jersey had been given to linebacker Troy Dumas. The Bears are one of the teams who are believed to have expressed some interest in Jones.

MEDICAL WATCH: S Toby Wright is jogging as he continues his rehab from reconstructive knee surgery. Wright isn't expected to be cleared to practice until August. ... LB Troy Dumas has undergone surgery to repair his separated shoulder ... Rookie RB Raymond Priester has a slight hamstring pull. He should be healthy for the Rams' second minicamp.

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