Rams News

St. Louis Rams
Team Report posted June 5, 1998
by tsn correspondent JIM THOMAS of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

There is reason to be skeptical about the signing of Ed Simmons, the longtime Washington Redskins' offensive lineman. Only one of Simmons' 106 NFL starts in 11 seasons with Washington were at offensive guard. Yet, that's where the Rams will try to play Simmons, who was released by the Redskins in February. Simmons has been a tackle for almost his entire career, but he doesn't sound too concerned about learning a new position at age 34.

"I know I can play it," Simmons said. "Actually, to me it sounds easier. The tackle position, you're pretty much on an island. With the guard, you've got a guy on either side of you, and you don't have that much space to work in."

Simmons is still an effective blocker when healthy -- he started 13 games for Washington last season. But chronic knee problems make it a longshot that he can make it through a full 16-game schedule. Simmons says his right knee has been sore for about the last six seasons.

"You play with that," Simmons said. "That's what football is all about."

From the Rams' standpoint, at least they've signed him to a low-risk contract -- a one-year deal worth a modest $550,000 that includes only a $50,0000 signing bonus. . . .

Simmons might get more work at guard than he bargained for this weekend when the Rams hold their final minicamp of the offseason. That's because Ryan Tucker, listed first on the depth chart at left guard, suffered a hamstring injury during a physical fitness test late last month at Rams Park.

"He popped it pretty good," said an aggravated coach Dick Vermeil. "We just can't afford to have someone pull a hamstring because we're trying to find out how quick he is. He's here anyway. What difference does it make?"

Tucker certainly can't afford any more down time. He was on the physically unable to perform list until October last season, and he missed nine games while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. He needs every bit of practice and instruction time he can get, be it minicamp, offseason conditioning, or training camp. But Tucker's status is uncertain for the June minicamp because of the hamstring problem. . . .

Twenty-one rookie free agents and draft picks spent the first 10 days of June attending the Rams' rookie school. The only missing rookie was seventh-round draft pick Jason Chorak, a defensive end/linebacker who was ineligible to participate because his class at the University of Washington had yet to graduate.

"It's a great situation for us to come in here and learn a little bit before they throw us to the wolves," said offensive guard Fred Pollack, a rookie free agent from Nebraska. Quarterbacks Tony Banks and Will Furrer stuck around to throw to several receiver candidates, including fourth-round draft pick Az-Zahir Hakim of San Diego State.

"We've got a few receivers who are pretty quick, catch the ball pretty well," Banks said.

Free agent wide receiver Tony Horne from Clemson has shown early promise, as has tight end Roland Williams of Syracuse, the second of the Rams' two fourth-round draft picks. . . .

The Rams made a one-year tender offer to veteran offensive lineman Ernest Dye. Dye is an unrestricted free agent, but he hasn't received much play in free agency other than a visit to Pittsburgh, which no longer is interested.

By making the tender offer, the Rams have sole negotiating rights if Dye remains unsigned by July 15. A former first-round draft pick with Arizona, Dye appeared in less than 10 percent of the Rams' offensive plays a year ago, but the team is trying to stock up on offensive line depth. . . .

The release of middle linebacker Robert Jones in the June 1 cutdown period means that the last of the free agents signed during the two-year tenure of Rich Brooks and Steve Ortmayer are gone. The forgettable group included tight end Marv Cook, linebacker Carlos Jenkins, Jones, defensive end Leslie O'Neal, cornerback Anthony Parker, quarterback Mark Rypien, quarterback Steve Walsh, offensive guard Dwayne White, and wide receiver Alexander Wright.

Of that group, only O'Neal, Parker, Rypien and Walsh currently have NFL jobs. Now we know what Vermeil is talking about when he diplomatically states he's still paying for past mistakes.

Someone should take a flier on Jones, although not at anywhere near his $2 million a year average salary with the Rams. Jones' wasn't terrible in St. Louis -- just mediocre and inconsistent. He led the team with 115 tackles last season, but he had only one tackle for loss, an astoundingly low total for someone paid to stop the run.

OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

WR Eddie Kennison, Ricky Proehl, Donald Sellers, Tony Horne, Tyrone Goodson

LT Orlando Pace, Matt Reem, Roger Chanoine

LG Ryan Tucker, John Gerak, Fred Pollack

C Mike Gruttadauria, John Flannery, David Kempfert, Tom Nutten

RG Zach Wiegert, Ed Simmons, Ethan Brooks, Glenn Rountree

RT Wayne Gandy, Fred Miller, Jeremy McKinney

TE Ernie Conwell, Aaron Laing, Mitch Jacoby, Tyji Armstrong, Roland Williams

WR Isaac Bruce, Johnny Thomas, Az-Zahir Hakim, Donnell Baker, Russell Shaw

QB Tony Banks, Steve Bono, Will Furrer, Kurt Warner

FB Craig Heyward, Derrick Harris, Raymond Priester

RB Jerald Moore, Robert Holcombe, Amp Lee, David Thompson, June Henley

DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

LE Kevin Carter, Bryan Robinson, Glen Young

LT D'Marco Farr, Ray Agnew, Chris Maumalanga

RT Jeff Zgonina, Joe Phillips, James Manley, Corey Sears

RE Jay Williams, Grant Wistrom, Jeff Robinson

OLB Roman Phifer, Muadianvita Kazadi, Leonard Little, London Fletcher

MLB Eric Hill, Lorenzo Styles, Charlie Clemons, Daryl Bush

OLB Mike Jones, Charlie Clemons, Troy Dumas, Jason Chorak

LC Todd Lyght, Joe Rowe, Omarr Morgan

SS Toby Wright, Gerald McBurrows, Billy Jenkins, Jr.

FS Keith Lyle, Mike Scurlock, Billy Austin

RC Ryan McNeil, Willie Clark, Dexter McCleon, Taje Allen

Specialists -- K Jeff Wilkins; P Rick Tuten

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