Rams News

Rams reach contract deals with 4 players

06/17

By Elizabethe Holland
Of the Post-Dispatch

The Rams re-signed four players Wednesday, among them starting right guard Zach Wiegert and David Thompson, the team's rookie of the year last season.
The other two are defensive end Jay Williams, one of the eight remaining Rams who played with the team in its last season in Los Angeles, and cornerback Joe Rowe.
Wiegert and Williams, both restricted free agents, and Rowe, an exclusive-rights free agent, each signed one-year deals. Thompson, an exclusive-rights free agent, signed a two-year contract.
The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Wiegert, 25, started 15 games at right guard last season and committed the fewest number of penalties (three) among the Rams' offensive linemen.
``I think they'd be surprised how much better I'd get after having the same coach for a few years,'' he said. ``I've had three coaches in three years, so we'll see.''
It took Wiegert, a fourth-year player, longer than expected to sign his one-year tender offer from the Rams due in part to the fact that he recently changed agents. His new agent, Jim Steiner of the St. Louis-based Sports Management group, said he thinks discussions with the Rams regarding another contract will take place within the first four to six weeks of the season. At the end of the year, Wiegert will be an unrestricted free agent.
Thompson, a 5-8, 200-pound running back, played 11 games for the Rams last season, primarily as a kick returner.
After being released by Jacksonville last summer, he was signed to the Rams practice squad Aug. 25 and then promoted to the active roster Oct. 9. The 23-year-old from Oklahoma State set a Rams rookie record with 1,110 kickoff-return yards on 49 returns. He also posted 16 carries for 30 yards and one touchdown. He also won the Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award, given to the rookie of the year.
Williams, a 6-3, 280-pound defensive end in his fourth year in the NFL, played in 16 games and started in two last season.
The 26-year-old, formerly a player at Wake Forest, had 14 tackles, one sack, six quarterback pressures and two special teams tackles last season.
Rowe, 24, a 6-foot, 195-pound defensive back out of Virginia, was signed by the Rams as an undrafted free agent last year, then released at the end of training camp. Green Bay then signed him to the Packers' practice squad, but the Rams pursued Rowe a second time, signing him to their active roster Nov. 19.
Merry Carole Snow, the wife of Rams' broadcaster and former wide receiver Jack Snow and mother of San Francisco Giants first baseman J.T. Snow, died Wednesday (June 17, 1998) at her home in Chesterfield after a long illness. She was 54.
Mrs. Snow's survivors also include two daughters, Stephanie, of Chesterfield, and Michelle Peters of Seal Beach, Calif. A funeral Mass for Mrs. Snow and her burial will be in Long Beach, Calif., at an undetermined time.
The family requested donations be sent to the St. Louis chapter of the American Cancer Society.

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