Rams News

Rams clearing the decks to work on a contract with first-round pick

07/04/98

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

While the Cardinals and Blues made headlines with the signing of J.D. Drew, the re-signing of Geoff Courtnall and the non-signings of Brett Hull and Steve Duchesne, the Rams have quietly tended to their knitting.
Defensive end/linebacker Jason Chorak, a seventh-round draft pick from the University of Washington, agreed to terms on a two-year, $370,000 deal late in the week. That means four of the team's eight picks are under contract. Earlier in the week, running back Robert Holcombe, defensive end/linebacker Leonard Little and offensive guard Glenn Rountree agreed to terms.
Holcombe, a second-round draft pick from Illinois, agreed to a four-year, $2.55 million contract. The deal includes a $900,000 signing bonus. Rountree, a sixth-round pick from Clemson, agreed to a three-year, $599,000 contract.
The club is closing in on deals for wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim of San Diego State and tight end Roland Williams of Syracuse -- both fourth-rounders -- as well as running back/fullback Raymond Priester, a fifth-rounder from Clemson. The Rams hope to have the Hakim, Williams and Priester deals closed early this week, clearing the decks for executive vice president Jay Zygmunt to concentrate on getting first-round pick Grant Wistrom of Nebraska under contract and in training camp on time.
Rookies report July 18 to Macomb, Ill., with veterans due in July 23. Since moving to St. Louis in 1995, only one of four Rams first-round picks has been in camp on time -- defensive end Kevin Carter in '95. Running back Lawrence Phillips and wide receiver Eddie Kennison were late arrivals in 1996. And No. 1 overall pick Orlando Pace missed all of training camp last season before agreeing on a contract.
At least the Rams know they can do business with Wistrom's agent -- Tom Condon of the International Management Group -- because Condon also represents Holcombe.
But Condon hasn't been able to give the Rams his undivided attention because he has three first-round clients besides Wistrom:
> Quarterback Peyton Manning of Tennessee (No. 1 overall, by Indianapolis).
> Offensive lineman Kyle Turley of San Diego State (No. 7 overall, by New Orleans).
> Cornerback R.W. McQuarters of Oklahoma State (No. 28 overall, by San Francisco).
If nothing else, the Rams and Condon are starting to get a feel for how much first-rounders cost in Wistrom's neighborhood. Running back Fred Taylor of Florida, taken No. 9 overall, recently agreed to a six-year, $10.7 million contract with a $5 million signing bonus.
Offensive lineman Tra Thomas of Florida State, taken No. 11 overall by Philadelphia, has signed a five-year, $8.2 million deal that includes a $3.4 million signing bonus. And linebacker Keith Brooking of Georgia Tech, taken 12th by Atlanta, has agreed to a six-year, $9.1 million contract that includes a $3.8 million signing bonus. Wistrom, a defensive end, was taken No. 6 overall. Given the Taylor, Thomas and Brooking contract numbers, Wistrom figures to come in at around $2 million a year.

More bad news
The family of former Rams quarterback Mark Rypien has another battle on its hands. Last July, Rypien left Rams camp when his 2-year-old son Andrew underwent surgery for a cancerous brain tumor. Andrew is doing well, but Rypien's wife Annette underwent surgery last month for an unspecified serious illness. Rypien, who signed a free-agent contract with Atlanta in the offseason, missed the Falcons' entire ``passing camp'' held over a two-week period in June.
With two family illnesses to cope with, the classy Rypien must now decide whether to show up for training camp or retire. The Falcons also have a mandatory minicamp that begins Tuesday.

Around the league
A poll on the Arizona Cardinals' $2.3 billion dome stadium project shows that voters in Tempe and Mesa -- the two communities who must ultimately approve the proposal -- are opposed by a 62-to-33 percent margin, with 5 percent undecided.
> Offseason moves in Dallas have shaved one year off the average age of the Cowboys' starting lineup -- from just under 29 years to just under 28. Among the departed veterans who were at least part-time starters are wide receiver Anthony Miller, fullback Herschel Walker, defensive ends Shante Carver and Tony Tolbert, safety Brock Marion and offensive tackle Mark Tuinei.
> The NFL's supplemental draft on July 9 includes two players who some were projecting as first-rounders in 1999 -- defensive lineman Jamal Williams of Oklahoma State and strong safety Martavius Houston of Auburn.
(Some information provided by writers in other cities.)

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