Rams News

Rams sign third free agent in as many days

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (February 26, 1998) — The St. Louis Rams remained active in the free agent market for the third straight day by signing former New York Giants nose tackle Ray Agnew. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Ray Agnew Defensive Tackle St. Louis 1997 STATISTICS (with N.Y. Giants) SACKS INTS FUM FRCD 2 0 0 Regular Season

The Rams signed former Chicago Bears wide receiver Ricky Proehl to a four-year deal on Tuesday and inked linebacker Eric Hill, an ex-Arizona Cardinal, to a two-year deal on Wednesday. Earlier in the year, they re-signed running back Amp Lee to an undisclosed contract and lost defensive tackle Bill Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pound Agnew was a part of one of the top defensive units in the NFC last season. He was a salary cap casualty of the Giants before training camp and failed to latch on in Carolina before re-signing with the Giants on August 21.

"Ray impressed us from what we saw in 1997," Rams coach Dick Vermeil said. "We look for him to step in and give us the production Bill Johnson did at that position last season."

The 30-year-old Agnew, an eight-year veteran from North Carolina State, played in 15 games -- no starts -- with 2 sacks last season, his third with the Giants after playing the first five years of his career for the New England Patriots.

Agnew signed with the Giants as an unrestricted free agent in 1995 and started 15 of 16 games, recording 65 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. He was bothered by back spasms in training camp and finished with 24 tackles, a half-sack and an interception as a backup in 1996.

Agnew compiled 216 tackles, 8½ sacks and 2 fumble recoveries in 66 games with the Patriots.

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