Rams News

Heyward's fate will be determined on scale today
07/23 07:31 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch

MACOMB, Ill. -- Not playing at a training camp near you: Ironhead & McNeil.
No, it's not the name of a summer TV pilot. It's fullback Craig ``Ironhead'' Heyward and cornerback Ryan McNeil, the two Rams who did not report Thursday at Western Illinois University with the rest of the team's veterans. Neither player is expected on the practice field today for the Rams' first full-squad practices.
McNeil's absence was no surprise. He's unwilling to play for the team's one-year franchise player tender offer of $3.2 million or anything else the club might be offering in terms of a long-term deal.
Besides the four-year, $13 million offer the Rams have had on the table since early spring, McNeil's agent -- Brian Ransom -- said earlier in the week the Rams were talking about the possibility of a two-year deal as well.
As for Heyward, the Great Weigh-In is now scheduled for today in St. Louis, instead of in Macomb as coach Dick Vermeil had indicated earlier in the week.
``We've asked him to report to St. Louis (Friday) to finalize his physical,'' Vermeil said. ``Which really means to get him checked weight-wise.''
Why not do that in Macomb?
``I'd rather not have him show up here unless he's really ready to work,'' Vermeil said. ``Because the center of focus is not Ironhead. It's the St. Louis Rams and the rest of the guys.''
Vermeil said he decided to move the weigh-in venue to St. Louis once he sensed ``the interest'' in the subject. ``It could end up being a distraction to training camp.''
What happens if Heyward doesn't make the team's target weight of 260 pounds?
``I've got some different thoughts,'' Vermeil said.
One possibility is fining Heyward. A more drastic measure would be releasing him. But some team officials privately think cutting Heyward would merely give him an easy ``out.'' He could go back to his home in Atlanta and perhaps re-sign with the Falcons where he had his greatest success. Which is not what the Rams had in mind when they signed Heyward to a four-year, $4.5 million deal in 1997 -- a deal that included a $1.3 million signing bonus.
Vermeil appears to be unyielding on one point: ``If he doesn't make the weight, he doesn't practice. He's not going to step on the field. I can promise you that. If a guy wants to make a lot of money, then he's going to have to earn it. If he's way overweight, he can't earn it by our standards.''
Vermeil said he laid out those ground rules for Heyward in January. ``I've given him a long time to meet his playing weight,'' Vermeil said. ``Maybe he shows up, his body weight is fine.''
That would be a bigger upset than a Rams victory over San Francisco, given Heyward's condition at the team's minicamp in mid June.
Team sources said Heyward weighed 300 pounds in June. Heyward supposedly went to the Duke weight-reduction clinic afterward. Vermeil said he wasn't sure if Heyward attended, because he sent him a note there and did not get a reply.
``I don't know what state he's in,'' Vermeil said. ``He was in a great frame of mind in minicamp, and he was enjoyable to be around, because he's a fun guy to be with. The squad likes him. I think everyone's pulling for him to be successful. The only thing is, if we are going to win as a football team, we have to have everybody striving to win.''
Neither Heyward nor McNeil is officially AWOL until the team's first full-squad practice at 9 a.m. today. Third-year man Derrick Harris would handle the first-team fullback duties without Heyward. Dexter McCleon will work with the first unit at cornerback without McNeil, with Taje Allen and Willie Clark also figuring in the mix.
McNeil is one of six franchise players in the league who remain unsigned. The others are Baltimore offensive lineman Wally Williams, Green Bay running back Dorsey Levens, Kansas City defensive end Dan Williams, Miami defensive tackle Tim Bowens and New Orleans defensive end Joe Johnson (who's from Jennings High).
``The way it seems, from everything I've read, it doesn't seem like (Ryan's) going to get the long-term deal he's looking for,'' Rams safety Keith Lyle said. ``It appears he's just going to get the one year (tender offer), because I think his asking price is a little bit out of their reach. When's the first game?''
Sept. 6 against New Orleans.
``Ryan will be back before then,'' Lyle said. ``If he is going to come back, I'm sure that he'll give himself at least 2 weeks. I know he wants to play. Right now, it's all business for him. He's in a tough situation.''

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