Rams News

Miller is Rams' new left guard

07/27

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch

MACOMB, Ill. -- Fred Miller woke up a right tackle. Practiced Monday morning as a right tackle. Ate lunch as a right tackle.
But by mid-afternoon, something strange and unexpected had come over him. Shortly before the Rams took the field Monday afternoon at Western Illinois University, he heard these six words from the Rams' coaching staff: You are now a left guard.
Well, not just any old left guard. Miller, a third-year player from Baylor, is now the team's starting left guard, moving ahead of Ryan Tucker on the depth chart.
In one of his gushing moments last season, coach Dick Vermeil said he expected Ryan Tucker to play in several Pro Bowls eventually.
But Tucker, a second-year player from TCU, has struggled with his pass blocking. Illustrating the point, Tucker was absolutely flattened by defensive lineman Bryan Robinson during pass-blocking drills near the end of Monday morning's workout.
``This is really Ryan's first training camp,'' offensive line coach Jim Hanifan said. ``We're trying to act like Ryan is an old, salty veteran, and he isn't. He had a total of maybe 10 or 12 practices last year, and played in three or four games.''
Miller, 25, who started seven games last season at right tackle, has gotten off to a good start in training camp. So in the interest of putting the five best offensive linemen on the field, Miller will get an extended look at left guard.
``It's going to be a good, long experiment,'' Hanifan said. ``I'm hoping it's a long, long experiment.''
Miller, listed at 6 feet 7, 315 pounds, is a tough, hard worker. But his play has been inconsistent in the past.
But in light of Ed Simmons' decision to retire just before the start of camp, the Rams are scrambling to find the right line combination between the tackles as soon as possible.
Miller has played only one game at guard in the NFL, replacing Leo Goeas in the 1996 finale against New Orleans.
The Rams also tried him at left guard in one practice last season, but again, he struggled and was moved right back to tackle.
``But now, I seem to be a little bit more comfortable with it,'' Miller said. ``I can take some of the stuff that I learned at tackle, and transfer it to guard. It seems to come a little bit easier this go around.''
Injury update: For the third time this training camp, linebacker Eric Hill participated in only one of two practice sessions.
``I'm disappointed,'' Vermeil said, after Hill sat out Monday afternoon's workout. ``We bring him here to be a leader, and you can't be a leader in pajamas. But he's got a back (injury). He strained it in weight training a few weeks ago.''
When the Rams signed Hill to a two-year, $5.25 million deal in February, Vermeil likened Hill to a Jack ``Hacksaw'' Reynolds or a Matt Millen, two tough grizzled linebackers of NFL days gone by.
When asked if he still saw that in Hill, Vermeil said, ``No. Because I don't see him. For him to be what we want him to be, he's got to put his pads on twice a day and go to work. But he can't do it right now. It's frustrating to him; it's frustrating for us.''
Offensive guard Ethan Brooks and defensive back Joe Rowe also continue to sit with strained backs.

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