[RamWraith]

Saturday Afternoon
Saturday, April 22, 2006

- The enthusiasm is still there, but it's beginning to look like learning a new system has some of the Rams' heads spinning. Scott Linehan has made it a point to try not to force too much on his team at once, but the fact is that the terminology is different and that has made it hard. Making things worse, there are many words that have carry over from the previous staff to this staff, but those words have different meaning here than they did there. For instance, one word might mean a short slant to Kevin Curtis where before it meant a deep ball to Torry Holt. That will take some time to adjust to and it applies to pretty much everyone on the team.

- The Rams roster was mostly intact for the Saturday morning practice session with the exception of linebacker Will Witherspoon. Witherspoon was excused from the morning practice for unknown reasons. That's one issue that will likely be addressed by Linehan following the afternoon workout. We'll have an update when it becomes available.

- The addition of Andy Groom to compete with Matt Turk is a good move. The punting situation has been awful in recent years and there needs to be a sense of stability. Who knows whether Turk or Groom will ultimately win out for the job, but that position needs stability. Groom has an impressive leg, at least in practice and he seems like he could at least make a push for a final roster spot. In fairness, Turk has kicked the ball well so far this weekend. Again, it's important to remember that it's still early and there will be plenty of time for both to prove themselves.

- One player who has flown under the radar some from last year's draft class is tight end Jerome Collins. We all know Collins is a good athlete, but he struggled to grasp the offense last year and spent some time in the doghouse and the practice squad. While he isn't exactly Kellen Winslow, he looks much more comfortable on the field and has made some nice catches this weekend. Collins appears to want to work hard, which is the first step toward success. If he can learn this offense smoothly, he might become a factor at some point, especially if Brandon Manumaleuna isn't in the desired shape.

- Receiver/returner Brad Pyatt tweaked his back in the afternoon workout Friday and sat for part of Saturday's workout as well. Pyatt has been injury prone in the past and it doesn't bode well that he couldn't make it through the first day without having some problems. That doesn't mean he won't win the return job, but it also doesn't mean that the Rams will ignore finding a returner in th draft at some point.

- Todd Steussie is getting more than he bargained for already. Steussie was signed as the team's third tackle, but has been working mostly at left guard. For someone who has been in the league as long as Steussie, he looks to be in good shape and like he could contribute if need be. Still, you would hope that he can be a big part of the depth and the likes of Claude Terrell and Richie Incognito will assert themselves to the point of solidifying a job.

- As reported earlier, Incognito is in great shape and appears to be moving pretty well for someone coming off serious knee injuries. Incognito is wearing a brace on both knees for support and has shown some agility and quickness. That doesn't mean it's time to hand him a starting job, but he is going to get his chance to prove himself in the coming weeks.

- Tony Fisher was an underrated addition. With the news that Marshall Faulk is struggling with knee problems again, Fisher's role could turn out to be bigger than he first expected. Fisher has shown a good set of hands and some nice route running ability. He's a nice backup to have around behind Jackson.

- A name to remember when you're looking for a sleeper during training camp: tight end Rod Trafford.

- Good to see Oshiomogho Atogwe hanging around after practice to get some extra work and tutoring from the likes of Corey Chavous. Atogwe could be a very important part of this defense this year.

- It's a little easier to make judgments about what the top need areas might be in the draft after seeing some of the product on the field. The Rams are awfully thin as far as depth across the defensive line. Another end and another tackle are going to be needs heading into next weekend. The idea of drafting a strong side linebacker or defensive back isn't bad. The Rams need both and whoever is brought in could earn a starting spot.

- Torry Holt just never misses a beat. He's always having fun. It must be easy to have fun when you are that good at what you do.

- Defensive tackle La'Roi Glover looks almost svelte. He is in good shape and it's easy to see his burst off the ball in passing situations. Can he hold up against the run? That remains to be seen, but he should be able to provide a consistent pass rush up the middle.