Rams Notebook: Terrell's injury won't go away

[RamWraith]

By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Aug. 14 2006

It takes a lot to rile the Rams' new head coach. But the normally placid Scott
Linehan was clearly annoyed that second-year guard Claude Terrell again is
having trouble with his right wrist and was unable to practice Sunday.

"I'm frustrated with it, to be honest with you," Linehan said. "We've just got
to move on, and the next guy in there, we've just got to evaluate how he's
doing."

Terrell was no less exasperated. "Things just look cloudy for me right now ...
2006 has been a tough year on me so far," he said.

It started with surgery on the wrist just nine days into the new year. Terrell,
a fourth-round draft pick last year out of New Mexico, started 10 of the last
11 games during his rookie year. He played the last five with the damaged wrist
heavily taped and braced.

He figured he'd have the operation, rehab and be ready to go in a few months.
"That was supposed to be the plan," he said. "But it's been hurting since I had
surgery."

While recovering, Terrell, 6 feet 2 and 330 pounds, missed large chunks of the
offseason conditioning program and was limited during the spring minicamps. He
already has seen Richie Incognito take over as the first-team left guard; now,
Terrell fears that his wrist might need more medical attention.

"I've just got to go see the doctor again and see what's wrong," he said, a
large bag of ice strapped around his wrist. "I've been saying this and that
about a nagging injury, but ... if it isn't fixed, it isn't fixed. You've got
to take care of that. But we'll get to the bottom of it and get this thing
right so I can be the player I know I can be."

Linehan and the Rams can't afford to wait, though: The regular-season opener is
less than a month away.

"It was making progress ... but for whatever reason, he had a little setback,"
Linehan said. "That's unfortunate, but it's certainly a great opportunity for
some of the other guys to get reps in there."

Said Terrell: "The timing is definitely not right. I've been fighting an uphill
battle, trying to get myself in that first 11. ... It's real tough right now;
that's all I can say about it."

Witherspoon back

Middle linebacker Will Witherspoon returned to St. Louis on Sunday evening and
is expected to be back on the field today. Witherspoon left Friday for
Charlotte, N.C., to be with wife Rebecca for the birth of their second
daughter. Maya Elizabeth weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces.

The Rams tried a couple of combinations with Witherspoon absent. At times,
Jamal Brooks moved up from the second unit. At other times, Brandon Chillar
slid into the middle, with Raonall Smith taking over his strong-side spot.

Ram-blings

Linehan said Oshiomogho Atogwe's progress at free safety has been
"outstanding." ... The Rams will practice at 9:35 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. today. It
will be their second-to-last two-practice day of training camp. The last will
be Wednesday. ... After Saturday night's preseason contest vs. Houston, the
team will break camp Sunday and go to a regular-season practice schedule

[jkramsfan]

i believe terrell gets cut soon,its seemd pretty tough to get into linehans doghouse but he has managed to do it,and he is hugh and not in a good way.

[Dr. Defense]

I really like this kid. I would be a shame if he got cut. He's a good player who's just hit a medicial meltdown. Could we possibly put him on the PUP list or the IR list. Or the list that Icgonito was on that allowed him a chance to come back partially through the year.

[jkramsfan]

dr.d i would go along with putting him on the pup list but he needs to get into better physical condition and i know that his wrist holds him back alittle bit,but he needs to work out harder to drop a few pounds.

[HUbison]

Somewhere in Earth City, Tony Palmer, though upset for his teammate's injury, is doing a little happy dance.

[general counsel]

as i see it, terrell has a legit shot at IR. I dont think we cut a second year guy with that kind of potential not making much money. I am a little shaky on then nuances of PUP vs IR (other than PUP makes you eligible up to 6 weeks into the season and IR is done for the year), but one of the other makes sense.

If he goes on IR, a stomach stapling operation is a possibility. Did the wrist injury prevent him from doing cardio to keep in some form of reasonable physical shape? To some degree, he brought this on himself by reporting so badly out of shape. The guys stomach is so big he looks like he swallowed orlando pace. One game out in the dessert in arizona and he is going to lose 40 pounds of water weight, whereupon his teamates can call him Shamu.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[RealRam]

Yes, let's try to, somehow, keep Terrell. He's a good Guard.

I hope the doctor can make a clutch play of his own and come through for Claude Terrell and the Rams OL. If we get a healthy CT as strength to our depth, our probabilities to produce a RELIABLE OL increase and of course, so does our offensive potential.

[1st & Goal]

Putting him on the IR allows the injury to be taken care of and provides an opening for one of the rookies. Win Win for both Terrell and the rookies. With Timmerman getting long in the tooth. What about this OL next year

Pace RT
Incognito RG
McCollum/Turner C
Terrell RG
Barron Rt

:r

[RamJackson39]

I really like Terrel and think he could be a good guard for the Rams. I hope he can get the problems with his wrist fixed. If he's put on any list I would hope that it's the PUP list. A wrist injury shouldnt keep him sidelined for the year