Rams rookie Donnie Avery glad to finally get into camp
He's the final draft pick to sign a contract
BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat
MEQUON, Wis. --For two days, rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery had been living in a hotel located only a few miles from Concordia University where the St. Louis Rams are holding trading camp.
Avery finally got to join his teammates Saturday after signing a four-year, $4.8 million contract with the Rams.
Avery said he'd already checked his luggage in with the team, so he had no clothes, no toothbrush or other toiletries and no rental car when he arrived in Mequon.
"I was down here the same day as the team," Avery said. "I caught the public bus everywhere I had to go. My suit case was here, so I caught the public bus to get some hygiene stuff and some clothes to wear.
"I wanted to be here as soon as possible when they called me."
Avery said it was a little boring living in a hotel.
"I'm the kind of guy who hates to be inside," Avery said. "I was on the public bus getting things. And, I was in the hotel doing sit-ups and push-ups and running around the hotel and stuff just trying to stay in shape."
Avery missed a total of two practices as the last of the Rams' eight picks in the 2008 NFL Draft to reach a contract agreement.
"Pretty minimal," Rams coach Scott Linehan said of the damage caused by Avery's absence. "You don't want to miss any practices, any reps."
The speedy Avery had 91 catches for 1,456 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior last season at the University of Houston. He led Conference USA and ranked fourth in the country with an average of 112 receiving yards per game.
Avery's deal got done the day after fellow rookie wide receiver Keenan Burton had several eye-popping pass receptions in the team's opening practice of training camp.
"That's teased about a little bit," Linehan said. "I figured it would be sooner than later. I would have been surprised if it had gone (beyond) today."
No Jackson sightings
There was no sign of holdout running back
Steven Jackson at training camp Saturday.
Jackson, who has a year left on the five-year, $7 million contract that he signed as a rookie in 2004, can be fined a maximum of $15,000 per day for every day he misses of training camp.
The Rams broke off negotiations on a contract extension for Jackson after he failed to report Friday.
Asked if there was anything new on Jackson, Linehan said, "I haven't heard anything. I promise you, if I do, I will tell you."
Rams wide receiver Torry Holt said he and his teammates are anxious to have Jackson back in the fold.
"Steven is the guy," Holt said. "He is our horse. Like I told him, we will go as far as he will take us. I'm damn sure going to jump on his shoulders and ride him a little bit. I hope he gets here soon. I know that business is business. I wish him well."
Quick hits
Cornerback Fakhir Brown will miss two to three weeks of training camp after sustaining a slight tear of the rotator cuff in his shoulder during the team's first practice Friday.
An MRI on Saturday revealed the injury, which won't require surgery.
"It's something that will keep him out a couple of weeks," Linehan said. "We'll stay conservative with it. If it was an in-season situation, he would be a game-time decision. We have to see if we can get him back to health as soon as he can."
Linehan said Brown was injured falling down trying to cover a receiver on a sideline route during seven-on-seven drills.
"He actually got tangled up on a route," Linehan said. "There really wasn't contact. He fell down, kind of reached out. He just fell kind of funny. It was kind of a fluke deal."
• With Jackson absent, second-year running back Antonio Pittman has been working with the starting offense.
Linehan said Brian Leonard, who has been splitting time between fullback and running back, also will get a few more reps at running back.
"He's a hybrid," Linehan said of Leonard. "With Steven not here, he's working a little more at halfback. We will utilize him in a number of plays at fullback.
"There will be packages where he is a fullback and packages where somebody else, a tight end or a true fullback, will be in there. We want to get him on the field as much as we can."
• After giving up several deep balls in practice on Friday, the Rams' defense got the upper hand over the offense Saturday as cornerbacks Jonathan Wade and linebacker Chris Chamberlain all intercepted passes in the morning practice and defensive end
Leonard Little and free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe intercepted passes during the afternoon.
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