Rams' Terrell seeks turnaround
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/10/2007
To understand the capricious nature of life in the NFL, one need look no further than the Rams' Claude Terrell.
In May 2006, Terrell was coming off an encouraging rookie year in which he started 10 games at left guard and seemed to be recovering on schedule from wrist surgery in the offseason.
In May 2007, Terrell is seeking to mend a rocky relationship with his head coach while also trying to elbow his way into the pecking order on a young and promising offensive line.
"It's another challenge," Terrell said during a break in organized team activities (OTAs), which got under way this week at Rams Park. "I'm looking at it like a rookie year all over again."
Terrell, a fourth-round draft pick from New Mexico, needed only four days of training camp two summers ago to earn a promotion to the first unit.
Tom Nutten, signed out of retirement in late July, started the first five games at left guard. But Terrell was in the lineup for all but one game the rest of the way.
Terrell, who was injured in November, played out the season with his right wrist in a brace and had surgery in January 2006 to repair torn ligaments and cartilage. The pain returned on the second day of training camp, though, and he missed the season.
"I rushed back, and it never got the proper rest it needed to heal," said Terrell, 25. "A lot of people don't understand that my wrist to me is just like (Steven Jackson's) knee is to him. It's like a running back tearing his ACL."
Coach Scott Linehan, who succeeded Mike Martz in January 2006, approved Terrell's request to return to his home in Houston. Linehan said it was his understanding that while there, Terrell would have further surgery.
But a second operation, Terrell explained, never was a good option.
"I went to see one of the best wrist doctors in the country, and he was like, 'You don't need surgery, you just need rest.'"
Terrell said Dr. Evan Collins also told him that another operation "could possibly be career-ending. That was a no-brainer, once he said that. I mean, career-ending. ... I'm just getting my start."
That news didn't reach Linehan until December, and he reacted bitterly, questioning Terrell's overall commitment to the team. The two have discussed the situation, Terrell has been participating in the team's voluntary offseason workouts, and Linehan reports significant progress.
"It's been quite impressive," Linehan said. "He's been working very hard since he's been back, and his focus is on competing and making the team. ... I'm always going to be open to a person's newfound motivation, and (his) is much better than it was. It's been a 180 to this point."
Still, while Terrell was out, others stepped up.
Richie Incognito took over at right guard after veteran Adam Timmerman was injured, and
Mark Setterstrom, a seventh-round draftee in '06, finished the season as the No. 1 left guard.
Timmerman was released, but holdovers Adam Goldberg and Todd Steussie also are in the mix at guard. So is David Thompson, an undrafted rookie from Massachusetts who is expected to participate in rookie minicamp this weekend.
So Terrell is facing plenty of competition.
"My wrist feels fine, and I'm looking forward to it, actually," said the 6-foot-2 Terrell, who at 345 is about 15 pounds over his ideal playing weight. "If I start at the bottom of the ladder, I'll work my way up to the top."
That must start with impressing Linehan and his staff during OTAs and the full-squad minicamp in June.
"The eye in the sky don't lie; just watch the practice tape every day," Terrell said. "This and that can be said, but when you see actual footage of what's being done, all that should be put to bed."
Ramblings
The Rams boosted their roster of undrafted free agents to 20 with the signing of offensive lineman Chris Messner of Oklahoma. Messner, 6-6 and 286 pounds, was an All-Big 12 Conference tackle in 2006.
GO RAMS 
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