Wagoner's Tuesday PM notes

[HUbison]

Tuesday Afternoon

- Anyone remember the offseason speculation about Isaac Bruce? You know, those rumors about how his large salary cap number this season would either mean the end of his run in St. Louis or his coming back at a reduced rate. All of that talk was pointless and had no merit. There was never a time where this team considered cutting Bruce and with good reason. Do people not realize that statistically Bruce is going to be one of the top 10 receivers in the NFL sooner than later. He had almost 1,300 yards last year. Bruce has not lost a step and is still one of the premier receivers in the league. He is a consummate professional and the original Ram. Just because Bruce doesn’t constantly thump his chest like other receivers in the league doesn’t mean he isn’t elite. Maybe when his bust is going up in Canton, he will get the respect he deserves.

- Brandon Chillar was back in action in the afternoon workout and appears to be doing fine. Chillar is potentially a solid utility linebacker and continues to progress well.

- With Dwight Anderson gone, the competition in the secondary will only heat up. One guy that just keeps making plays and doing things to get noticed is Corey Ivy. The diminutive cornerback has long been thought of as a special teams specialist and nothing more, but he seems to have the type of ball skills that will make a solid nickel or dime back. Ivy made another impressive interception in the afternoon workout, skying to snatch the ball out of the air. If Ivy continues to play well and does it in some preseason games and also shows that he is every bit the special teams dynamo people think then he has a good shot at earning the job.

- DeJuan Groce and Ronald Bartell are probably the other top contenders for the job. Groce’s position might hinge on his punt return ability, something he did well at Nebraska. Bartell is supremely gifted athletically and intelligent enough to retain information. He is pretty raw, though and just needs refinement and polish before he becomes an impact player in this league.