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  • #1

    Rams sign offensive lineman

    By Kathleen Nelson
    Of the Post-Dispatch
    06/12/2004

    The Rams beefed up their offensive line by agreeing to terms with tackle Jeff Hatch.

    A third-round pick out of Penn by the Giants in 2002, Hatch missed his entire rookie season after having back surgery. He started the last four games in 2003 but was released on March 22.

    Hatch could see lots of action in the Rams' preseason camp, which opens July 28. Starter Kyle Turley is on the mend after offseason surgery on his back, and All-Pro Orlando Pace has been designated the team's franchise player and has yet to sign a contract. Thus, Hatch should share time with the teams' other tackles - Grant Williams, Andy King and Joel Hoffman.

    In addition, the Rams signed punter Jesse Nicassio to a one-year deal for $230,000. Nicassio is a rookie free agent from Eastern Washington.

    The Rams agreed to terms with two other players:

    Defensive back Nijrell Eason, a free agent who played with the Arizona Cardinals. Eason signed with the Cardinals as a free agent out of Arizona State in 2002 and played in one game on special teams. He spent last season on injured reserve.

    Wide receiver Brian Sump, who played with the Los Angeles Avengers in the Arena League. A 2003 graduate of the Colorado School of Mines, Sump was signed as a rookie free agent by the Chargers but was released in camp last year.

    Another roster addition is guard Peter Heyer, assigned to the Rams as part of the NFL International Development Practice Squad program. A native of Germany, Heyer, 6-3, 310, is a three-year veteran of the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe. He will not be eligible to be claimed by another team or promoted to an active roster.

    The Rams also released two rookie free agents, wide receiver Nick Narcisse of Tulane and defensive tackle Jeff Ruffin of Illinois.

    Rams add scout

    Dave Boller has joined the Rams' college scouting department after six years with the Philadelphia Eagles. Boller, 42, also worked as a college scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1995 to 1997. Before joining the pro ranks, Boller served as an administrative assistant for football operations at Arizona State University under Larry Marmie, who is now the Rams' defensive coordinator.

    Contract figures

    Tight end Cam Cleeland's one-year contract was for $565,000, which includes a $25,000 roster bonus, according to the NFL Players Association. Free safety Justin Lucas's one year deal was for $540,000.

    __________________________________________________________
    Keeping the Rams Nation Talking
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Rams sign offensive lineman

    Well hope somebody step up although I doubt it
    vicdan

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Rams sign offensive lineman

      Originally posted by RamDez
      Hatch could see lots of action in the Rams' preseason camp, which opens July 28. Starter Kyle Turley is on the mend after offseason surgery on his back, and All-Pro Orlando Pace has been designated the team's franchise player and has yet to sign a contract. Thus, Hatch should share time with the teams' other tackles - Grant Williams, Andy King and Joel Hoffman.
      If Pace hasn't signed the tender by then, then I'll be pretty disappointed. His comments to the Post Dispatch were pretty optimistic about a deal getting done, so I would assume Pace would want to sign the tender and get in with the team during the offseason to show he's willing and ready to come to the table and negotiate. The fact that it happens makes me wonder if Pace's comment were nothing but a PR stunt to try and get some heat off his back.

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Rams sign offensive lineman

        I hope that there is no correlation between this signing and the status of turley's recovery from back surgery. One way or another Pace will wind up ready to play when the season starts, but if turley's back isnt right, that is very bad news for us. I have no info that tells me turley is anything other than on schedule for return to camp, but i am just concerned as a back injury is a tricky thing and i know he lost a lot of weight.

        ramming speed to all

        general counsel

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        • RamDez
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          The fact the Panthers made the offer they did showed that Manumaleuna has value.

          "They didn't offer him that because his name's Brandon," Falks said. "They did it because he fit what they needed."

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          NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES

          —The Rams are continuing to tweak their roster in preparation for the start of training camp on July 27. The latest additions are tackle Jeff Hatch, safety Nijrell Eason and wide receiver Brian Sump.

          Hatch was released by the Giants on March 22 after being drafted on the third round (78th overall) in 2002. He missed his entire rookie season because of a back injury, and then started four games last season. Those four games, the final ones of the season, were the only ones in which he played.

          The Rams need depth at tackle in training camp because of the expected absence of Orlando Pace and Kyle Turley's return from offseason back surgery. Grant Williams is the most experienced backup, and coaches want Andy King to work mostly at guard.

          Eason was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Cardinals in 2001. He was released on Aug. 28 and went to camp the following year with the Steelers. Released by Pittsburgh on Sept. 2, he was added to the Cardinals' roster for the final game of the '02 season and played in that game. Eason injured his shoulder last summer, and spent the entire year on injured reserve. At the start of free agency in March, the Cardinals elected not to tender him as an exclusive rights free agent.

          Sump joined the Chargers...
          -06-14-2004, 10:34 AM
        • RamWraith
          Sehorn making return, Gordon to Miami??
          by RamWraith
          TOLD YOU GENERAL COUNSEL :-)


          By Jim Thomas
          Of the Post-Dispatch
          Sunday, Sep. 05 2004

          On a day largely spent trimming players from their
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          "I've encouraged him to come in," Poston said. "I've
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          Because Pace signed after 3 p.m. Sunday, he did not
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          The Rams released 11 players, and placed two others on
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          There were no real surprises on the cut list, compiled
          by the Post-Dispatch...
          -09-06-2004, 06:40 AM
        • RamWraith
          another O-Tackle signed
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          -07-20-2004, 10:25 AM
        • RamsFan16
          Rams Sign RB Travis Minor
          by RamsFan16
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          Solid signing, not great but solid.
          -03-07-2007, 09:40 AM
        • RamDez
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          The St. Louis Rams have signed DB Nijrell Eason, P Jesse Nicassio, LB Fred Pagac, and WR Brian Sump to one-year contracts, the team announced today. In other roster moves, the Rams released WR Nick Narcisse and DT Jeff Ruffin.

          Eason, 6-0, 200, spent last season on the Cardinals' reserve/injured list with a shoulder injury. The Arizona State product has played in one NFL game, for Arizona in 2002, after spending most of the season on their practice squad. Eason was also allocated to NFL Europe in 2002 by the Pittsburgh Steelers and spent 2001 training camp with the Cardinals after signing with the club as an undrafted free agent.

          Nicassio, 6-0, 192, is a rookie from Eastern Washington. The Oak Park, CA, native redshirted as a true freshman at Washington State, transferred to Citrus Community College in Glendora, CA for two years, before punting for the Eagles the last two years. For Eastern Washington, Nicassio set a school-record punting 112 times for a 42.3-yard average.

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          Sump, 5-11, 186, spent the 2004 Arena Football League season playing for the Los Angeles Avengers. The Colorado School of Mines product spent the 2003 training camp with the San Diego Chargers after earning first-team all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honors three times.

          Narcisse, 5-11, 178, was a rookie from Tulane who signed with the Rams on April 30.

          Ruffin, 6-3, 295, was a rookie from Illinois who signed with the Rams on April 30....
          -06-14-2004, 11:46 AM
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