Safety Jason Sehorn (42) hopes his injuries are behind him now.
(Gabriel B. Tait/P-D)
11:30 a.m. Wednesday update:
Jason Sehorn failed his physical exam this morning and will not be returning to the Rams.
The 10-year NFL veteran had agreed to terms Tuesday night on a one-year, $760,000 contract -- pending today's physical exam.
He suffered a broken foot in training camp in 2003 and rejoined the Rams late last season.
If he had passed his physical, he would have been on the practice field this afternoon and on the roster for Sunday's season-opening game against Arizona at the Edward Jones Dome.
Post-Dispatch NFL Writer Jim Thomas will have more on the Sehorn story this afternoon.
* * *
Here is the story about Sehorn's attempted comeback that was posted last night on STLtoday.com:
After 10 seasons in the NFL, Jason Sehorn finally has figured out how to cut down on his football injuries.
"I'm on the best program ever - no training camp," Sehorn said.
Additional surgery in February appears to finally have fixed the foot Sehorn injured in the Rams' 2003 training camp in Macomb, Ill.
He says he feels great, so great, in fact, that he is resuming his career with the Rams.
Sehorn, 33, is scheduled to arrive at Rams Park this morning for a physical and to meet with team officials. If he passes his physical, Sehorn will be signed and on the practice field this afternoon.
He agreed to terms Tuesday night on a one-year, $760,000 contract.
"It's one of those things where as someone who's been in football for the last 15 years of my life, it's hard just to say, 'OK, no more,'" Sehorn said.
When last seen in these parts, Sehorn was lunging unsuccessfully for Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith on Jan. 10 at the Edward Jones Dome. Smith scored on a 69-yard reception, giving the Panthers a dramatic - no, make that stunning - 29-23 double-overtime playoff victory over St. Louis.
The play seemed to reinforce the belief that Sehorn had lost his speed, and it was time to retire. But Sehorn's foot still was bothering him at the time.
"And it's partly my fault," Sehorn said. "I can't blame that on anybody else. I'm the one that went out and played and did everything on it. But this time, I had nine months to let it heal."
Last season, he returned to the field 2 1/2 months after the injury.
"I could never do anything," he said. "I couldn't go left or right. I couldn't dig. It's kind of frustrating. But at that point, you want to play. So you're constantly fighting - I felt like salmon swimming against the stream. It's not the fun way to swim."
Sehorn indicated he is in decent shape.
"To the extent that I'm always in shape, and I always like to work out, and just keep myself in the condition I'm in," he said. "Football shape, well, I haven't played football in eight months."
He said he talked with several teams in the offseason about playing in 2004.
"But I had the same situation with everybody," Sehorn said. "I wasn't going to training camp. I'm not pushing my luck. Unfortunately for me, three of my major injuries have all happened in training camp."
Included in that group was a season-ending knee injury in 1998 returning a kickoff in the New York Giants' exhibition opener.
One guard is cut, another is signed
On Tuesday, the Rams released offensive guard Andy King and signed offensive guard Darnell Alford. Alford signed to a one-year contract, according to his agent, St. Louisan Jim Steiner.
Alford, 27, had been released by the Chiefs over the weekend but then signed to their practice squad. Originally a sixth-round draft choice by the Chiefs in 2000, Alford has been on the rosters of Kansas City, Dallas and the New York Jets but has played in only five regular-season games.
King started the Rams' exhibition opener against Chicago at left guard but subsequently was replaced by Chris Dishman in the starting lineup. Signed as an undrafted rookie out of Illinois State in 2002, King played five games with the Rams as a rookie, and in one game last season.
The Rams also added three players to their practice squad: offensive tackle Matt Morgan, defensive end-tight end Nick Burley and defensive end D.J. Renteria. Morgan and Burley were with the club in training camp; Renteria, an undrafted rookie from New Mexico, was in the Houston Texans' camp.
(Gabriel B. Tait/P-D)
11:30 a.m. Wednesday update:
Jason Sehorn failed his physical exam this morning and will not be returning to the Rams.
The 10-year NFL veteran had agreed to terms Tuesday night on a one-year, $760,000 contract -- pending today's physical exam.
He suffered a broken foot in training camp in 2003 and rejoined the Rams late last season.
If he had passed his physical, he would have been on the practice field this afternoon and on the roster for Sunday's season-opening game against Arizona at the Edward Jones Dome.
Post-Dispatch NFL Writer Jim Thomas will have more on the Sehorn story this afternoon.
* * *
Here is the story about Sehorn's attempted comeback that was posted last night on STLtoday.com:
After 10 seasons in the NFL, Jason Sehorn finally has figured out how to cut down on his football injuries.
"I'm on the best program ever - no training camp," Sehorn said.
Additional surgery in February appears to finally have fixed the foot Sehorn injured in the Rams' 2003 training camp in Macomb, Ill.
He says he feels great, so great, in fact, that he is resuming his career with the Rams.
Sehorn, 33, is scheduled to arrive at Rams Park this morning for a physical and to meet with team officials. If he passes his physical, Sehorn will be signed and on the practice field this afternoon.
He agreed to terms Tuesday night on a one-year, $760,000 contract.
"It's one of those things where as someone who's been in football for the last 15 years of my life, it's hard just to say, 'OK, no more,'" Sehorn said.
When last seen in these parts, Sehorn was lunging unsuccessfully for Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith on Jan. 10 at the Edward Jones Dome. Smith scored on a 69-yard reception, giving the Panthers a dramatic - no, make that stunning - 29-23 double-overtime playoff victory over St. Louis.
The play seemed to reinforce the belief that Sehorn had lost his speed, and it was time to retire. But Sehorn's foot still was bothering him at the time.
"And it's partly my fault," Sehorn said. "I can't blame that on anybody else. I'm the one that went out and played and did everything on it. But this time, I had nine months to let it heal."
Last season, he returned to the field 2 1/2 months after the injury.
"I could never do anything," he said. "I couldn't go left or right. I couldn't dig. It's kind of frustrating. But at that point, you want to play. So you're constantly fighting - I felt like salmon swimming against the stream. It's not the fun way to swim."
Sehorn indicated he is in decent shape.
"To the extent that I'm always in shape, and I always like to work out, and just keep myself in the condition I'm in," he said. "Football shape, well, I haven't played football in eight months."
He said he talked with several teams in the offseason about playing in 2004.
"But I had the same situation with everybody," Sehorn said. "I wasn't going to training camp. I'm not pushing my luck. Unfortunately for me, three of my major injuries have all happened in training camp."
Included in that group was a season-ending knee injury in 1998 returning a kickoff in the New York Giants' exhibition opener.
One guard is cut, another is signed
On Tuesday, the Rams released offensive guard Andy King and signed offensive guard Darnell Alford. Alford signed to a one-year contract, according to his agent, St. Louisan Jim Steiner.
Alford, 27, had been released by the Chiefs over the weekend but then signed to their practice squad. Originally a sixth-round draft choice by the Chiefs in 2000, Alford has been on the rosters of Kansas City, Dallas and the New York Jets but has played in only five regular-season games.
King started the Rams' exhibition opener against Chicago at left guard but subsequently was replaced by Chris Dishman in the starting lineup. Signed as an undrafted rookie out of Illinois State in 2002, King played five games with the Rams as a rookie, and in one game last season.
The Rams also added three players to their practice squad: offensive tackle Matt Morgan, defensive end-tight end Nick Burley and defensive end D.J. Renteria. Morgan and Burley were with the club in training camp; Renteria, an undrafted rookie from New Mexico, was in the Houston Texans' camp.
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