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  • #1

    Ramsey Stays Focused After Moving To Rams

    Ramsey stays focused after moving to Rams

    BY BILL COATS
    ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
    09/08/2009

    Until his junior year at Dominguez High in Compton, Calif., LaJuan Ramsey dreamed of the Olympics, not the NFL. He was a swimmer, a 50-meter sprinter, but his size — he's 6-feet-3 and 300 pounds — wasn't exactly suited for the pool.

    So he played football his junior and senior years, was a member of two national championship teams at Southern California and is preparing for his fourth NFL season. That he's doing so in St. Louis comes as quite a surprise to the 25-year-old defensive lineman.

    "This is all new to me, within the last 24 hours," Ramsey said Monday after his first practice with the Rams. "I was really expecting to, or working toward, being on the Tennessee Titans."

    But the Titans cut him Saturday, and the Rams grabbed him. They also picked up safety Anthony Smith, who was let go by Green Bay.

    Ramsey was a sixth-round draft pick by Philadelphia in 2006, Steve Spagnuolo's last season as the Eagles' linebackers coach. "One of the things that did impress me, as a rookie, he played both tackle and defensive end," Spagnuolo said. "I thought he did a nice job in the games at Tennessee this year. We'll see how he goes."

    Ramsey, who collected 24 tackles and an interception in 19 regular-season games with the Eagles and Colts, said he was impressed with Spagnuolo, too.

    "He's a good coach," Ramsey said. "I think he probably sees some of the same characteristics in me that he has. He a hard worker and nothing's been given to him. And that's how I feel: Nothing has been given to me in the NFL, and I'm still trying to work hard to receive the playing time, the recognition and just developing as a better player. ... "

    "I'm now focusing on being a Ram and beating the Seahawks" on Sunday in Seattle.

    A. SMITH ALSO ADJUSTS

    While Ramsey was surprised to be released, Smith was shocked. "I thought I performed really well" in the preseason, he said.

    The numbers back him up. The 6-foot, 200-pound Smith, 25, had 12 tackles — fifth among the Packers' defenders — two interceptions and a sack. The former third-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2006 said he believes that the determination to let him go came from the front office.

    "I think it was just (general manager) Ted Thompson's decision; all the coaches were pleased with my performance," Smith said. "Just got to roll with the punches, I guess."

    BULGER STILL ON HOLD

    Quarterback Marc Bulger still hasn't taken a snap under center since breaking the little finger on his right (throwing) hand three weeks ago. "It'll be another 48 hours before we practice again, and the hope is he'll be able to do it on Wednesday," Spagnuolo said. "At some point, we've got to test it and see how it feels to Marc, and then go from there."

    Several wounded players returned to practice Monday. Among them was running back Samkon Gado, who suffered cartilage damage to his ribs Thursday night vs. Kansas City. Also back on the field were guard Richie Incognito (knee), fullback Mike Karney (ankle) and defensive end Leonard Little (knee).

    Linebacker Larry Grant (knee) sat out and won't play Sunday, Spagnuolo said. Safety Craig Dahl (hamstring) was limited.

    Guard John Greco had surgery on the wrist he broke vs. the Chiefs. He's expected to miss two to three weeks.

    RAM-BLINGS

    The Rams completed their eight-man practice squad by re-signing rookie running back Chris Ogbonnaya, their seventh-round draft pick, and bringing in defensive end Bryan Smith, a second-year pro who was waived by the Eagles. ... Rookie tackle Jason Smith worked with the first team Monday, but Spagnuolo said he still hasn't decided who will line up where on the offensive line Sunday.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Ramsey Stays Focused After Moving To Rams

    I'm excited to see this defensive rotation we got going here. It'll be really cool to watch.

    I'm a little worried about Bulger though. I hope it turns out okay.

    Comment

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    • MauiRam
      Smith is striving to be a starter ..
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      Training camp is winding down, the regular-season opener is barely two weeks off, and the No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft still hasn’t earned a promotion to the first team. If that’s bothering Rams tackle Jason Smith, he isn’t letting on.

      “Coach told me when I first got here that there are a lot of steps you have to do to be a part of this team, and then there are a lot of steps you have to do to get on the field,” Smith said Friday. “I just want to take the proper steps.”

      Smith saw extended action Thursday night in the Rams’ 24-21 preseason victory at Cincinnati at both right and left tackle — but mostly with the second team.

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      “I don’t know that yet,” Spagnuolo said. “It depends on everybody around him, who’s playing where and how the rest of the guys are doing. We’ll just keep him on course.”

      Alex Barron is the starting left tackle, and that isn’t likely to change. Veteran Adam Goldberg has been manning the right side most of the time, with Smith contributing here and there.

      A left tackle in Baylor’s spread formation, Smith is adjusting to a different side and a different scheme as well as the leap to the NFL.

      “It’s a new deal: a new position, new playbook, new everything,” he said. “But the more reps you get at something, the more comfortable you get, the better you get at it.”

      Like Spagnuolo, Smith is willing to be patient.

      “I never look at my draft status or what (outside) people think,” he said. “I feel that I’m progressing at a steady pace.”

      INJURY UPDATE

      Guard Jacob Bell (concussion) and defensive tackle Adam Carriker (ankle) are expected to practice this week and could play Thursday night when Kansas City visits the Edward Jones Dome. Carriker has missed all three preseason contests; Bell was injured on the first series of the opener at the Meadowlands.

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      A status update wasn’t available on the ankle injury wide receiver Keenan Burton suffered vs. the Bengals or safety Craig Dahl’s sore hamstring. Also, Spagnuolo reported that cornerback Justin King “has got something with his thumb that we’re going to have X-rayed.”


      FLAJOLE MOVES UP

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    • r8rh8rmike
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      Rookie tackle Jason Smith's unexpected trip Sunday from the Edward Jones Dome to Barnes-Jewish Hospital was a stark illustration of the NFL's growing concern over head injuries.

      Smith suffered a concussion Nov. 22 against Arizona. Twice last week he failed a follow-up neurological exam and was kept out of uniform vs. Seattle.

      The No. 2 overall pick in the draft, Smith was watching from the sideline when he became dizzy and started vomiting late in the third quarter. "The doctors wanted to get some precautionary tests done to make sure there was nothing new going on with his concussion recovery," Jim Anderson, the Rams' head trainer, explained Monday. "All his tests were normal, and he was released afterward."

      Several players around the league were grounded Sunday while recovering from concussions. That group included quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh and Kurt Warner of Arizona, and running backs Brian Westbrook of Philadelphia and Clinton Portis of Washington.

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      Smith didn't argue that point Monday, although he did maintain that offensive linemen "get concussions all the time. You clear up and keep playing. I probably had one or two of them in camp while I was here. We hit helmet to helmet all the time, and you get a little woozy."

      Smith, who said he'd never missed a game because of a concussion, experienced a variety of symptoms last week. "I felt a lot of different ways," he said. "But yesterday I was feeling real bad."

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      "I feel the organization is doing a great job of making sure that I don't have anything that's lingering, to where I can play a hundred percent," he said. "Who knows? Tomorrow, I might be Superman again; right now, I'm just Batman — can't fly."

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    • r8rh8rmike
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      Although he was drafted 3½ years ago, James Wyche would be seeing action in just his third NFL regular-season game if the Rams decide to suit him up Sunday at Arizona.

      A seventh-round pick by Jacksonville in 2006, Wyche spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad. The 6-foot-5, 279-pound defensive end from Syracuse then missed all of the next two seasons, with a groin injury in 2007 and a torn Achilles' tendon in '08.

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      "I think I can do different things from different sides," Long said. "I've got some getting-used-to to do on the left side, but I feel good over there."

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      Lofty draft status notwithstanding, Jason Smith was told from the outset that nothing would be handed to him in St. Louis. A lot of steps needed to be taken before the offensive tackle from Baylor would find himself at the doorstep of the Rams' starting lineup.

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    • eldfan
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