Don’t tell Rams center Jason Brown that just because the Rams have been mired at the bottom of the NFC West the past two years they can’t soar to the top this season. After all, Brown has seen it before.

He was with the Ravens in 2007, when they were 5-11 and finished last in the AFC North. Then last season, with a new coach (John Harbaugh) and a rookie quarterback (Joe Flacco), the Ravens went 11-5 and made the playoffs.

The Rams also have a new coach in Steve Spagnuolo, and Brown, an offseason pickup, senses a winning atmosphere building at Rams Park.

“In Baltimore you had some big-name guys, Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Todd Heap, we had Jamaal Lewis there, ‘Prime Time’ Deion Sanders his last year in the league. And it’s very different” here, Brown said Thursday at minicamp. “I feel more of a sense of humility here. Don’t get me wrong, we have a team filled with talent, but we’re hungry. There’s a ton of humility and (we’re) definitely buying into the new coaching staff. And that’s where a lot of the enthusiasm has started with Coach ‘Spags’ coming in.

“When I had my free-agent visit here, I could just feel the enthusiasm. It starts with the head coach and then him bringing in a great group of assistant coaches. Then he brought in myself and some other guys in free agency and then the rest of the younger guys, a great rookie class and just building it with a foundation of work ethic, discipline and knowing that we’re going to come together and we’re going to achieve our accomplishments as a team.”

<><><>

Notes & quotes:

*Quinton Culberson took some reps at weakside LB. He’s been used mostly on the strongside during his two seasons with the Rams.

*Rookie CB Bradley Fletcher and safety Craig Dahl had interceptions in team drills.

*Spagnuolo again had referees on the field, looking for infractions.

*QB Kyle Boller’s right arm is a gun. Obviously he’s fully recovered from the shoulder surgery he had last September.

*Nate Jones took a few reps with the first unit in multi-WR sets.

*RB Steven Jackson reports that he’s “much stronger” after working with new strength coach Rock Gullickson.

*Under new defensive coordinator Ken Flajole, the CBs will “press” the WRs at the line of scrimmage more often. That, in turn, will benefit the safeties, Oshiomogho Atogwe pointed out. ““It takes a little bit of the speed out of it, allowing us to expand our vision and kind of feel things more than if the receivers are right up in your face,” he explained.

*Minicamp continues with two more practices Friday.

All for now . . .