Punches fly despite no-hitting practice at Rams Park
On a day when coach Steve Spagnuolo dialed back the hitting, going without a live-tackling session for the first time since the second day of St. Louis Rams training camp, the first fight of the preseason broke out. The combatants Monday morning were tight end Billy Bajema and safety James Butler, who apparently felt that Bajema hit him too low. A few punches were thrown, but no damage was done.
“I’d rather not have it, because it slows down practice,” Spagnuolo said. “But I understand it, because we are getting some hard, physical work done. It got defused pretty quick.”
Notes & quotes:
*Spagnuolo confirmed that WR Donnie Avery has a stress fracture in his left foot and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.
*At this time, the Rams aren’t planning to bring in another WR, Spagnuolo said. But that could change.
*DE Leonard Little (neck) suited up but didn’t take part in team work. Victor Adeyanju took over his spot on the left side with the first team.
*S Craig Dahl (hamstring) and DT Adam Carriker (ankle) remained out. FB Mike Karney (ankle) again was limited to individual drills.
*For the second consecutive day, rookie James Laurinaitis took all the reps at MLB with the first unit, and Chris Draft lined up at SLB.
*Rookie CB Bradley Fletcher picked off a pass from Brock Berlin in 11-on-11s and returned it to the end zone.
*T Jason Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, had a rough time in one-on-one line drills. Smith is adjusting to the right side after playing LT at Baylor.
All for now . . . more following the afternoon practice.
I think the Rams are fine at WR. Let Burton, Foster and Stanley continue to develop. Tim Carter, Curry and Laurent Robinson are young vets with varing skill sets. Carter is elusive with good hands, Curry is strong and athletic to the ball and Laurent Robinsn has good size and speed. If the O Line protects, Bulger stays poised and Jackson runs hard the receivers will make plays when called upon.
Carricker is hurt again? Is he officially labeled a bust yet? Think he should be moved to DE its way to physical inside for him.
The loss of Avery hurts but remember we have two very good pass catching TE’s in McMichael and the young Daniel Fells as well as Bejema. They should take up some of the receiving slack as well as Jackson out of the back field. Coaching adjustments (unlike the last staff) and we’ll be fine.
” (Sniff, Sniff) We will rally around Kennan Burton (Crying continues) and we will play good football”.
It could happen, you never know!
The bengals cut RB Kenny Watson a good back up running back who can catch it out the backfield and return kicks. Rams should take a look.
I agree with BIGHORN. Move Carriker back to DE his natural position!
Imagine that, a black guy starts throwing punches because he thinks he was ‘disrespected’.
Kariyan, could you be any more ignorant? He was upset because he got hit low and could have been injured. It has nothing to do with feeling disrespected or him being black.
I’d like to see the entire squad get into a prison yard type brawl as a way of making a mental break from the culture of losing mentality developed, especially over the last two years …you know come out of it with loose teeth, sore jaws and a rage to take it out on the teams in the schedule ahead.
Kariyan, are you just being an idoit or a-hole?