Camp Day 2: Avery practices; no sign of Jackson (updated)
MEQUON, Wis. — Perhaps motivated by the strong showing of fellow rookie wideout Keenan Burton at Friday’s opening camp practice, Donnie Avery signed a four-year contract Saturday. He missed the morning workout, but joined the team for the afternoon practice.
“He looked good, fresh legs and very lively,” coach Scott Linehan said. “I didn’t notice that he had any issue with mental things. It was good to have him, because we need depth, number one, and he also needed the reps to catch up with the couple of practices he missed.”
Avery’s deal is worth $4.8 million, with $2,775,000 guaranteed.
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Still AWOL was running back Steven Jackson, who is holding out for a contract extension. Coach Scott Linehan said nothing had changed: Jackson wasn’t here, and the Rams won’t negotiate with his agent, Eugene Parker, until he is. In the meantime, Jackson is being fined $15,000 per day.
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Other notes & quotes:
>>The defense stood out in 11-on-11s in both practices Saturday. At least six passes were picked off, and the unit also was stout against the run.
>>The players were in full pads for the first time in the morning and shells (shorts and shoulder pads) in the afternoon.
>>First-team CB Fakhir Brown has a slight rotator cuff tear in his left shoulder and will be out up to three weeks. Ron Bartell is working with the first unit in his absence.
>>DE Victor Adeyanju (hamstring), LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee) and WR Keenan Burton (ankle) were slowed a bit but took part in virtually all the drills.
>>The tight ends were frequent targets on pass plays.
>>Second-year WR Derek Stanley, who figures to be in a fight for a roster spot, has made several eye-popping grabs.
>>QB/golfer Marc Bulger finished third in the club championship at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh.
>>Mallory Hoke, a Rams PR intern during camp, is the daughter of Jon Hoke, a former assistant under Larry Smith at Mizzou and currently the defensive backs coach for the Houston Texans.
>>Be sure to click here to see Chris Lee’s camp photos.
All for now . . . more on Sunday.
Linehan knew on Thursday that Jackson would be a holdout, yet he didn’t say anything about it. Seems to me having your only real running threat missing camp would make you do everything you could to settle the deal. Linehan still seems clueless about how to do anything like a real head coach. And not negotiating until he shows up? Stupid, stupid stupid. Make the deal, make your star happy, and let’s try to run a football team for a change.