Just three days before the season opener, and the St. Louis Rams' injury slate remains very clean. The only player whose status seems uncertain for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals is strong safety James Butler. Butler missed all four preseason games with a medial collateral ligament injury in his right knee. Butler suffered the injury in practice during the first week of training camp.

This has been the first week since the injury that Butler has done any substantive work during practice.

"He did more (today)," coach Steve Spagnuolo said after Thursday's practice. "We still kind of had him limited. He did a lot of work with the scout team, but he's slowly working his way back into playing speed."

Craig Dahl will start in Butler's place against Arizona, but Spagnuolo said he still hopes to have Butler on the game-day active list. If not, the only safety behind Dahl and Oshiomogho Atogwe is undrafted rookie Dorian Stewart.

Dodging raindrops, the team practiced indoors Thursday.