Wide receiver Mardy Gilyard has undergone surgery to repair a nagging wrist injury that bothered him even before he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams.

"He had it when he came here," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "I think he had it in Cincinnati."

Gilyard was a fourth-round draft pick last April out of the University of Cincinnati, and from the earliest days of spring minicamp and practices the wrist appeared to bother him.

"He battled the thing all season long," Spagnuolo said. "He had to put that little brace he had on it."

The surgery took place in mid January, with pins inserted in the wrist, and the wrist placed in a cast. Team medical officials hope Gilyard will be available for minicamps this spring, but want to make sure he takes the proper time to make sure the wrist fully heals.

At least four other Rams underwent surgery since the end of the season, most of which were minor procedures:

_ Cornerback Ron Bartell had a bone spur removed from his foot.

_ Linebacker Chris Chamberlain had calcium deposits cleaned out of his ankle.

_ Defensive end Chris Long had surgery to repair a late-season thumb injury.

_ Cornerback Jerome Murphy had surgery to repair a late-season finger injury. The pins that were inserted during surgery have already been removed.