Fakhir Brown's assertion that he missed his routine drug test because he was at his youth football camp and not at his home address might be the best news of all for the Rams so far during training camp. His claim can be independently verified, so logic says that his appeal should be successful, even with the new hard line approach from the league.

The biggest hang up will be the date of the appeal, which I cannot find a scheduled date for around the internet. If he can have his case heard sooner rather than later, he can get back in with the first team and get his reps in camp and the preseason. Otherwise, the Rams have to continue to plan for the contingency that he will miss the four games.

Express your opinion on the Brown situation in the poll to your right.

Proof that it just doesn't pay to volunteer for stuff. (kidding)

Why's it important for 7th rounders Keith Jackson Jr. and Derek Stanley to make the roster? Well, with only $28,000 in guaranteed money in their contracts, they'll need to find a night gig to pay rent if they don't make the team and start earning their 3 year, $1.14 million contracts.

Romberg and McCollum aren't making the decision process any easier for Linehan et al. Word is that both are looking great and battling it out for the starting job. As far as handicapping the race, I'd have to think that the tie goes to McCollum, just because of his experience under Bulger, but at 37 and coming off an injury shortened season, McCollum's automatically a risk. Having the future starting center in Romberg, 27, competing this closely for the job though guarantees him a good number of snaps through the regular season so that the Rams can rest McCollum and get the Bulger/Romberg tandem prepared to work together for the coming seasons.