Afternoon Minicamp roundup: Rust never sleeps

by Ryan Van Bibber on May 1, 2009 3:46 PM CDT in 2009 Off-Season

Hopefully, you're expectations from the first day of minicamp weren't too great. It is minicamp after all, something more aking to a playbook study session than a full tilt practice with crunching hits and tempers flaring. July, that's when the real fun starts. In the meantime, however, this is a nice opportunity to grope (Chuck E Cheese style) at just what kind of team we've got. Be sure to click on the photo for a whole bunch more from minicamp today.

Some tidbits worth discussing...

Jason Smith practiced at RT with the second team. No worries. Unless, the guy's a complete flop, he'll work his way up to the first team by the time training camp rolls around.
Laurinaitis worked with the third team. I'm shocked we have enough LBs to have a third team. Spag's quote makes it sound like the rookies will work more with the starters as the camp progresses.
Ok, reading this item, I had to keep telling myself, "it's only rust," repeating it like a mantra. Bartell and Tye Hill struggling in coverage. Sheesh. Rust, rust, rust....
Setterstrom worked at C with the second team. He was all set to get some looks at C in camp last year before getting hurt. Setts has played okay when pressed into duty in the interior line in '06 and '07. If he can get stay healthy and get the snapping thing down, the Rams would have a nice sized backup center.

More randomness from across the web...

Steven Jackson is primed for a return to prominence with o-line upgrades.
CBS's Clark Judge thinks it should benefit Bulger too. We're counting on it.

Be sure to click on the more photos option on the photo above. We've got a slew of pics from today's minicamp.

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Comments

Oh my gosh...

We’d better knock the rust off quick and grease the skids. The whole NFC West is gonna surprise alot of folks this year. I suspect the Cards are still legitimate Super Bowl Contenders with Warner and Fitzgerald, and minus Edge. The Seahawks linebacking crew is downright scary with Hill, Tatupu, and now Aaron Curry. Plus Hasselbeck will have Housh to throw to this year. Mike Singletary and the 49ers were starting to roll last year and now they have Michael Crabtree (the steal of the draft) plus they dumped Mike Martz. I could see all three of these teams tied at 10-6 at the end of the regular season, with the Rams coming in at 6-10 having lost all 6 division games again.

by edpjr on May 1, 2009 9:32 PM CDT reply actions

Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky and I went horseback riding, but there weren't any horses around? Anyway, Brasky throws a saddle on my back and rides me around Wyoming for three days. Well, wouldn't ya know it, my stamina increased with each day, and I develop tremendous leg muscles. So anyway, Brasky decides to enter me into the Breeders Cup under the name Turkish Delight. And Im running in second place, and I'm running, and I break my ankle. So anyway, they're about to shoot me. Then someone from the crowd yells out, God bless him, Dont shoot him, he's a human.

by Tackle Box on May 1, 2009 11:11 PM CDT up reply actions

x

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on May 1, 2009 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions

are you serious?

Are you really in a panic because people look rusty the first day of spring? Please save your worries to yourself and not give other people unnecessary worries. Let’s be real here… Martz is not on the 49ers anymore… I’m not as worried about Crabtree as I would have been if Martz was still there. And no way all three are gonna be 10-6. They aren’t that good. Period.

by heinzketchup on May 2, 2009 12:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Once again....

more posts by people who want to live in an “optimistic” fantasy world. I’m not the panicky type catsup guy. But while I wish the Rams all the best, I’m a realist. I’d love for us to break a 3-4 year skid of losing to the Hawks twice per year. But, the points I addressed are quite reasonable. If you care to do so, please refute them with facts and valid arguments. And, WHO has Mike Martz helped in the last 8-9 years? He took a far superior Ram’s team, assembled largely by Dick Vermeil, to the 2002 Super Bowl and was badly out-coached by Bill Belichick. We lost. He dumped Kurt Warner too early. And, when we had a chance to beat Carolina in the last minute of the 2003 Divisional Playoffs, while their exhausted defense was gasping for air, Martz went for the tying FG instead. We lost in OT. Singletary was smart to lose him. Finally, going 6-10 this year would be a vast improvement for the Rams. Not everybody lucks out and reverses 180 degrees in one season like the Dolphins did. Winning six games this season might set us up to win 9 or 10 in 2010. Maybe by then Warner and Hasselbeck will be retired. So again, I contend that the NFC West is gonna be a heckuva lot better then most people think.

by edpjr on May 2, 2009 9:18 AM CDT reply actions

Everything's going to be okay.

by Tackle Box on May 2, 2009 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

What in the sam hell

is that?

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on May 2, 2009 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions

I think that's a mythical Griffin...

by edpjr on May 2, 2009 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought he played on the Titans

Oh, nevermind, that’s Michael Griffin.

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on May 2, 2009 6:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Once again....

Thanks for giving me the spiel about how Martz made bad calls in his life. Now what does that have to do with my argument that Crabtree would not be as productive in Raye’s offense as he would be in Martz’s offense? (It doesn’t). They drafted Coffee from Alabama so that tells me they are gonna do some more running next year. And how is my comment showing any optimism about how the Rams are gonna do this year? Are you assuming that I’m living in an “optimistic” fantasy world just because I’m telling you to keep your pessimistic comments to yourself? You don’t think I knew that last year was an aberration in everything football? Mia, Bal, and Atl turn everything around, ARI makes the Super Bowl, and 3 rookie RBs are in the top 10 in rushing. So don’t make assumptions. And I think 6 wins is plenty and beyond my expectations so why don’t you stop living in your pessimistic fantasy world and accept that people are going to be optimistic at the end of the draft and before mini-camp actually starts. And why don’t you back up your prediction that 3 teams in the NFC West can go 10-6.. I’ll give you a head start, NFC West plays the NFC North and the AFC South. In addition to that SEA – @DAL and TB, SF – ATL and @PHI, and ARI – @NYG and CAR. So why don’t you break down the records for me and actually show me some facts and figures.

by heinzketchup on May 2, 2009 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions

facts...?

I know this fall’s schedule as well as you. I live in NC and work right next to BOA stadium. So don’t put much credence in the Panthers with Jake Delhomme’s rebuilt arm and a disgruntled Julius Peppers. What do you know about TB minus Gruden and Dallas WITH Wade Phillips? I see a couple 8-8, or worse teams there. The NYG may go down a notch too without Plaxico and Toomer. It seems like I remember Warner and the Cards dispatching Atl, Car and Philly not too long ago. So, I hazard an educated guess that the NFC West IS going to be better than the NFC East or South in 2009. Oh, and the 49ers don’t only have Crabtree, they a RB named Gore who’s pretty good. Thus, I believe most thoughtful Ram fans will accept 6-10 this year as a vast improvement and look for us to draft a high-profile QB and some D-Linemen next April. TaTa

by edpjr on May 2, 2009 4:54 PM CDT reply actions

Schedule Outlook

Ya your close proximity to the Panthers means you automatically have more knowledge and better predictions about the Panthers, I didn’t know that. And apparently, you don’t know who we are facing because only two games for each team in the NFC West consist of teams from the NFC East for South. So, WOW your analysis just did nothing in helping me understand how 3 teams in the NFC West are going to go 10-6. I was expecting an analysis on the NFC North and AFC South teams, the other teams were a just-to-let-you-know thing. And the 49ers have Frank Gore? I did not know that.. is that some new pick up? Didn’t I just say that the 49ers are gonna do some more running with the addition of Glen Coffee? But we do agree on the 6-10 outlook on the Rams season. Having said that, there is no reason to HOPE for a better season if you love the Rams.

by heinzketchup on May 3, 2009 1:33 AM CDT reply actions

My close proximity to the Panthers...

…means that I can’t help but hear about them every day all day long in the local media. I think the Rams have a good shot at knocking off the Skins, Packers, Jags, Detroit, Texans and Saints (although the Texans could surprise everyone). That’s six wins – not bad. I think the other three NFC West teams can each knock off the Rams twice, plus the Jags, Texans and one or two of them might take down the Colts and/or Titans. They’ll all beat GB & Detroit and 2 out of 3 should nip the Vikings and Bears. I don’t think Atl, Car, TB, Dallas will be that tough – the NFC West teams probably win 3 of 4 here. The NYG will be weaker in 2009- even money on this one, and Philly may be a problem. Lastly, the Cards, SF and Hawks probably split their head-to-head games, or maybe the Cards sweep the Niners. That’s how I surmise we get to three 10-6 and one 6-10 team in the NFC West this year. However, it’s all a guesstimate and prediction based on available facts and opinions at this time. With very little deviation we could end up with an 11-5, 10-6, 9-7 and 6-10 teams. The unfortunate bottom line is that, even with dramatic improvement, the Rams very likely finish last for the 3rd season in a row.

by edpjr on May 3, 2009 2:04 PM CDT up reply actions