And just like that we've got all the football we can digest in no time flat. The St. Louis Rams starting lineup, and the entire roster, will evolve over the next six weeks, so every item about which player is working with which team should be treated as merely a snapshot. However, I did find it interesting that Larry Grant was taking reps as the team's starting outside linebacker.
Grant's presence is consistent with the decidedly Buckeye flavor of the Rams linebackers, though it comes as a bit of a surprise to see him working with the starters. We've known that camp this year would include a battle for the outside linebacker spots. However, it was expected that Bobby Carpenter, Na'il Diggs and David Vobora would be the primary names in the mix to work with James Laurinaitis in the middle.
So, what about Grant? Grant was aquired by the Rams in Nov. 2008, signed away from the 49ers practice squad. A seventh round pick that same year, Grant, at 250 lbs, brought size to what was then a relatively smallish group of 'backers. His size obviously fits with the mold Rams defensive coordinator Ken Flajole is looking for in his linebackers. Grant was working on the weakside, but they expect him to be able to cover both positions.
Grant mixed it up with the starters last summer too. A sprained knee suffered in the waning days of the preseason put him on the sidelines for two weeks. We'll see whether he stays in the mix for a starting job. I'm inclined to believe that Carpenter and Diggs or Vobora are still the lead horses in the OLB race, but I loves me some scrappy linebackers to root for.
Scrappiness, must be a St. Louis thing.