At some point in the next three weeks or so the St. Louis Rams will probably open their training camp, being held for the third year in a row at the Russell Center. And what better way to get ready for practicing under the oppressive Missouri summer heat than...practicing in the oppressive Missouri heat? That is exactly what a group of Rams offensive linemen are doing.
Urged to head outside into the heat by offensive tackle Ryan McKee, Rodger Saffold, Jacob Bell, Jason Brown, and Drew Miller spent some time in the triple digit heat yesterday running drills. And, for the perfect suburban St. Louis tie-in, they were doing it behind a strip mall in St. Charles, strip malls being the preferred retail vehicle of urban sprawl.
This isn't the first time members of the Rams offensive line have gotten together to practice during the lockout. They joined Sam Bradford for a round of informal player workouts earlier this summer as well as practicing on their own, at this place in St. Chuck. The makeup of the group has varied at times. Saffold had spent some time this summer training in Florida at IMG Academies.
Rams coaches and staffers from the front office are getting out in the heat today, traveling to Joplin for relief work.