When Dick Vermeil visited the St. Louis Rams last August, the team carried a much different set of expectations. The rebuilding process had just brought in its centerpiece, QB Sam Bradford, and the last coach to lead the Rams to championship glory spoke highly of the rookie. Visiting camp today, Vermeil saw a much different team, one poised to take a big leap forward with a more seasoned group of players, players with real talent.
Vermeil spoke highly of Bradford last year, and spoke highly of where the team was headed. The coach turned winemaker acknowledged that it may take some time to put it all together. Vermeil is in St. Louis promoting his wines, which are quite good I must say. Maybe I'm just taking my homerism to a new level.
The receivers Vermeil watched today probably did not remind him of the Rams receivers he worked with during his tenure here. Still, the gaggle of players vying for a final spot on the roster looked sharp in practice today. ESPN's Mike Sando echoed Sam Bradford and Josh McDaniels' praise for Donnie Avery's efforts on the practice field today. Avery will play on Saturday against the Titans.
In other good news, Mike Sims-Walker practiced today and is likely to play this weekend as well. That's a pleasant change of events from earlier in the week when it looked like MSW would probably have to sit out this week. You don't need me to remind you that the Rams need all their receivers on the field battling for a roster spot.
Some good photos from practice today. Just click on the picture above to see more.
ESPN 97.5 in Houston, TX, had me on to preview the Rams on Tuesday. Here's the audio of my appearance; Rams preview Aug 16, just click on the link to listen.
Don't forget to vote for TST as the best St. Louis sports blog...even if you're itching to see the Rams return to SoCal, it's worth it (TST would, of course, follow the Rams wherever they end up).