Rams Like Looks of a Rookie, 34
Dieter Brock, a free agent from the Canadian Football League, may be the Rams’ next starting quarterback.
“I’m very impressed with him,” Coach John Robinson said after Brock had thrown for about 15 minutes in a tryout at Rams Park Monday.
Afterward, Brock’s agent, Gil Scott of Toronto, met in preliminary negotiations with Ram vice president John Shaw, who also watched the tryout. Scott probably will seek a four-year package totaling about $2 million--roughly what his client has already been offered by the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers.
Brock’s showing clouds the future of Vince Ferragamo with the Rams. If the Rams sign Brock, who just turned 34, they probably will try to trade Ferragamo, who is almost 31 and missed most of last season with hand injuries.
Robinson had Brock throw several different types of passes. Brock, who is listed at 6 feet and 190 pounds, seemed to throw as far as 70 yards with a mere flick of his arm.
“He has a very strong arm and he can throw the ‘touch’ pass, (like) the up-and-down over the linebackers,” Robinson said.
But Robinson already had an idea about Brock’s abilities after watching highlights of his 11 seasons in the CFL--the first 9 1/2 with Winnipeg, the last 1 1/2 with Hamilton.
Robinson is determined to develop a strong passing threat to complement Eric Dickerson’s running. He does not seem to believe that any of his other three quarterbacks--Jeff Kemp, Steve Dils and Scott Tinsley--is the answer.
Brock, whose home is in Birmingham, Ala., played at Jacksonville State after transferring from Auburn, where he was a backup to 1971 Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan. In 1980 and ’81 he won the Schenley award as the CFL’s best player, and over the last five years has thrown for more yardage than any quarterback anywhere.
He became a free agent when his contract with the Tiger-Cats expired March 1. No National Football League team holds any claims on him.
Brock said Anaheim was the last stop after previous tryouts in Green Bay, Buffalo and Cleveland.