Rams Camp : Two Top Draft Choices Are Unsigned, Unseen
There were rumors floating around Monday that the Rams had opened training camp at their Anaheim practice facility.
But if this was really the start of camp, then there would be a couple of juicy holdout stories today.
The Rams’ top two draft picks, safety Jerry Gray of Texas and receiver Chuck Scott of Vanderbilt, didn’t show up for Monday’s, uh, week-before-training-camp training camp.
But the Rams technically won’t consider them holdouts until all of the rookies are due to report to Cal State Fullerton next Monday.
Ram Coach John Robinson started whatever the team was doing Monday a week earlier this season so he could take a longer look at the rookies and assorted free agents and veterans.
Call them what you will, Gray and Scott weren’t there.
“It’s always disappointing,” Robinson said. “You feel like a guy needs every chance, every play. It’s a negative thing. If it goes on, everybody loses.”
This will be the year of the holdout in the NFL. Only 4 of 28 first-round draft picks have signed so far. Management is loudly responding to escalating salaries caused by the bidding war between the NFL and the United States Football League. With the USFL struggling financially, players have lost considerable leverage.
Gray is one of those players.
How far apart are Gray and the Rams? “It’s a pretty big distance,” Gray’s agent, Calvin Guidry, said Monday. “But not a distance that can’t be overcome.”
Gray, in fact, flew into town Monday evening and will watch today’s practice from the sidelines. He’ll also attend meetings and film sessions this week.
“He feels as if he might miss some substantial information if he wasn’t here,” Guidry said.
Running back Eric Dickerson, who is trying to renegotiate his contract this season after breaking the NFL’s single-season rushing record in 1984, worked out lightly with teammate Ivory Sully earlier in the afternoon. But Dickerson, back in town after vacationing at home in Sealy, Tex., was in no mood to discuss current negotiations.
“No comment,” Dickerson said. “Because I know what the topic is.”
That topic, of course, is whether he will join all the others when the veterans are scheduled to be here July 29.
In case anyone’s still wondering, the Rams still haven’t traded quarterback Vince Ferragamo. The Rams have already told Ferragamo he won’t be their quarterback in 1985. But what if he still has not been traded by July 29? Will he be asked to stay home? Will the Rams have him shag balls?
“Something will be resolved before camp,” Robinson said.
But isn’t this getting a bit sticky?
“Let’s wait until it gets sticky,” Robinson said. “If it gets sticky, then I’ll tell you how sticky it is.”
Ram Notes
The Rams signed seven free agents Monday, bringing their roster count to 90. Joining the Rams were offensive lineman Bob Anae (6-4, 265, BYU), Larry Baker (6-4, 260, Cal State Fullerton), defensive backs Jim Palmer (6-0,202, Boise State); Holbert Johnson (5-9, 182, New Mexico State) and Ed St. Geme (6-2, 200, Stanford; and wide receivers Ricky Martin (6-3, 200 New Mexico) and Samuel Moore (6-2, 195), Sam Houston State). . . . Former USC tailback Charles White worked out Monday and was impressive, according to Coach John Robinson. “His quickness is still there,” he said. “I didn’t expect him to be that good that quick. Physically, he’s in outstanding shape.”
