Rams : Redden Breaks Silence, Still Looking for Trade
Six veterans and top draft choice Mike Schad were missing when all players were supposed to report Saturday, but it was a memorable day in the Rams’ training camp at Cal State Fullerton.
Barry Redden talked. The unhappy running back broke his year-long silence.
“There were a lot of mixed feelings,” Redden said about his silence. “Rather than say the wrong thing, I felt it was best to saying nothing at all. Sometimes things are a little bit hard to put into words. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but to express it to someone else would have been difficult.”
His claim to fame since the Rams drafted him out of the University of Richmond on the first round in 1982 was an ability to bench press a club-record 515 pounds, but he has been regarded as little more than a reliable understudy to Eric Dickerson.
Redden may have hurt his own cause by ignoring the Rams’ spring mini-camp. Coach John Robinson couldn’t find him to tell him of his plans to move him into the starting lineup at fullback in a return to a two-back offense, so Robinson acquired the rights to Rob Carpenter from the New York Giants.
“I was seeking a trade,” Redden said. “I’m not sure I went about it the right way, but I sat down and talked with Coach Robinson a few weeks ago and he said he’d do everything he could to accommodate me.”
Redden has only 235 rushing attempts in his four seasons, including playoffs, and has averaged 4.8 yards.
Schad’s agent, Gil Scott of Toronto, said Saturday that he hadn’t talked to Ram negotiator John Shaw in two or three days.
“It’s not him (Schad) that’s holding out,” Scott said by phone. “They’re the ones that are holding it up. They haven’t even really negotiated. All they’ve said is, ‘Here it is, take it or leave it.’ Schad, a 6-5, 290-pound offensive tackle from Queen’s University in Canada, was the 23rd player selected on the first round. The 22nd player, offensive tackle Mike Haight from Iowa, signed for $1.3 million with the New York Jets, while the 24th player, defensive end Bob Buczkowski from Pittsburgh, signed for $1.2 million with the Raiders, both for four years.
The Rams are believed to be offering Schad $900,000.
Ram Notes
Unsigned veterans failing to report were wide receiver Henry Ellard, linebackers Mel Owens and Jim Collins, nose tackles Shawn Miller and Charles DeJurnett and defensive end Doug Reed. “I’m concerned,” Robinson said. “The first week of training camp may be the most important period. But you practice the guys that are here. Maybe that begins to change the shape of your team.” Seventy-eight players were in camp. . . . Tight end David Hill showed up at about 245 pounds, down perhaps 30 or 35 from last season. . . . Defensive back Eric Harris reported but still has a back problem.