Ellard Visits Rams and Wants to Find a Way He Can Stay
Henry Ellard, who hasn’t made an appearance at Rams Park in Anaheim all season, returned to practice Wednesday.
To the disappointment of many, though, he was there not to play but to watch. He returned to exchange handshakes and renew acquaintances, not to catch passes.
“I just wanted to show that I still feel like I’m part of the team,” said Ellard, the wide receiver who has missed the first six games of the 1986 season because of a contract dispute. “I just wanted to see how things were going.”
Ellard’s appearance was awkward, but symbolic. He was there in part to show the Rams and his teammates that he wants very much to be a part of their season. Of course, he has few options.
Ellard was not granted his wish to be traded to the Indianapolis Colts before Tuesday’s NFL trading deadline. He has little choice but to sign with the Rams or sit out the season.
“I have no other alternatives,” he said. “We’ll definitely try to work things out.”
Ellard said that he planned to become more involved in a negotiating process that has slowed to a crawl.
The issue of Ellard has become a battle of wills and words between Ellard’s agent, Mike Blatt, and the Rams chief negotiator, vice president John Shaw.
With neither side willing to budge, Ellard has decided to intervene.
He plans to meet with Shaw today at the Rams’ Los Angeles offices.
Shaw was attending an NFL owners meeting in Chicago Wednesday.
“I don’t know what it is, but I think something is going to work out,” Ellard said. “My mother keeps telling me they will. It’s just going to take a little time, a little effort and a little compromise.”
There had been little compromise between Shaw and Blatt. Blatt has publicly called Shaw a liar for claiming that Ellard had increased his contract demands since May.
Shaw has in recent weeks bypassed Blatt altogether and has called Ellard directly.
Ellard and Shaw last spoke to each other one week ago. The Rams have stuck by their offer of $1.2 million for four years. Ellard wants $1.39 million for three years.
Ellard said he spoke with Shaw about a five- or six-year contract and said that Shaw told him he would consider it. Ellard said that if a deal was made within a week, he would be ready to play against the Atlanta Falcons at Anaheim Stadium a week from Sunday.
Ellard said missing so much time wouldn’t affect a receiver as it would other players.
“It’s just a matter of running pass routes and going through the soreness of getting hit,” Ellard said.
Ellard met with some old friends after practice. He spoke briefly with Coach John Robinson. Before leaving the complex, Ellard picked up a Ram playbook.
“It’s frustrating to be standing here,” Ellard said as he watched the Rams practice. “I think of the things I can do out there and not being able to do it.”
Ram Notes Running back Eric Dickerson and receiver Bobby Duckworth missed Wednesday’s practice because of the flu. Both are expected back today. . . . Linebacker Carl Ekern, who has missed the last three games because of a groin pull, practiced in full pads Wednesday and is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions at Anaheim Stadium. . . . Coach John Robinson wouldn’t say for sure whether he was going to start Michael Young at wide receiver this week in place of Duckworth, who did not make a catch in last Sunday’s to Atlanta. “Mike will play more,” Robinson said. “It’s premature to say that we will make a change.”
