HOW THE RAMS STACK UP : ON OFFENSE

Quarterback

* The Starter: Jim Everett.

* The Challengers: Chuck Long, Mike Pagel.

* The Longshot: Bobby San Jose.

* Comments: The most interesting battle is at the backup spot, where the recently signed, very experienced Pagel has a legitimate shot to unseat Long. But as always, the passing game goes as far as Everett takes it. When he’s harried and uncomfortable (like last year), it stalls out. When he’s in rhythm and humming (like 1989), the Rams fly up the field.

* Status: Solid as ever.

* Compared to last year: The Rams relied way too much on Everett last season, and his so-so results showed it. Everett is at his best when he isn’t forced to manufacture 30-yard passes out of thin air, and that’s why the Rams are devoting so much energy to making sure they have a running attack that can distract defenses and give him time to breathe.

Tailback

* The Starter: Cleveland Gary.

* The Challenger: Marcus Dupree.

* The Longshots: Aaron Emanuel, David Lang, Ron Slack, Brian Brown.

* Comments: Robinson says Gary and Dupree march into camp dead even. Since neither has attended a full NFL training camp, it should be fascinating to give them the football and watch them go. Both are extremely talented, but with trouble spots: Can Gary hold onto the football? Can Dupree’s knee hold up for the long haul?

* Status: Intriguing.

* Compared to last year: 1990 was the first time in Robinson’s term that the Rams didn’t have a 1,000 yard-rusher. Not that Gary couldn’t have done it (he had 808 in 204 carries), but his playing time was restricted by persistent dropsies (12 fumbles). Dupree is the wildest wild card in football, whetting everybody’s appetite last year after spending five years out of football because of a severe knee injury. When Gary was out, the Rams didn’t have anybody who could bang out consistent yards. Now, with Gaston Green in Denver and Dupree looking as if five years off is a good thing, maybe they do.

Fullback

* The Starter: Buford McGee.

* The Challengers: Robert Delpino, Mosi Tatupu.

* The Longshots: Tyrone Shelton, Ernie Thompson.

* Comments: There’s no real starter here because Robinson plans to rotate freely, with Tatupu playing on short-yardage and pass-protection downs, Delpino when the Rams want another receiver and McGee the rest of the time. McGee, however, is coming off a wrist injury.

* Status: Plentiful.

* Compared to last year: McGee had to carry the entire load in ‘90, did it remarkably well, but probably physically won’t be able to do it again. The Rams hope to divide the time, especially to give Delpino more opportunity to touch the ball more than the 28 times he did last year. Tatupu gives them the crunching muscle-back the offense lacked. Shelton, a seventh-round pick, might be the future here.

Wide Receivers

* The Starters: Flipper Anderson, Henry Ellard.

* The Challengers: Aaron Cox, Derrick Faison.

* The Longshots: Stacey Bailey, Jarrod Delaney, Danny James, Bernard Blackmon, Greg Harris, Jimmy Raye, Michael Thomas.

* Comments: They keep putting up the numbers, and there’s no reason Anderson and Ellard won’t bedevil secondaries for another year or five. But who backs them up? Cox is a pure burner who misses tons of time because of his tender hamstrings. Faison is a raw talent who the team hopes is ready to step up and deliver quality play.

* Status: Established.

* Compared to last year: This might be the year the focus shifts to Anderson, who for two years has had to pick his spots between the offense’s dependency on Ellard. If the offense is more balanced, that means defenses won’t be able to double-team Anderson every time he flies up the middle seam. This also might be the year Cox will show he can stay healthy, after another lost season in ’90.

Tight End

* The Starter: Damone Johnson.

* The Challengers: Jim Price, Pat Carter.

* The Longshots: Corwin Anthony, Kirk Kirkpatrick.

* Comments: If Price can find those open spots, gain Jim Everett’s trust and hold onto the ball, losing veteran first-down-maker Pete Holohan to Plan B might not be too costly. Johnson and Carter are primarily run-blockers, which probably won’t change too much since the Rams are talking about using more two-tight end sets.

* Status: Unspectacular.

* Compared to last year: With Holohan, 49 catches and about two first downs per game walked out the door. Even if Price is just as good, it’ll take Everett some time to adjust. The Rams hope Johnson or Carter develop into more of a two-way threat than last year (20 catches between them).

Tackles

* The Starters: Jackie Slater, Irv Pankey.

* The Challengers: Gerald Perry, Robert Cox, Neal Fort.

* The Longshots: Brian Inman, Jeff Pahukoa, Dustin Quinton.

* Comments: This could be the beginning of the end for the bookends--Slater and Pankey are a combined 70 years old and have 28 years of NFL experience. But exactly how the changeover shakes out is difficult to predict. Perry, who had drug and alcohol problems while with the Broncos, is a proven left tackle, but where does that leave Pankey? Slater is 37, but he made the Pro Bowl again last year. The coaches still like Cox, but when is he going to get the playing time?

* Status: Change is in the wind.

* Compared to last year: Generally, the Rams were unhappy with their offensive line in ‘90, so nobody’s safe from change--a big departure from years past in Ramland. The big change is Perry, who is the young talent the Rams desperately need to stay straight. Last year, the Rams went into camp knowing exactly who they’re starting five would be. This year, it’s anybody’s guess.

Guards

* The Starters: Duval Love, Bern Brostek.

* The Challengers: Joe Milinichik, Perry, Pankey.

* The Longshots: Darren Grudt, Peter Tucker, David McKinnon, Ivor Filiaga.

* Comments: Anything can happen at this position. The Rams already have moved two-time Pro Bowl left guard Tom Newberry to center to create room for Brostek. Love, the other member of the Old Guard, could get pushed out by any one of a handful of bigger, stronger linemen.

* Status: Crowded.

* Compared to last year: Robinson definitely wanted to get mammoth at guard, and with 300-plus pound Brostek in there, he has done exactly that. While Newberry and Love weren’t exactly midgets out there last year, Robinson wants to blow people off the line this year.

Center

* The Starter: Tom Newberry.

* The Challenger: Doug Smith.

* The Longshot: Trevor Ryals.

* Comments: The Rams have always thought Newberry was more suited to play center than guard, and now they’ve given themselves a chance to prove it. Newberry’s quickness, savvy and strength could give the Rams a dominant center for a decade, which is basically what they got out of Smith.

* Status: Younger.

* Compared with last year: Smith was a six-time Pro Bowler, an institution, but he is 34 now, and the Rams thought his play declined noticeably last year. Newberry is in his prime, doesn’t seem worried about the switch, and there’s always Smith behind him if things don’t work out.

Kickers

* The Starters: Tony Zendejas, Dale Hatcher.

* The Longshots: Keith English, John Hopkins.

* Comments: You can’t get much more change than two-for-two, and that’s the way the Rams are headed, with Zendejas set to be their field-goal kicker and Hatcher the front-runner for the punting spot. Last year, both spots were weak, and all the Rams want is consistency this season.

* Status: Fresh legs.

* Compared to last year: Mike Lansford strained a muscle in his leg early, then just petered out, ending nine solid years as the Rams’ kicker. Zendejas, with a little more left in his leg than Lansford, is the same type of consistent, game-on-the-line kicker that Robinson loves. Hatcher replaces Keith English, who was inconsistent. Hatcher has a booming leg, and maybe he found consistency during the year he has been away from the Rams.