PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Anderson Signs Three-Year Extension

The Rams, as expected, avoided what could have been a bitter holdout Thursday by signing wide receiver Flipper Anderson to a three-year contract extension.

Anderson, who was to have been paid $220,000 this season, received a signing bonus of about $300,000 and it is believed he will average more than $700,000 a season through 1994.

Anderson reported to the UC Irvine training camp Thursday morning and joined the team in the middle of the afternoon workout.

The Rams also signed two more players, No. 2 draft choice Roman Phifer, a linebacker from UCLA, and running back Robert Delpino, cutting the number of holdouts to eight, including No. 1 pick Todd Lyght.

The best evidence of the increased intensity of Ram practices was the airborne hit delivered by free safety Pat Terrell as receiver Derrick Faison caught a pass over the deep middle, a blow that later had defensive coaches playing a tape of it over and over again in admiration.

Another sign: Veterans Jackie Slater and Alvin Wright got in a minor scuffle.

Tailback Marcus Dupree practiced without a brace on his left knee for the first time since his devastating knee injury five years ago and said he had no problems.

“To me, he has regained his charisma, the aura of being a good runner,” Coach John Robinson said. “Those guys look different, you know? They’ve got something about them. He popped through there. The secondary was stopping the runner, and he just ran over one of the secondary guys. Just ran over him.”