PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Newberry Should See Action Monday

Newly signed center Tom Newberry reported to camp Friday, practiced, and is scheduled to play in Monday’s exhibition game against the San Diego Chargers. Newberry, who signed a four-year, $2.95-million deal Thursday, won’t start the game unless Doug Smith is still hobbled by a sore left ankle, but Coach John Robinson seemed eager to get Newberry quality time.

Newberry, a guard for his first five seasons, has been penciled in as the team’s center since the end of last season.

In a crucial stage-setter for the Rams’ negotiations with holdout Todd Lyght, the No. 1 draft pick, Denver Friday signed linebacker Mike Croel, taken one pick ahead of Lyght, to a five-year deal reportedly worth $1.3 million a season. Both Lyght and Croel are represented by Bob Woolf, who has indicated that Lyght should be paid about the same as Croel. The Rams’ last offer to Lyght was a five-year deal worth $900,000 a season.

Robinson said that because the Rams will play their next three games in a span of 10 days, he planned to cut eight to 10 players after Monday night’s game, a week before teams have to get down to 60. . . . Tailback Marcus Dupree didn’t practice again Friday after injuring his left foot on a late hit Wednesday, but both Robinson and Dupree seemed to think he could play Monday.

The Anaheim City Council this week approved a $1 increase in parking fees at Anaheim Stadium during the football season. Fans attending Ram games, as well as the Disneyland Pigskin game and the Freedom Bowl, must pay $6 to park in the stadium lot.