PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Hatcher Released; Helton Signed

Dale Hatcher’s second tour with the Rams ended Wednesday when the team released him and signed free agent Barry Helton, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers. Hatcher, whose average of 38.1 yards a punt was the lowest in the NFL this season, signed with the Rams last spring after staying out of football last year. Previously, he was the Rams’ punter for five seasons.

“I talked to Coach (John) Robinson, and he said I wasn’t getting it done in the game,” Hatcher said after getting the news. “I can understand that. I wasn’t.

“It hurts. You get cut, you just feel like a reject. And I guess you are. But that’s the way it is.”

Hatcher said special teams coach Gil Haskell advised him to try to iron out his problems in the World League of American Football.

“I just have to get it together,” Hatcher said. “Actually, this year I thought I really would. I really did. I had a good feeling about it. . . . And it’s not physical, it’s just sometimes I press in the games; I try too hard. And you can’t do that, you just have to be yourself and be natural.”

Robinson said the Rams picked Helton, released by the 49ers this summer after three seasons, because of his experience and the aggressive nature of this Sunday’s opponent. The Rams play the Atlanta Falcons at Anaheim Stadium.

“Atlanta comes with eight guys, so you need a guy who can get the ball off,” Robinson said. “This gives us a chance to work with a guy.”

The Rams added 275-pound tight end Frank Hartley, who went unselected in this year’s draft, to their practice squad.