PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Scrimmage Will Provide Chances

The Rams’ weeklong advance camp will end this morning with a scrimmage against the San Diego Chargers at UC Irvine. Full training camp will begin at 5:45 p.m., when the veterans report.

After 12 practices without most of the veterans, the young Ram players will have one of their best opportunities to showcase themselves today.

“There’ve been a lot of guys over the years that have suddenly jumped out in a drill like this,” Coach Chuck Knox said. “Maybe a guy doesn’t run real well in agility drills, but now, as linebacker, he’s in there, he’s a hitter. I mean, bang, you see it, it jumps out at you.”

In addition to the rookies, Knox pointed to second-year players David Lang and Ernie Thompson, both running backs, and linebacker Roman Phifer as players he will be watching carefully today.

The day will consist of several drills, then a controlled, full-unit scrimmage.

Hours before tonight’s scheduled check-in time for veterans, Ram sources confirmed the team has reached contract agreement with three unsigned veterans and is close with a fourth.

Tight end Pat Carter, running back Marcus Dupree and punter Barry Helton all have agreed to terms, and cornerback Darryl Henley could be added to the list by report time.

The other unsigned Ram veterans are safety Michael Stewart, receiver Aaron Cox and tackle Jackie Slater.

No. 2 draft pick Steve Israel missed his sixth day of advance camp Monday and remains far from a deal--the two sides apparently are more than $300,000 a season apart on discussions for a three-year deal. The last serious negotiations took place last Friday.

Jim Everett and Mike Pagel, the Nos. 1 and 2 quarterbacks, will sit out today’s scrimmage, giving ninth-round pick T.J. Rubley a chance.

Rubley, scheduled to split scrimmage time today with free agent Matt Veatch, will start to see less and less practice action as Everett rounds into form.

“At this point, he’s gotten a lot of work, we’ve given him half of everything and now he gets a chance to go against somebody,” quarterback coach Ted Tollner said of Rubley. “We’ve overloaded him on the front end to give him the best chance to do something tomorrow.”

Said Rubley: “I know they’d like to keep three (quarterbacks). So to me that means they want to keep three good ones, and hopefully I can be one of those three.”