PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Tight End McNeal Signs With Team

After a night of thinking it over, Travis McNeal officially became a backup Ram tight end Thursday. McNeal chose to rejoin Chuck Knox rather than return to the Seattle Seahawks, the team that released them both.

McNeal flew to Orange County on Wednesday, planning to sign with the Rams, who needed a tight end to replace Damone Johnson, whose shoulder injury put him on the injured-reserve list.

But also on Wednesday, Seattle starter Paul Green severely hurt his shoulder in practice. So even though McNeal was at Rams Park on Wednesday afternoon, he was not officially a Ram, and the Seahawks made a quick attempt to get him back.

“I thought about it long last night,” McNeal said. “I was tossing and turning in my sleep, thinking about it, weighing the options. . . . I thought well, ‘They let me go, maybe the best thing for me is a change.’ ”

Defensive end Robert Young practiced for the second consecutive day without noticeable problems, and it appears he will be activated for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.

“He looks good,” Knox said. “He got banged around in there yesterday and today and his shoulder wasn’t bothering him, so that’s a good sign.”

The Rams won’t have to make a decision on Young, whose left shoulder injury forced him onto the injured-reserve list before Week 1, until Saturday, Knox said.