Hearst Tantalizes; Bates Has Appeal, Though Not a Lott : Rams: Georgia back is appealing but probably beyond reach because of the price to trade up. Bettis is possibility.

The Rams, who considered offering the New England Patriots all of their picks in today’s NFL draft to acquire Georgia running back Garrison Hearst, have apparently decided to stay put. If he is available, they are expected to select Notre Dame running back Jerome Bettis.

“Ground Chuck,” Bettis said. “Just the thought of playing for Chuck Knox gets me pumped up. Let’s hope that’s the way it goes.”

The Rams, who are picking 10th, remain sold on Hearst, but after talking trade with the first four teams in the first round, they have found the price for moving forward prohibitive.

The Phoenix Cardinals have made it known that they will take Hearst with the fourth selection. The New York Jets, who are picking third, were mulling an offer from Tampa, but still were expected to take Florida State linebacker Marvin Jones.

Seattle has the second choice and will take whichever quarterback New England does not select. The Seahawks prefer Washington State’s Drew Bledsoe, but might wind up with Notre Dame’s Rick Mirer.

The Indianapolis Colts, who draft 16th and are interested in Hearst, reportedly offered the Patriots defensive lineman Jon Hand and first-, second- and third-round picks in today’s draft. The Patriots are holding out for a front-line player.

The Rams, who need to keep all of their front-line players, have concentrated on Bettis. A 247-pound battering ram, Bettis is also on the Colts’ wish list. If the Colts fail to draft Hearst, they might attempt to jump in front of the Rams and take Bettis.

The Rams have prepared themselves for such a raid, and if Bettis is gone, they will take USC wide receiver Curtis Conway. If both Conway and Bettis are gone, they will try to trade back in the first round, and for doing so, will try to get an additional third-round pick.

The Rams lack a fourth-round pick but have a selection in each of the other seven rounds. They are expected to try to trade safety Michael Stewart for an additional pick in this year’s draft.

Conway, who is considered the No. 1 big-play man in this draft because of his speed, has intrigued the Rams. They lack game-breaking speed and also were not overwhelmed by the play of wide receiver Henry Ellard last season.

But Conway is not regarded as a polished receiver, and his development might take some time. The Rams say that Bettis will provide an immediate impact.

If they fail to land Bettis, the Rams’ search for a running back will continue. The team is concerned that free agent Cleveland Gary’s contract demands will result in his reporting late to training camp. They also remain concerned about his continuing inability to hold onto the football.

The Kansas City Chiefs advised the Rams on Saturday that Barry Word and Christian Okoye are available, and the Cardinals might be willing to deal Johnny Johnson if they get Hearst.

In Bettis, the Rams would get a fullback who has enough speed to turn the corner and gain big yardage. Bettis gained 825 yards in 154 carries last season and scored 10 touchdowns. He also averaged 15.9 yards a reception.

If the Rams get Bettis, they are expected to look for a wide receiver or pass-rushing linebacker in the second round. They are known to like Miami wide receiver Kevin Williams.

Ram Notes

The NFL is expected to be governed by a salary cap next season, but it might have an impact on Ram safety Michael Stewart this season. The Rams would like to trade Stewart today or Monday in exchange for a late-round draft choice. The reason: The salary cap. The Rams acquired free-agent safety R.J. Kors from the Jets last week and signed him to a two-year deal so that they could afford to trade Stewart, who is entering the final year of a contract that will pay him $575,000. Also, safeties Pat Terrell ($300,000) and Anthony Newman ($400,000) are entering the final year of their contracts. The Rams don’t want to be caught short of a safety next year, thus the signing of Kors. But they don’t want to carry four safeties this year.