Rams Gain Martin, but Not Lofton
The Rams traded a seventh-round choice in the 1994 draft to Kansas City on Friday to obtain outside linebacker Chris Martin, a major contributor in the Chiefs’ rise to prominence on defense in recent years.
Kansas City will receive a sixth-round pick instead of a seventh if Martin’s playing time meets prescribed conditions of the trade.
The Rams, while able to secure needed depth at linebacker, remain snake-bitten in their quest for a wide receiver.
The Rams expected Buffalo wide receiver James Lofton to appear at Rams Park on Friday for a 4:30 p.m. tryout, but were advised a few hours earlier by Lofton that he had accepted a $1.8-million offer for two years from the Raiders.
“He wanted to know what we wanted to do,” said Jack Faulkner, the Rams’ administrator of pro personnel. “We told him we wanted to look at him.
“I think I talked to him five times during the day, and then he tells me he’s taking the deal with the Raiders.”
Lofton, 36, who was released by the Raiders in 1988 before signing with Buffalo, now lives in the Los Angeles area.
“I’m not going to make an announcement until Monday on what I’m going to do,” Lofton said in a phone interview.
Lofton, however, said he won’t talk further with the Rams.
“I’m committed to the Raiders,” he added. “Here’s what happened: I just decided the Raiders were the team I wanted to play for. The Rams treated me very well in the conversations we had. But it was just a matter of where I felt at home.”
While stymied in their efforts to help themselves on offense, it appears the Rams have upgraded themselves on defense with the addition of Martin.
Martin, 32, was the Chiefs’ most productive tackler the past four seasons, and joins newly acquired linebackers’ Henry Rolling and Shane Conlan.
“Chris Martin can play,” Ram Coach Chuck Knox said. “This is a good football player. He’ll bring that experience, and he has a great work ethic.”
Martin, 6-2, 245, earned praise from the Chiefs’ brass for not missing a single off-season workout since 1989. He started at left outside linebacker for the Chiefs, but also has experience at inside linebacker.
Last season he was forced to contend with injuries to both knees and both hands. Martin still managed to start 12 games and finished the year with 62 tackles.
Martin passed the Rams’ physical examination Friday and joined the team for afternoon mini-camp practice.
“It’s a new environment here, I’m fresh, I feel rejuvenated and I’m going to compete,” Martin said. “There’s a difference in competing for a starting job you never lost and a starting job you never had.
“I was a starter in Minnesota before I was with the Chiefs and I was a starter for four years in Kansas City, but nobody came to me with any explanation whatsoever why there was a change being made. I think that’s a little disrespectful.”
Notes
Wide receiver Todd Kinchen will miss mini-camp and possibly time in training camp because of a knee injury considered more serious than first thought. Kinchen injured his knee while playing basketball recently and underwent arthroscopic surgery Thursday. . . . The team will give a tryout today to former Green Bay punter Paul McJulien. . . . The Rams announced the signing of UCLA kicker Louis Perez and University of Washington running back Jay Barry. . . . Backup tackle Darryl Ashmore has been unable to participate on a full-time basis because of a sore knee.