PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Bettis Says He’s 100% and Ready to Play

Ram running back Jerome Bettis ran at full speed in practice Monday and reported himself to be 100% and ready to play, if needed, against Green Bay Sunday.

“The ankle is fine,” Bettis said. “No pain. No problems. I pushed myself hard just to make sure I was ready. I ran, I cut and I drove off my ankle and everything was fine. At least now I’ve put myself in position to be available.”

Bettis ran eight times for 29 yards in exhibition play before the injury. He is expected to back up Cleveland Gary in the opener.

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Running back Anthony Thompson, who had pins inserted into the back of his hand to repair a fracture, suffered a setback when he bumped his hand over the weekend. “He didn’t have a cast on,” Coach Chuck Knox said. “It’s a little puffy, and he’s been doing some squeezing with that hand, but couldn’t do it in the morning. He can do it this afternoon, though, and they’ll put a special protective pad on it.”

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Linebacker Henry Rolling, expected to start on the outside, worked in place of injured middle linebacker Shane Conlan (groin) Monday. “I did a little in college,” Rolling said, “but I think we were just doing this for today because Shane was hurting.” Rolling signed with the Rams as a free agent after spending three years in San Diego. . . . A Chicago newspaper is reporting today that the Bears and Rams are talking about a deal that would bring Gary to Chicago, reuniting Bear Coach Dave Wannstedt and Gary, both of whom were at the University of Miami. A Ram official said: “That’s a new one on me. Who are we getting in return? Mike Ditka? . . . As far as I know, there’s no deal.”