Rams Make a Proposal to Oiler Receiver Jeffires

Following Wednesday’s departure of wide receiver Henry Ellard to the Washington Redskins, the Rams have rekindled interest in Houston’s Haywood Jeffires.

Jeffires’ agent, Fred Joseph, confirmed Thursday that the Rams have made a contract proposal to the unrestricted free agent. The proposal is believed to be a three-year deal worth $3.9 million, about $700,000 a year less than Jeffires has been seeking.

“We received a proposal from the Rams today (Thursday),” Joseph said. “And now we’re talking to the Oilers to see what they offer. We also have other teams we’re looking at.

“We probably won’t know anything until (Friday) morning. I still haven’t had a chance to sit down with Haywood and talk about what we should do next.”

Jay Zygmunt, Ram senior vice president, confirmed the Rams’ proposal to Jeffires, saying only that it was a multiyear deal.

“I have no feel for it,” Zygmunt said. “We could be a phone call away from dropping it, or a phone call away from signing him.”

Washington and Denver also pursued Jeffires, but the Broncos signed former Charger Anthony Miller in March, and the Redskins signed Ellard to a two-year, $1.8-million deal Wednesday.

Jeffires, who earned $900,000 last season with Houston, has indicated he would like to stay with the Oilers. Houston has made him a tentative offer worth $1.3 million a year, but salary cap problems could prevent the team from increasing the offer.

The Oilers’ salary cap situation also has led to a major snag in the Rams’ trade talks for Houston tackle Kevin Donnalley.

The Oilers also are reluctant to deal Donnalley because they would still have to apply his $1-million signing bonus to their $34.6-million salary cap. Houston recently restructured backup quarterback Cody Carlson’s contract and are trading starting quarterback Warren Moon and his $3.25-million contract to Minnesota because of cap problems.

“It’s not a secret that we really like the guy (Donnalley),” Zygmunt said. “But I don’t know how Houston could do it. That issue ($1 million in cap money) preempts it. But if they are willing to do something, so are we.”

According to sources in Houston, the Rams offered one of their two second-round picks (47th overall) in the April 24-25 draft for Donnalley, whom the Rams planned to start at left tackle. But the Oilers have indicated they want the Rams’ other second-round pick (32nd overall).

The Rams have been interested since February in Donnalley, who was a restricted free agent until the Oilers signed him last week. The Rams had signed him to an offer sheet, but the Oilers matched it and then signed him.

In other news, the Rams have scheduled a Tuesday workout for free-agent wide receiver Wesley Carroll of the Cincinnati Bengals.