PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Negotiations With Henley Planned

The Rams planned to begin negotiations with free agent cornerback Darryl Henley’s agent Tuesday night.

The Rams must offer Henley, who was paid $600,000 by the team last season despite missing 11 games, a minimum of $162,000 to play this year.

Henley, who is facing felony drug charges and a Jan. 10 trial date, has been cleared by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to play this season.

“We will make him an offer,” said John Shaw, Ram president. “I think all things being equal he would prefer playing here. But he’s a free agent and maybe somebody else will outbid us for his services.”

Shaw said the team is not concerned about safety issues surrounding Henley’s return, although a year ago Henley was pursued by armed assailants at Rams Park.

“If the organization felt there was a safety-security risk then that would be an issue in signing him,” Shaw said. “But we don’t feel there is any safety-security issue here. All of the safety issues that kind of existed in the past were really resolved with the arrest of the parties that were creating the disturbances.”

And what about the public’s reaction to Henley’s return to the team while awaiting a trial for cocaine possession and conspiring to distribute the drug.

“I think that’s an issue the league considered at the time of their reinstatement,” Shaw said. “I think if the commissioner’s office felt that there was an overriding integrity-of-the-league issue he would not have been reinstated.”

*

Coach Chuck Knox said starting quarterback Chris Miller will probably not play against the Packers in Saturday’s exhibition opener in Madison, Wis. Miller strained an abdominal muscle a few days ago and has remained inactive for the most part.