PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Boykin, Ashmore Involved in Fight

Deral Boykin, the Rams’ starting strong safety, received six stitches and a tetanus shot after being hit in the head by teammate Darryl Ashmore.

Ashmore, Boykin and several other players were involved in a scuffle during practice Wednesday. Boykin’s helmet came off in the fracas, and Ashmore got a hold of it and slammed it into Boykin’s head.

“It was a hot day,” Coach Chuck Knox said. “I’m going to wait before saying anything until after I’ve seen the film. Obviously we don’t condone that type of thing.”

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Darryl Henley, who sat out the final 11 games last season, continues to work himself into shape while adjusting to the changes on defense in his absence.

“I am behind,” Henley said. “It’s not like riding a bike. Every night I go to bed having to study and I’m up in the morning refreshing myself on the notes I’ve made.

“You get better by practicing and I’ve missed a lot of practice.”

Henley, who was the team’s starting cornerback last season, worked out twice a day in the final weeks leading up to his return to training camp.

“Nothing prepares you for the first time you go out there with 22 guys,” Henley said. “The way I’m looking at this situation is, I’ve signed with a new team and I have to work on the little things to get me back to where I was last year.

“Steve Israel is playing some good football and he looks like a starter. We have some great corners here and Chuck Knox is making me work for everything. He told me when I signed that nothing was going to be given to me, and that’s the way I want it.”