PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Injured Slater, Brostek Are Sidelined

The Rams’ struggling offensive line suffered two major losses in Sunday’s 24-17 defeat at Green Bay--right tackle Jackie Slater and center Bern Brostek.

Slater is expected to sit out three weeks because of a slight tear in his triceps muscle, and Brostek will be sidelined two to four weeks because of a small broken bone in his right leg and a sprained right ankle.

Wayne Gandy is expected to take over as the starting right tackle. Left guard Tom Newberry will move to center in place of Brostek, and second-year player Chuck Belin is expected to become the starting left guard.

With the loss of Slater and Brostek, Coach Chuck Knox said the Rams plan to work out some free agents this week in hopes of adding depth to the thin offensive line, which has struggled in the team’s 2-4 start.

To sign an offensive lineman, the Rams will have to cut a player. With quarterback Chris Chandler’s sprained left ankle showing improvement, backup Jamie Martin, re-signed as an emergency quarterback, could be expendable.

The Rams would like to re-sign offensive lineman Jeff Pahukoa, who can play guard or tackle, but can’t because Pahukoa’s contract was guaranteed when the team cut him before the season.

The Rams also are in the market for a punter to replace Sean Landeta, who is expected to be sidelined two weeks because of a shoulder injury. Tony Zendejas is the team’s backup punter, but Knox said the team might bring in a free-agent punter for a workout as soon as today.

Defensive tackle Sean Gilbert took shots in both of his sore shoulders, Knox said.

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Slater said he suffered his triceps injury while making a block on the next-to-last play of the game.

Brostek was on crutches Monday at Rams Park and said the ankle sprain, not the broken bone, is what is going to keep him from playing.

“The doctors said the fracture isn’t the problem--that should heal in a couple of weeks,” he said. “The sprained ankle will keep me out longer.”

Brostek suffered sprained ankles in the Rams’ 8-5 loss to Atlanta two weeks ago, then the right one was re-sprained on the final play of the third quarter at Green Bay.

Brostek said he wasn’t taking a risk by playing on a tender ankle.

“No, it’s my job to play,” he said.

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Agent Leigh Steinberg, one of the leaders of Save the Rams, was frustrated after a meeting with Rams officials didn’t produce the serious response the group is seeking for its proposal to keep the team in Orange County.

After a lengthy meeting with Ram President John Shaw, Steinberg said the Orange County group did not receive a “wish list” from the Rams, similar to the one the team had sent to St. Louis officials who are trying to lure an NFL team there.

“That aspect was pretty frustrating and that was a point we made today,” Steinberg said. “It was difficult to continue constructing offers unless we understood what it ultimately takes to keep the Rams here.

“They asked a series of questions about different financial aspects about what we are proposing, some which will take a little more work.”

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Sources said the team wasn’t close to making any deals before the trading deadline. . . . The Rams and the Arizona Cardinals are the only teams that have not scored at least 20 points in a game this season.