Rams Gamble Losing Guman in Reducing Roster to 45 Players
The trimming of the Rams’ roster to 45 on Monday was done with much pain and precision. There were gambles taken, failures conceded, injuries feigned and spirits lifted.
First, the cuts. The Rams released guard Jon Shields, safety Reggie Richardson, tackle Hank Goebel, running back Gerald Harris, nose tackle Scott Mersereau, linebacker Kyle Borland and receivers Kwante Hampton and Chuck Scott.
Next, the gamble. Also released on Monday were snapper Sam Anno and starting fullback Mike Guman. Both players will be re-signed today if they clear waivers.
Rams Coach John Robinson is hoping that Guman’s guaranteed salary of $200,000 will deter other teams from signing him.
But why did they even risk Guman? Well, the Rams need to place two key players, linebacker Mark Jerue and tackle Duval Love, on injured reserve. If they did it before Monday’s roster cut-down, both players would be required to stay on injured reserve for six weeks.
After today, players placed on injured reserve can be recalled in four weeks. The Rams plan is to keep Jerue and Love on the active roster for one day and then put them on injured reserve after re-signing Guman and Anno.
The Rams, of course, could have risked others beside Guman, who’s scheduled to start at fullback Sunday against the Houston Oilers in the season opener.
Robinson said he considered others, including tailback Charles White, who has passed unclaimed through waivers two times before.
“I just thought that someone would take Charlie,” Robinson said.
He doesn’t feel the same about Guman, the seven-year veteran from Penn State.
“Guman’s contract is guaranteed, so we feel the risk is reasonable,” Robinson said.
Not surprisingly, the Rams also found an injury for rookie defensive end Donald Evans, who was placed on injured reserve with an abdominal strain.
He joins last year’s first pick, Mike Schad (neck injury), quarterback Hugh Millen (tendinitis, left knee) and 12th-round choice, defensive end Fred Stokes (tendinitis, left shoulder).
Actually, all injuries must be verified by team doctors, but it’s safe to say any of the players could have played this Sunday.
Millen, for example, has had tendinitis in his left knee since college, he said. Monday, he smiled as he faked a leg limp for inquiring reporters.
Millen had looked good this summer, but Robinson said the team could not afford to keep three quarterbacks.
“The demands on personnel are increasing,” Robinson said. “You really have to get the most out of the 45-man roster.”
For Evans, the trip to injured reserve culminated a disappointing training camp. The second-round pick from Winston-Salem State arrived with dreams of improving the Rams’ pass rush. But he wasn’t the player the Rams had envisioned.
“I have to get better,” Evans said Monday. “And that’s that. There’s no time to get depressed or to pout. I can’t help the team by pouting. I just have to get better. That’s the only way I look at it.”
Monday’s moves further illustrated the Rams frustration with top draft picks in recent years.
Chuck Scott was the team’s No. 2 pick in the 1985 draft, a player the Rams thought had Dwight Clark qualities.
He spent his rookie season on injured reserve, and played in just eight games (5 catches, 76 yards) last year before going on injured reserve again.
With Scott due to receive $175,000 this season, the Rams weren’t willing to wait another year.
Schad, the team’s No. 1 choice a year ago, has improved since being converted from tackle to guard, but it wasn’t enough to make the active roster.
The Rams have had better luck with later-round draft choices, though. Making the active roster from this year’s draft were fourth-round linebacker Larry Kelm, sixth-round tight end Jon Embree and eighth-round safety Michael Stewart.
Stewart was elated with the news. Early in camp, Ram coaches couldn’t even remember his name and instead called him “Fresno,” because Stewart played at Fresno State.
“You never know,” Stewart said of making the team. “The only idea I had was that I was still getting a lot of repetitions and was still on special teams. But today is the day. I tried not to think about it. I slept well. Maybe that was an inner confidence I had.”
Ram Notes LeRoy Irvin conducted a one-day, get-in-shape-quick clinic at Rams Park Monday. He clanked weights of different sizes around for at least an hour after practice. Is the disgruntled cornerback ready to start at right cornerback this Sunday? “It looks that way,” he said. “I’ll do what the man (John Robinson) says. He’s the boss.” Irvin, in his workout, could also be heard singing a blues song, a sample lyric that included the line, “When it comes to management here, money wins out every time.”. . . Rookie tight end Jon Embree has changed his jersey number from 38 to 87, Tony Hunter’s old number. . . . Cornerback Jerry Gray and linebacker Jim Collins missed Monday’s practice with minor knee injuries. . . . The Rams are not interested in wide receiver Tony Hill, released by the San Francisco 49ers Monday. The Rams tried to sign Hill early in training camp, but that was before they signed holdout Henry Ellard. . . .Robinson said the team would likely be granting tryouts to some players released this week.
