SB Nation - Dustin Fry

Loose Ends: New Practice Squad Player, Hadnot Out

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:45:59 -0000

Before we get too wrapped up in the Vikings/Browns talk this week, I wanted to quickly wrap up a few loose ends, including a new addition to the Browns practice squad (meaning someone was released too), what happened to Dustin Fry, and who is on this week's injury report.

Brandon Anderson Released: The team released DB Brandon Anderson from their practice squad.
Keith Grennan Replaced Him: Grennan is a defensive lineman who came to the league as an undrafted free agent for the San Diego Chargers in 2007. He spent that year on the team's practice squad, and last year was off and on the team's practice squad, final roster, and injury report. He was released a few days ago.
Dustin Fry to Carolina: This was slipped through the cracks. Dustin Fry, who the team might have wanted on their practice squad, signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad. As a reminder, the team also lost QB Richard Bartel to the Jaguars practice squad.
Vikings/Browns Injury Report:
1. OUT FOR SUNDAY: OL Rex Hadnot (knee)
2. DID NOT PARTICIPATE: RB Cedric Peerman (thigh)
3. LIMITED (in practice): LB David Bowens (knee), RB Jerome Harrison (knee), DL Shaun Rogers (foot), CB Eric Wright (knee)
4. FULLY PRACTICED: TE Steve Heiden (knee), LB Alex Hall (shoulder)

Cleveland Browns Announce Roster Cuts; Few Surprises As Jamal Lewis Makes It

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:31:32 -0000

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

It's a "no" for veteran WR David Patten, who won't be able to play for the Browns for the second time in his career.

Browse more photos »

The following players were cut by the Cleveland Browns, trimming their roster from 75 to the league required 53 players:

(Key: Expected Cut, Highlighted/Notable Cut, Shocker Cut)

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS CUT

QB Richard Bartel
FB Charles Ali: I'm sorry to see him go. I really like having at least two players at every non-special teams position, and Ali was a pretty good backup fullback. We didn't keep Herron either, so who will serve as the backup fullback remains a question.
RB Noah Herron
RB Chris Jennings
WR David Patten: I'm sure he'll catch on elsewhere. We really would have had too many receivers on the team if we kept him.
WR Jordan Norwood
WR Paul Hubbard
WR Lance Leggett
TE Aaron Walker
OL Dustin Fry
OL Kurt Quarterman
OL Pat Murray
OL Branndon Braxton
OL Isaac Sowells: It's party time!

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS CUT

DL Brian Schaefering
DL Adam Hoppel
DL Santonio Thomas
LB Titus Brown: An early injury in camp foiled his roster chances. I thought there was an outside chance he might end up on the practice squad.
LB Beau Bell: Phil Savage's fourth-round pick goes down the drain. He might not even be practice squad eligible.
DB Brandon Anderson
DB Corey Ivy: I guess this means Coye Francies is going to receive a lot of playing time this season.
DB Tra Battle
DB Hamza Abdullah

The team also reached an injury settlement with DL Melila Purcell, so he is no longer with the team. To be more specific about some of the players, we didn't "waive", but rather "terminated the contract of" Abdullah, Patten, Herron, Ivy, and Walker. The Browns actually waived one more player than required, so we should be signing someone soon to the 53-man roster.

Now, it's interesting to take a look at which bubble players did make the team. Here is a brief list of the players we can congratulate:

POTENTIAL "SURPRISES" TO THE TEAM

TE Martin Rucker: He might have made the team by default, because Aaron Walker really wasn't an upgrade over him. On the same note, the fact that he did not drop any passes against the Bears might have been the difference too.
OL Corey Hilliard: Who? He was a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2007 and spent the past two years on the Colts as a backup/practice squad type player. We didn't get a chance to evaluate his talent much, but I'm happy to see Isaac Sowells finally go. For the record, Hilliard will serve as the team's backup offensive tackle.
LB Marcus Benard: The undrafted free agent out of Jackson State did it. The first preseason game against the Packers was his best game by far, although I wonder if Titus Brown would've made the team instead had he stayed healthy.
LB Leon Williams: The veteran hasn't really been seeing reps with the first-team defense, but he's still on the team. Perhaps his versatiliy of playing the inside or the outside helped his cause. Either way, I really don't see him getting much playing time this season.
LB Blake Costanzo: Not a surprise to me. I welcome his special teams abilities this season.
DB Gerard Lawson: His kick return abilities against the Chicago Bears this past Thursday might have saved his job. He doesn't have a huge role on the Browns, but maybe that'll change with us waiving both Hood and Ivy.
DB Bret Lockett: It's funny how us as fans can pick out players like Benard and Lockett and say, "if someone is going to make the team, I can see it being these players". Lockett adds some depth to the safety position.
DB Nick Sorensen: Again, not necessarily a surprise, but he is mainly a special teams contributor.

Many of the players we cut could still end up on our practice squad.

For those curious, here is a list of former Browns players that have been cut/waived recently:

FORMER BROWNS PLAYERS WAIVED

QB Jeff Garcia
RB Marcus Thomas
RB Allen Patrick
WR Steve Sanders
WR Brandon Rideau
WR Travis Wilson
WR C.J. Jones
OT James Lee: This is a guy I'm sure we'd take a look at if Crennel was still here. He was the young prospect who we tried to sneak on the practice squad last year, but the Buccaneers signed him to their 53-man roster.
C Melvin Fowler
DL Shaun Smith: Gotta love this one.
LB David Holloway
CB Travis Daniels
CB Rod Hood
S Nate Ness
S Brian Russell: This would be too good to be true if the Browns were able to bring him back. He's been gone the past few years, playing for the Seattle Seahawks.

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 17 - It Only Gets Worse

Chris Pokorny — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:10:28 -0000

After a pretty bad loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, the Cleveland Browns were back on the practice field for the first time since last Thursday. Unfortunately, rather than turning things around from Saturday's debacle, things only seemed to get worse. It sounds like we'll be in store for a heck of a Great Lakes Classic this coming Saturday!

I've decided to stick with naming the "Day" number as the same number as the date. This works out since the Browns first training camp session took place on August 1 this year.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 17 (8/17/09)

Uncharacteristic Day for Furrey: After being Mr. Reliable in terms of his hands, it wasn't the best day for veteran receiver Mike Furrey. Furrey had a couple of drops, with the biggest one coming when Derek Anderson fired a pass to him. The ball bounced off of Furrey's hands and into the arms of LB Eric Barton for an interception.
The Quarterback Chronicles: If a little kid was asked to draw a picture of how well the Browns quarterbacks did in practice Monday, I guarantee you he/she wouldn't draw a sunshine despite the fact that temperatures were roasting in the mid-90 degree range. Just like Anderson had a pass picked (see above) in drills, Brady Quinn threw a pick to LB Marcus Benard, who returned the pass 45 yards for a touchdown.
Two-Minute Drill (Anderson): After a false start penalty by LT Joe Thomas, Anderson completed passes to Furrey and Steve Heiden before scrambling for a would-be sack, killing the drive quickly. He moved the ball 12 yards in just four plays.
Two-Minute Drill (Quinn): Quinn didn't fare much better, moving the ball just 25 yards in nine plays. Of note on his drive -- LB Kaluka Maiava came free on a blitz causing an incompletion, and DB Nick Sorensen almost intercepted a pass intended for Lance Leggett. To end the drive, on 4th-and-12, Quinn could only manage to toss the ball out of bounds.
Penalties Add Up: Those penalties created by the players in Saturday's exhibition games didn't go without punishment. Every player who committed a penalty had to run a lap. I wonder if that included C Alex Mack, whose holding call was questionable. Mack was running with the first-team offense during practice. Rapid Reports stated that third-string center Dustin Fry put a Shotgun snap into the ground and ran a lap for it. Yikes.
Bubble Watch: WR Lance Leggett dropped a pass thrown by Quinn. DB Bret Lockett has received prais from Eric Mangini and has looked pretty decent.
Not Practicing: Sitting out/on the bikes at the start of practice were RB Jerome Harrison, LB David Bowens, OL Ryan Tucker, WR David Patten, TE Martin Rucker and NT Shaun Rogers. Patten did end up rejoining the team later on though.
Buzz on Davis Continues to Lessen: After rookie RB James Davis made a lot of noise at the start of camp, things have quieted down a lot for him ever since the Brown/White scrimmage a few weeks ago. He hasn't broken as many plays in practice, and had to run a lap Monday for fumbling a running back exchange.
On the Other Hand: The buzz surrounding Coye Francies continues to get hotter. He was playing tight coverage again during practice, forcing a few incompletions.
Cribbs Could be No. 2: From Mangini's press conference, it sounds like there's a serious chance that Joshua Cribbs might be our No. 2 receiver to start the season. I know we took Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi this offseason, but I am rooting for Cribbs to finally get that opportunity.

The Browns will have two sessions on Tuesday -- one in the morning and one in the evening.

Tuesday's Links/Camp Sources

Monday, Aug. 17: No starter named (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Browns' Mangini: It's too early to name a QB (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)
Camp Notes: 8/17/09 (Orange and Brown Report, King)
Practice gets sloppy (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Recap: Day 6 - Man Down at Guard

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:24:27 -0000

QB Brady Quinn tried to lead the Browns offense, but he and QB Derek Anderson struggled in drills again.

View full size photo »

The biggest story of Thursday's training camp involves OG Rex Hadnot. As reported earlier, the OBR indicated that Hadnot had blown out his knee. More details have come in to the OBR, now saying that it could be a serious left knee injury. The details of the play it happened on are in the report below.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 6 (8/6/09)

How It Happened: It started out as a normal play, with Hadnot blocking DL Louis Leonard. As he was engaged with Leonard, rookie LB David Veikune rolled on the top of Hadnot's leg. Hadnot remained on the ground for awhile in pain as the team gathered around him, before being carted off. It doesn't look very good right now for Hadnot, who started 15 games for the Browns last year. We didn't project him as a starter this year, but no doubt this could improve the roster odds of C Hank Fraley, and might create an opening for someone like Dustin Fry.
Sunday Scrimmage: Head coach Eric Mangini revealed how the scrimmage will take place at the stadium this Sunday (free admission to all fans). There will be two teams -- the Brown Team and the White Team. They will play four quarters, each lasting ten minutes. Special teams coach Brad Seely will manage one team, while quarterbacks coach Carl Smith will manage the other. Mangini will be focusing on evaluating how things unfold. There will not be full-blown tackling, but the players will be in pads and allowed to make contact. It sounds much cooler than what has taken place the past several years.

RB James Davis dashes by another defender.

It Can't Be Luck, Can It? Once again, rookie RB James Davis made an impact and possibly the play of the day, running for a 55-yard touchdown after cutting against the grain.
The Quarterbacks Hit Bottom: Thanks again to Daniel Wolf of Dawg Scooper, who attended today's practice and provided the statistics for how the quarterbacks did in their drills today. Unfortunately, the results were pretty poor for both men. Here's a sample: in the first 11-on-11 drill, each quarterback was one-of-four with an interception. In an 11-on-11 one-minute drill, Quinn had poor clock management and barely moved the ball, while Anderson threw three incompletions before being sacked. If these two turned in this type of performance this Sunday, the hopes for our offense this year probably wouldn't be too high.
Robiskie Still Down the Chart: The trend seems to be continuing, as WR Braylon Edwards, WR Mike Furrey, and WR Mohamed Massaquoi seemed to be working with the first team. WR Brian Robiskie received doesn't seem like he's demoted or anything, but he's not getting the same level of work as when camp first started. It's hard to say if this is indicative of their performances, or if Mangini is just rotating the reps.

Hey look, it's TE Martin Rucker. Training camp has not provided many clues as to who the starting TE will be.

Punt Fakes in Full Effect: Thanks again to Mr. Wolf for providing some information on punt fakes. S Nick Sorensen caught the punt coverage by surprise when he took the snap and ran for about 10-15 yards. Later in the practice, P Dave Zastudil executed a fake as well. Speaking of Zastudil, CBS Sportline reported that he has been booming the ball well throughout training camp.
Wildcat Formation: The Browns worked on the "Wildcat" formation with Joshua Cribbs, but it sounds like it was much of the same stuff as last year -- Cribbs running or handing the ball off rather than passing.
Focusing on Run Drills: ClevelandBrowns.com reports that the practice involved focusing largely on running drills.
Did Not Practice: FB Charles Ali, CB Don Carey, and WR David Patten did not practice.
New Player Signed: The Browns signed a new defensive back -- Brandon Anderson, undrafted free agent from the University of Akron.
The Vike: Rookie LB David Veikune looked good, beating OT George Foster a few times. That's either good for Veikune or bad for Foster.

Thursday's Link Collection / Camp Sources

Thursday 8/6 Practice Report (Dawg Scooper, Wolf)
Hadnot Blows Out Knee (Orange and Brown Report, King)
New year, new goals for Williams (Official Team Site, Jackson)
Day 6 Training Camp Notes (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp 2009: Offensive Line Preview (Part 2)

Chris Pokorny — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:48:08 -0000

It's time for our final piece in the trenches this week as part of our Cleveland Browns training camp 2009 preview. On Wednesday, we previewed the starters/contenders for the offensive line, with extra focus on the right side of the line.

As it stands right now, here are the top two scenarios for the right side of the line you would like to see:

-Womack at RG, Tucker at RT (45%)
-Tucker at RG, St. Clair at RT (23%)

97% of the voters agree that Ryan Tucker should start. Of those people, 59% of them want a scenario in which Tucker starts at right tackle, while the other 41% want him to start at right guard. I was in the group that preferred Womack at RG and Tucker at RT.

8. HANK FRALEY - BACKUP CENTER

Hank Fraley (#66)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 310
College: Robert Morris
Experience: 10 years
Note: Valuable experience

From being a team captain in 2008 to (presumably) being on the bench in 2009, there is an outside chance that Hank Fraley will start at the right guard position for the Browns. Not many of us think that will happen though, considering he received just 2% of the votes in Wednesday's poll.

Fraley's best chance at starting will be at the center position. If that happens, Fraley probably won't really "win" the job; it'll just be a case in which Alex Mack appears to need a lot more work at the NFL level.

Fraley began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, helping pave the way to several NFC Championship games. In 2006, the Browns were desperate at the center position. LeCharles Bentley went down with an injury on the first play of training camp, and Bob Hallen said "screw this" and retired. All we had left were a couple of third-string free agents competing for a starting role. Phil Savage was able to make one of his best acquisitions during his time in Cleveland in Fraley, who was coming off of a shoulder injury the previous season. Fraley exceeded expectations in 2006 and 2007, but he failed to reach those expectations in 2008. Maybe it's a little unfair to write him off after one bad season, but either way, Fraley was never intended to be a long-term solution. His chances at making the roster this year might come down to who the coaching staff likes better -- Fraley or Rex Hadnot. I think there will be room for both of them.

Player Quality: C-
Final Roster Odds: 60%

9. GEORGE FOSTER - BACKUP LEFT TACKLE

George Foster (#72)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 338
College: Georgia
Experience: 7 years
Note: Former 1st rounder

Signed in June by the Browns, George Foster is a former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos. Of the people not listed in Part 1 of the offensive line preview, Foster has the best chance at starting. In 68 career games, he has started in 57 of them, with most of those starts coming at right tackle.

Foster's build is right in line with what Mangini is seeking: 6-5, 338 pounds. When he was signed, you guys debated what role he (as well as other lineman) could play this year. When you have several veteran players, I imagine a competition being between two players, maybe three at most. Ryan Tucker, Floyd Womack, and John St. Clair are already competing for the right tackle position. Can Foster really even have a chance to see some reps in training camp at right tackle? That's where the question of, "wait a second, does that mean Joe Thomas is the only player on the depth chart getting reps at left tackle?" That's where Foster potentially comes in.

But, that could easily change. Maybe Mangini will stick to something like this in training camp:

LT: Thomas, St. Clair
LG: Steinbach, Hadnot
C: Mack, Fraley
RG: Tucker, Womack
RT: Tucker, Foster

There's really no definitive reason why St. Clair would receive the shot at right tackle over Foster. We'll have to wait and see how things unfold in training camp.

Player Quality: C+
Final Roster Odds: 80%

10. ISAAC SOWELLS - BACKUP...GUARD? TACKLE?

Isaac Sowells (#61)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 320
College: Indiana
Experience: 4 years
Note: Quiet 4th rounder

With all of the veteran talent on the Browns line now, I'm surprised that Isaac Sowells is even being allowed to stick around for training camp. I fault Romeo Crennel for only having a fourth-round draft pick participate in one game during his first two seasons when there were opportunities for him to play more, but he wasn't very impressive in backup duty last season.

Overall, Sowells doesn't have much experience despite entering his fourth year in the league, doesn't appear to play at a high level, doesn't appear to be in-line of seeing very many reps, and is not eligible for the practice squad. The deck is stacked against Sowells; barring a couple of injuries in training camp to other players, Sowells will probably be an early cut so the team can get a better look at some of the undrafted free agents that might go on the practice squad.

Player Quality: D?
Final Roster Odds: 10%

11. DUSTIN FRY - YOUNGER BACKUP CENTER

Dustin Fry (#62)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 314
College: Clemson
Experience: 3 years
Note: Former 5th rounder

Dustin Fry was a 5th round draft choice of the St. Louis Rams in 2007. He played in four games that year, but in 2008, he was released from the team's practice squad. The Browns added him to their practice squad a week later, and that is where he finished the 2008 campaign.

Fry played college football at Clemson where he played in 47 games, starting 36, registering 171 knockdown blocks on 2,192 plays.

Back in the 2007 season, there seemed to be serious consideration that Fry would be the starting center for the Rams. Things didn't unfold that way though, and fans were surprised that Fry only made the practice squad in 2008 after their team's line had struggled the year before. Fry can also play the guard position.

Final Roster Odds: 10%
Practice Squad Odds: 40% (if eligible)

12. KURT QUARTERMAN - PRACTICE SQUAD GUARD

Kurt Quarterman (#63)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 348
College: Louisville
Experience: 2 years
Note: He's HUGE

During the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Kurt Quarterman was signed and released from the practice squads of the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants several times. He was added to the Browns' practice squad last season at the end of October. Like Fry, that is where he finished the season.

One thing sort of stands out when you look at Quarterman's profile box to the right: he's HUGE. If the weigh-ins are accurate, he is the second-largest person on the team, second only to Shaun Rogers. Maybe I'm making too big of a deal out of Mangini's craving for large offensive linemen, but on size alone, that has to give Quarterman an advantage to making the practice squad.

Final Roster Odds: 2%
Practice Squad Odds: 60%

13. MARLON DAVIS - UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT GUARD

Marlon Davis (#79)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 300
College: Alabama
Experience: Rookie
Note: Only UDFA

Guard Marlon Davis is our lone undrafted free agent offensive lineman this season. Davis was a four-year member of the Crimson Tide offensive line. He became a starter as a junior in 2007, and started all 11 games as a senior including the All State Sugar Bowl against Utah.

Here is a scouting report from Sports Illustrated on him:

POSITIVES: Undersized, low-to-the-ground lineman best in a small area. Bends his knees, blocks with leverage, and seals defenders from the action with solid body positioning. Squares into opponents turning them off the line and displays good strength at the initial point of attack. Quickly gets into blocks, patient in pass protection, and keeps his head on a swivel. Flashes the ability to pull across the line of scrimmage, block in motion, and gets chips on linebackers. Works well with line-mates and plays with a large degree of explosion.

NEGATIVES: Must improve his overall strength as he struggles to finish blocks. Bends at the waist or overextends into blocks, which adversely affects his balance. Not light on his feet and struggles sliding in space.

ANALYSIS: Davis is a solid small area mauler with the body type to play guard in the NFL. He must improve his strength and iron out his game, yet he is worth a look in camp this summer.

Link

It's hard to imagine him getting a legitimate shot at the roster. He'll be fighting for a practice squad position.

Final Roster Odds: <0.5%
Practice Squad Odds: 15% (pure guess)

OL Position Quality: B (Backups Only)

The grade above takes into consideration what the Browns will have between the two players that do not win a starting role from Part 1 of the preview. Our depth far surpasses what we have had in the past, as everybody has significant starting experience. What we are lacking is youth in our depth. That might come down to how a younger player like Fry can contribute on special teams. If Fry is needed there, maybe Fraley gets the boot and we go with Fry/Hadnot as the potential backup centers.

Right now, here are the nine offensive linemen I think will make the roster: Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Ryan Tucker, Alex Mack, Floyd Womack, John St. Clair, Rex Hadnot, George Foster, and Hank Fraley. All veterans (minus Mack). When training camp rolls around, it'll be easier to speculate which youngsters might usurp one of the veterans.

Poll

Which non-veteran backup offensive lineman, excluding Isaac Sowells, are you most intrigued by?

Dustin Fry

83 votes

Kurt Quarterman

101 votes

Marlon Davis

68 votes

252 votes | Poll has closed

Recent Draft History: St. Louis Rams

Jeremy Bolander — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:00:10 -0000

2008 Draft:

1 (2) Chris Long, DE STARTER

While Long's production may not be where many would like to see it, it is generally regarded as acceptable for defensive linemen to take a little time to develop, and in Chris' case, he does all the little things to make you comfortable with giving him that leeway. Reportedly a hard studier and film-room buff, he is a solid guy in practice and hustles on the field. The feeling, and it seems pretty accurate, is that he is well on his way to being a consistent, and possibly stellar, player.

2 (33) Donnie Avery, WR STARTER

Avery contributed immediately to the team, posting good numbers for a rookie WR and flashing some terrific instincts, body control and hands. The Rams liked his efforts enough to name him their rookie of the year, and he has a bright future ahead of him as the team improves around him

3 (65) John Greco, OT Backup

Greco came along slowly, but was moved ahead of G Incognito on the depth chart at the end of the season, where he was adequate. WIth Incognito likely to attempt an "attitude-readjustment" there will likely be a battle in camp for the starting RG spot. While Greco could win the spot in a darkhorse role, Cogs is certainly capable of hanging on to it, and Greco may end up learning to backup the C and LG in order to capitalize on his roster spot, and better position himself for an inevitable move into the starting lineup someday.

4 (107) Justin King, CB Backup

Sidelined by an injury in training camp, he looks to be healthy and ready to return. He will need to catch the coaches eye all over agian, but he was on his way to doing that once ,and he has the confidence to repeat it.

4 (128) Keenan Burton, WR Backup

Burton found himself in and out of the lineup with injuries and inconsistent play, but flashed the ability to play a possession role in a more spread out offense. Unfortunately, if he doesn't get more durable, playing over the middle will drop his value out of sight, and the Rams won't be willing to hang onto him.

5 (157) Roy Schuening, OG Backup

A promising prospect who is being developed very carefully by the Rams. May compete for a backup spot, but could likely end up on the practice squad in 09, with redundant interior depth ahead of him. He got off to a rough start, and the season finished with him not getting in on the "talent scouting" where the team played a lot of their depth in the final games, but in between reporst from the front office for him were favorable, so he seems to be doing the little things behind the scenes.

7 (228) Chris Chamberlain, SS/OLB Backup

After spending the season inactive he was able to get on the field towards the year, but didn't turn any heads while getting reps at OLB. his coverage skills appear to be solid, and he could provide key depth at the SAM position going forward.

7 (252) David Vobora, ILB Backup

Vobora didn't impress with plenty of playing time. He might be best suited to a move outside, as he is a tad undersized, but the Rams will likely try to upgrade the middle,a nd he will end up ahving his work cut out for him to keep a job.

2007 Draft:

1 (13) Adam Carriker, DT STARTER

Too small to be plugged in at NT, Carriker may shift to 34DE in the Rams new scheme, and the hope is that this could avert what looms as a "bust" scenario with Carriker. While DTs take some time to develop, Carriker has proven ineffective against the run, and so his development has been questioned. As a DE his skills may still be underutilized, but at least he would have less expected of him. if he can get his stock back up the Rams may decide that he is better suited going to another team.

2 (52) Brian Leonard, RB Backup

With only two games in two years at an impact position, Leonard may be looking at a ticket out of town, soon. He hasn't shown the ability to backup at RB reliably, and he isn't an effective FB, as evidenced by the FA FB signings. As a high #2, this pick isn't working out, and the disappointment is palpable.

3 (84) Jonathon Wade, CB

Wade was able to get provide a decent contribution as a rookie, but found himself being edged out for a starting spot in 2008. He did come in and replace Fakhir Brown a few times, adequately, and his progress has been noted by his coaches. He will likely be let to develop.

5 (139) Dustin Fry, C Backup/Cleveland

After making the PS and seeing a few actiavtions here and there, he was eventually cut in favor of other OL depth and eventually picked up by Cleveland, where he is signed to a practice squad contract.

5 (154) Clifton Ryan, NT Backup

closer to what the Rams need at NT, he has shown only limited ability to hold up to a double team. While he is not he runstopping answer the Rams are looking for, he still appears to be a solid member of the d-line rotation. With his contract coming up next year, the Rams will have to evaluate his long term viability in their new scheme.

6 (190) Ken Shackleford, OT Out of NFL

After doing nothing in St. Louis he was picked up and alter released by the Kansas City Chiefs, and remains unclaimed after a year.

7 (248) Keith Jackson, NT Out of NFL

Son of former probowler TE Keith Jackson Sr., this underwhelming prospect was out of St.Louis and then SD within a year and a half. He was never resigned by any teams.

7 (249) Derek Stanley, WR/KR Backup

Going into the final year of his contract, the odds are stacked against Stanley. With insignificant contributions on offense, and limited production in inconsistent STs roles, an ACL injury to close out 2008 came at exactly the wrong time. Inlikely to be 100% by training camp, Stanley and his agent should be looking at post 2009 plans.

2006 Draft:

1 (15) Tye Hill, CB Backup

Though he should have a starter's abiltiy, too many injuries ahve sidelined his potential and shattered his confidence. Under new coaching, he may get new life breathed into him, but it may also be too little too late.

2 (46) Joe Klopfenstein, TE Backup

Great talent but epic underachievement equals immense disappointment in this promising prospect. He could very well be the key to what ails the Rams offense, but inconsistency, injuries and an overall lack of "it" have made him a poster child for the Ram's struggles the past three years. He may still dig himselfout of this hole, but at this point, it isn't likely.

3 (68) Claude Wroten, DT Suspended

Another epic failure, but this time in the character department. Wroten never really provided any impact on the Dline in two years of rotating in and out, so his 2008 suspension for the entire season could hardly be said to have hurt the Rams,at least, no more than they were used to. He will be eligible for reinstatement May 30th, but that is likely to mean very little.

3 (77) Jon Alston, LB Backup/Oakland

A promising prospect who never managed to step in in St.Louis, he went to Oakland where he saw his share of deactivations, yet managed to impress the oakland front-office enough to earn a tender during his restricted free agency.

3 (93) Dominique Byrd, TE Out of NFL

Another low-character flyer that bit the Rams where it hurts, he saw himself at the center of infractions for DUI, and hten for criminal conduct and armed battery in a nightclub incident. Rams fans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief when the housecleaning swept this one out.

4 (113) Victor Adenyaju, DE STARTER

A rare draft hit for the Rams pre-Devaney front office, Adenyaju provided solid run support depth and was a high-motor, high-character kind of guy. His high tender in 2009 shows that he is someone the team would like to hang onto if they can, and he could be a key free agent re-sign in the future.

5 (144) Marques Hagans, WR/KR Backup/Redskins

Haggans is the prototypical underacheiver, with just enough upside to stick around, but who never manages to step up when he needs to. After the Rams shipped him out after a lingering hamstring injury sidelined him, he was practice squad player for the Chiefs, Colts and now, Redskins.

7 (221) Tim McGarigle, LB Out of NFL

No real sticking power, he was released to make room fo rhis replacement, never a good sign.

7 (242) Mark Setterstrom, G Backup

While he has played well replacing injured players, he himself too often has been injured, including a recent knee injury that is questionable enough for the Rams not to tender him in restricted free agency. After the chips fall where they may, Setterstrom will need to prove he can overcome the latest injury to have a future in the NFL.

7 (243) Tony Palmer, G Out of NFL

After being underwhelming in STL, the Packers picked him up where he never seemed to pick up enough practice reps to get a shot at the lineup, missing practice time, and being deactivated too many times. After a neck injury sent him to IR, the packers waived him when he failed his physical.

Predicting the Rams practice squad

VanRam — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:52:18 -0000

I'm trying to come up with a Governor's Cup joke here. Every time I get a sentence down though, it erase it, too hackneyed. Let's face it, the Governor's Cup, with most of the starters on the bench, isn't the most exciting football you'll see all season. Might be better than some of those Rams games last season though. For the 20+ guys looking to survive the final roster cut, it is a big game, a last audition.

The Post-Dispatch has a pretty comprehensive look at the final roster as it stands. To kick off the morning, I thought we'd take a stab at predicting the 8-man practice squad. Before I jump in, some housekeeping. I swapped QnA with SBN's Chiefs blog Arrowhead Pride, and will have those up later. Don't forget to check out 3k's preview.

Now, the practice squad.

Roy Schuening, G - Reading about this guy after the draft, I fully expected him to cement a backup role for himself in camp. By all accounts he came to the league as force on the o-line. He could still, and after last season's experience with the o-line, you can bet they'll keep another OL on the practice squad. Probably means Dustin Fry's days as a Rams are numbered.

Marques Hagans, WR - This is a position that will get plenty of attention in tonight's game. Hagans and the others battling for an outside chance at the 53-man roster will get plenty of passes thrown their way as well as return opportunities. Hagans has been the best receiver of these fringe guys, but Derek Stanley has an advantage in the return game. Brandon Williams might be a better kick returner, so he has a decent shot at the practice squad too. Reche Caldwell might make it because of his experience, but he could probably find work complementing the depth on another team. This is the toughest spot by far to round out the bottom of the depth chart. The Rams kept two WRs on the practice squad to start the season last year, Stanley and Dominque Thompson, and it certainly looks like they'll do that again.

Lance Ball, RB - Ball will get a lot of carries tonight, passes too. The Maryland undrafted rookie has really impressed, and had the Steven Jackson holdout dragged into the regular season, there's no question he'd be on the team. He will make the practice squad.

Bruce Gradkowski, QB - Last season, when the Rams went with just 2 QBs on their active roster, they had to keep Berlin on the practice squad. Good thing they did too because they needed him. It's possible they'll keep Gradkowski this year, with Berlin favored to retain his old job at #3. However, it's not as likely.

Eric Bassey, S - This is a tough one too because the Rams have some nagging injuries to key starters. If Jerome Carter can play tonight and doesn't completely suck, they'll almost have to keep the 4th year vet to round out depth at safety by making him the fourth. I'm assuming they'll keep 4 safeties and 5 corners. Vinnett has special teams value. I wonder if they'll keep Macklin, a vet, and put Vinnett on the practice squad?

David Vobora, LB - This depends on whether or not the Rams keep 6 or 7 LBs. If they keep 7, he's on the 53-man, contributing on ST. That scenario likely puts Marc Magro on the practice squad.

C. J. Ah You, DE - I suspect they'll keep a DL on the practice squad, and Ah You is the best of the fringe guys at that position. That leaves them a little short at DT, potentially, with just Glover, Carriker and Ryan as the only full time DTs. Of course, DTs Willie Williams and Henry Smith have as many tackles through the preseason as Adam Carriker, so they'll be working hard to make an impression tonight.

That's my educated guesses at the practice squad. We'll have definitive answers this weekend. Stay tuned.