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Myles Simmons
Rams Insider@MylesASimmons
Five Takeaways from Day 2 of OTAs
The Rams completed their second of 10 allotted Organized Team Activities on Thursday. Here are five takeaway items from the session.
1) Sasser placed on NFI list
Head coach Jeff Fisher announced on Thursday that wide receiver Bud Sasser
, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, has been placed on the non-football injury list. Fisher said that the wideout had a pre-existing medical condition that caused him to fail his physical.
“We did some extensive studies after the draft,” Fisher said. “They’re very extensive, as you can imagine, and it was determined and concluded by numerous physicians that he had a pre-existing condition that we don’t feel will allow him to play.”
Unfortunately, Fisher said that the medical opinion is that Sasser will not be able to play for the Rams.
“He was a non-combine guy and that happens sometimes,” Fisher said, referring to the fact that incoming rookies go through numerous medical evaluations at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “You didn’t have the information. Typically what you do is you contact the university, which we did, and this was just one of those things that kind of slipped through the cracks.”
Sasser is a Mizzou product, where he tallied 116 receptions for 1,611 yards and 14 touchdowns in his collegiate career.
2) Adding Garcia to the staff
The Rams announced earlier this week that former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia would be on the coaching staff as an offensive assistant, primarily working with wide receivers coach Ray Sherman. Garcia interviewed for the Rams’ QB coach job back in February. While that position eventually went to Chris Weinke, Fisher said Thursday that he felt like Garcia has some special qualities and characteristics.
“It took us a little bit longer, but what we’re going to do is move Jeff into the receiver room with Coach (Ray) Sherman and really, he gives a different perspective,” Fisher said. “He gives that quarterback perspective to the receivers, which I think is helpful.”
3) Foles making strong early impression
Quarterback Nick Foles may be new to the Rams, but tight end Jared Cook said that’s not how it seems.
“It just feels like he belongs here, and it feels like he’s been here for a while, which is a good piece. It’s what we need,” Cook said on Tuesday. “I’m so glad he’s here. I love that he’s here. I love what he brings to us, and I love the fact that he’s just an up tempo, positive guy.”
Cook wasn’t the only one with effusive praise for St. Louis’ starting quarterback.
“Our chemistry has been great since Day 1,” wide receiver Kenny Britt said. “He’s not going to throw a fastball when you’re five yards down the field. He has a touch, he has a sense of when to put a little bit of touch on it, and when to throw it in there with his fastball. But he can throw it all.”
For more on Foles’ leadership and how he’s been developing chemistry with his teammates, check out our stlouisrams.com feature here.
4) Britt’s back
Speaking of the wide receiver, he also said on Thursday that there was no doubt he wanted to re-sign with the Rams as a free agent in the offseason.
“Not in my mind,” he said. “Not in my family’s mind, my wife’s mind. I knew where I wanted to be all along coming out of the season.”
A significant part of the reason why is Britt’s relationship with Fisher. The wideout has had his most successful seasons while playing for the head coach, which Britt said is no coincidence.
“There’s definitely something to that because Fisher is a guy who will let you be yourself in the locker room, on the field, and off the field,” Britt said. “You want to be comfortable with being yourself instead of being up tight and watching what you have to say and what you have to do.”
5) Injury updates
Fisher said that No. 10 overall pick Todd Gurley has been doing a great job with his rehab.
“He’s very anxious,” Fisher said. “He’s probably a little frustrated, probably deep down inside not really happy right now. But he’s anxious to get out there right now, so that’s going well.”
Offensive lineman Rodger Saffold had offseason surgery on his shoulder and said that his rehab has been clean.
“I haven’t had much pain or problems,” Saffold said. “It’s pretty much been smooth sailing. And right now, I’m ahead of the curve. So it’s just being patient that’s the hardest thing.”
While he said he’s been limited so far in OTAs, he expects to have the restrictions lifted in due time.
And finally, Fisher gave an update on wideout Brian Quick, whose suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Kansas City in 2014.
“Brian Quick is probably the one we have to watch,” Fisher said. “We’ll have to watch him, keep him out of contact, but he’s running routes against air. He’s catching and progressing nicely.”
Rams Insider@MylesASimmons
Five Takeaways from Day 2 of OTAs
The Rams completed their second of 10 allotted Organized Team Activities on Thursday. Here are five takeaway items from the session.
1) Sasser placed on NFI list
Head coach Jeff Fisher announced on Thursday that wide receiver Bud Sasser
, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, has been placed on the non-football injury list. Fisher said that the wideout had a pre-existing medical condition that caused him to fail his physical.“We did some extensive studies after the draft,” Fisher said. “They’re very extensive, as you can imagine, and it was determined and concluded by numerous physicians that he had a pre-existing condition that we don’t feel will allow him to play.”
Unfortunately, Fisher said that the medical opinion is that Sasser will not be able to play for the Rams.
“He was a non-combine guy and that happens sometimes,” Fisher said, referring to the fact that incoming rookies go through numerous medical evaluations at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “You didn’t have the information. Typically what you do is you contact the university, which we did, and this was just one of those things that kind of slipped through the cracks.”
Sasser is a Mizzou product, where he tallied 116 receptions for 1,611 yards and 14 touchdowns in his collegiate career.
2) Adding Garcia to the staff
The Rams announced earlier this week that former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia would be on the coaching staff as an offensive assistant, primarily working with wide receivers coach Ray Sherman. Garcia interviewed for the Rams’ QB coach job back in February. While that position eventually went to Chris Weinke, Fisher said Thursday that he felt like Garcia has some special qualities and characteristics.
“It took us a little bit longer, but what we’re going to do is move Jeff into the receiver room with Coach (Ray) Sherman and really, he gives a different perspective,” Fisher said. “He gives that quarterback perspective to the receivers, which I think is helpful.”
3) Foles making strong early impression
Quarterback Nick Foles
may be new to the Rams, but tight end Jared Cook said that’s not how it seems.“It just feels like he belongs here, and it feels like he’s been here for a while, which is a good piece. It’s what we need,” Cook said on Tuesday. “I’m so glad he’s here. I love that he’s here. I love what he brings to us, and I love the fact that he’s just an up tempo, positive guy.”
Cook wasn’t the only one with effusive praise for St. Louis’ starting quarterback.
“Our chemistry has been great since Day 1,” wide receiver Kenny Britt
said. “He’s not going to throw a fastball when you’re five yards down the field. He has a touch, he has a sense of when to put a little bit of touch on it, and when to throw it in there with his fastball. But he can throw it all.”For more on Foles’ leadership and how he’s been developing chemistry with his teammates, check out our stlouisrams.com feature here.
4) Britt’s back
Speaking of the wide receiver, he also said on Thursday that there was no doubt he wanted to re-sign with the Rams as a free agent in the offseason.
“Not in my mind,” he said. “Not in my family’s mind, my wife’s mind. I knew where I wanted to be all along coming out of the season.”
A significant part of the reason why is Britt’s relationship with Fisher. The wideout has had his most successful seasons while playing for the head coach, which Britt said is no coincidence.
“There’s definitely something to that because Fisher is a guy who will let you be yourself in the locker room, on the field, and off the field,” Britt said. “You want to be comfortable with being yourself instead of being up tight and watching what you have to say and what you have to do.”
5) Injury updates
Fisher said that No. 10 overall pick Todd Gurley
has been doing a great job with his rehab.“He’s very anxious,” Fisher said. “He’s probably a little frustrated, probably deep down inside not really happy right now. But he’s anxious to get out there right now, so that’s going well.”
Offensive lineman Rodger Saffold
had offseason surgery on his shoulder and said that his rehab has been clean.“I haven’t had much pain or problems,” Saffold said. “It’s pretty much been smooth sailing. And right now, I’m ahead of the curve. So it’s just being patient that’s the hardest thing.”
While he said he’s been limited so far in OTAs, he expects to have the restrictions lifted in due time.
And finally, Fisher gave an update on wideout Brian Quick
, whose suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Kansas City in 2014.“Brian Quick is probably the one we have to watch,” Fisher said. “We’ll have to watch him, keep him out of contact, but he’s running routes against air. He’s catching and progressing nicely.”
