Rams' Dunbar Gets Back to Work/Latsch

[RamBill]

Rams' Dunbar gets back to work
Nate Latsch

http://stl.scout.com/2/1426420.html

ST. LOUIS — Jo-Lonn Dunbar was back to work as normal on Friday afternoon. After what happened in Miami last weekend, just a few days before the start of training camp, Friday’s first full-squad practice was a relief.
“Oh, absolutely,” the linebacker said. “It was definitely a relief to be back considering everything. So I'm happy to be back, happy to be playing football and doing something I'd rather be doing.”

Dunbar, 29, was arrested early last Sunday morning in Miami for disorderly conduct following an altercation outside a nightclub.

He spoke about the incident on Friday, but could not offer specifics.

“I can't say much just because it's a legal issue,” Dunbar said. “It’s unfortunate but the legal issue has to take care of its due process first before I can speak on the matter. I apologize but that's kind of the way the system works.”

Dunbar said he spoke with Rams coach Jeff Fisher about what happened.

“I spoke to Coach and everybody internally from the top down and I kind of just of explained the situation and the circumstances,” he said. “They have a clear understanding about my act and my instance in this situation. They are understanding and it was unfortunate but hopefully we can just get past it and we can move on.”

This is obviously not the kind of start Dunbar wanted to his season.

He was suspended for four games for the start of the 2013 season because of a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He was released by the Rams and eventually resigned, but finished with just 39 tackles in 12 games (10 starts).

Dunbar said Friday he was motivated his offseason by his disappointing campaign a year ago. He said he reported to camp at 227 pounds after playing at around 240 pounds last season.

“I’ve lost a lot of weight,” he said. “I spent my offseason doing a lot of DB drills and a lot of LB drills, just making sure I can play in space and be an operative in space. I’m expecting to play well this year.”

 

[RamBill]

Rams notebook: Dunbar hopes to move past arrest, focus on football
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_cfbed820-0874-5678-b70e-2d364434fffd.html

Rams outside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar knew the question was coming. But he really couldn’t answer it.

“I can’t say much, just because it’s a legal issue,’’ he said Friday after being asked about last weekend’s arrest following a fight outside a Miami Beach nightclub. “It’s unfortunate, but the legal issue has to take care of its due proccess first before I can speak on the matter. I apologize, but that’s kind of the way the system works.’’

Dunbar, 29, was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge early Sunday for his role in a fight that included NBA player Donte Greene and Greene’s brother, Dmetrique. Donte Green was charged with battery and had to be subdued with a taser by Miami Beach police when he allegedly struck Dunbar from behind in the head and neck area.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher is withholding judgment on Dunbar’s latest off-field issue.

“We are gathering facts as we always do,’’ the coach said. “I have spoken to Jo-Lonn. It appears that it was not what it was presented to be. At this point, I’m hoping that the investigation, the legal system will prove that it was more of a self-defense issue than it was something where he was the aggressor.’’

At this point, Dunbar is happy to be in camp and looking to move forward.

“I’ve spoke to Coach and everybody internally from the top down and just explained the situation and the circumstances,’’ Dunbar said. “They have a clear understanding. ... It’s unfortunate, but hopefully we can just get past it and move on.’’

Dunbar signed with the Rams in April 2012 and posted career bests in tackles (115) sacks (4½) and interceptions (two) that fall.

Last year, after being suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, Dunbar was cut before the season. He was re-signed after the suspension and played in the final 12 games, contributing just 39 tackles.

“I’m completely motivated,’’ Dunbar said. “I spent my whole offseason (getting ready). I’ve lost a lot of weight (from 240 to 227), doing a lot of (defensive back drills), just making sure that I could play in space. I’m excited to play and play well this year.’’

Dunbar is especially looking forward to being reunited with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who filled the same role when Dunbar was with the New Orleans Saints.

The defense has “changed a little, it’s a little different than the one I played in New Orleans, but he’s still the same guy,’’ Dunbar said. “He’s added a few wrinkles that I have to learn and adjust to, but it’s still fun to play for him and it’s still fun to have a comfort level in that system.’’

And the strengths of Williams’ system?

“It’s aggressive and attacking and it’s forward. He rarely asks you to go backwards. ... As long as you’re moving forward, you know you’re attacking the other 11 guys,” he continued. “Any time he asks me to go forward, I’m all right with that.”

RAM-BLINGS

• Friday’s workout drew a crowd of 1,484. Some late-afternoon showers may have limited the crowd but also produced near-ideal weather conditions for the first workout of training camp.

• With left tackle Jake Long (knee) and center Scott Wells not practicing, No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson and third-year pro Tim Barnes (Missouri) worked with the first unit at left tackle and center, respectively. Fisher said that a number of offensive linemen will be rotated until Long is ready to go.

Others not practicing Friday were defensive end William Hayes, fullback Kadeem Jones, linebacker Johnny Millard and defensive end Sammy Brown.

Rookie safety Christian Bryant (ankle) and rookie defensive end Ethan Westbrooks (hamstring) are on the non-football injury list. Bryant worked with trainers during and after practice.

• The Rams added defensive end Kortnei Brown, a first-year player from Clemson, to replace wide receiver Jamaine Sherman, who was waived/injured with a hamstring injury. Brown, a 6-4, 253-pounder from Clemson, entered the league in 2012 as an undrafted free agent and has been with several clubs. His last was the Detroit Lions.

• Area football legend Jim Hanifan was on hand Friday, as was longtime sportswriter Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times. Also on hand were Vianney High coaches Paul and Joe Day. Paul coached Rams receiver T.J. Moe at Fort Zumwalt West High. Joe, who played at Missouri State, was one of T.J.’s teammates with the Jaguars.

• The team will return to the practice field today at 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Both practices are free and open to the public.

Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this story.

 

[RamBill]

Rams' Dunbar focused on football
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/9903/rams-dunbar-focused-on-football

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- With his legal issues in Florida still pending, St. Louis Rams linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar can't say much about the incident that took place last weekend. Perhaps not even as much as he'd like to. But, in speaking to the media for the first time since an altercation with NBA free agent Donte Greene outside a Miami nightclub, Dunbar offered what he could.

"I can’t say much just because it’s a legal issue," Dunbar said. "It’s unfortunate, but it’s a legal issue that has to take care of its due process first. I apologize, but that’s kind of the way the system works."

As details of the fight trickled out in the days following the incident, there were a few points of clarification worth making. From many reports, it sounded as though Dunbar was simply trying to defend himself from Greene and Greene's brother D'Metrique.

More importantly, the charges against Dunbar were not the same as initially reported by the Associated Press. Instead of felony battery charges, Dunbar will have to answer to disorderly conduct charges, which is a misdemeanor.

Presumably, Dunbar was able to tell Rams coach Jeff Fisher and the team's decision-makers his side of the story when he met with them earlier this week.

"I spoke to coach and everybody and kind of just explained the situation and circumstances," Dunbar said. "They have a clear understanding of my (role) in this situation, so they are understanding. It’s unfortunate, but hopefully we can just get past it and we can move on."

That's clearly what Dunbar's plan was as the Rams opened their full-squad training camp Friday afternoon. After becoming something of a defensive revelation in 2012, the 2013 season was pretty close to a disaster for Dunbar. Dunbar served a four-game suspension for violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances but had to do so as a free agent after the Rams released him before the regular season.

Dunbar re-signed with the Rams after his suspension, but when he returned, his role had been diminished by the presence of rookie linebacker Alec Ogletree. By the time the season had ended, Dunbar had just 39 tackles and not much else. But with the chance to reunite Dunbar and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and memories of his productive 2012 season, the Rams re-signed Dunbar to a two-year contract in free agency.

This offseason, Dunbar set about finding ways to make himself more versatile. "(I'm) completely motivated," Dunbar said. "I spent my whole offseason doing it. I lost a lot of weight. I did a lot of DB drills. Linebacker drills, too, but just making sure I can play in space and operate in space. I’m expecting to play well this year."

Dunbar said he dropped about 13 pounds from his 2013 playing weight of 240 pounds to get down to his current 227 pounds. Much of that work came from working on defensive back drills so that he'd have a better chance to contribute on passing downs. In some ways, Dunbar now looks more like a big safety than a linebacker.What his role becomes remains to be seen, though he's projected to handle the outside linebacker job opposite Ogletree.

For now, Dunbar is just excited to put aside off-the-field issues and get back to work.

"It was definitely a relief to be back, considering everything," Dunbar said. "I’m happy to be back, happy to be playing football and doing something I would rather be doing."

 

[The Rammer]

So my question still is did he win the fight?