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Saffold says his shoulder's fine
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_11e25103-7ba3-5264-a5c7-ca7e72f470d2.html
In case you were wondering, Rodger Saffold said his shoulder is fine. You know, the shoulder the Oakland Raiders don’t like.
“My shoulder feels great,” Saffold said Friday. “And if you (reporters) have any more questions, you guys can come into the weight room. I’ll be with Rock on Tuesday.”
That would be Rams strength coach Rock Gullickson. At a news conference Friday to formally announce his return to St. Louis, Saffold confirmed what agent Alan Herman had told the Post-Dispatch earlier this week.
Namely, that Saffold had bench-pressed 400 pounds recently, which would hardly seem possible for someone with a torn labrum — much less someone who needed immediate surgery as the Raiders claimed in nixing their agreed-upon five-year, $42.5 million deal with Saffold.
Even for an offensive lineman such as Saffold, a 400-pound bench press is no walk in the park.
“It was about a week and a half, two weeks ago,” he said, adding that 400 pounds isn’t even his max on the bench.
“I didn’t want to strain myself too bad,” he said. “You don’t want anything to happen in the weight room that’s unfortunate right when you’re about to sign with a new team. But yeah, I work hard all the time. I’ve been in here (lifting) in the offseason a bunch.”
Saffold also confirmed that a Raiders doctor told him he was fine after taking his physical in Oakland.
“Yes, but at the same time it went through a filter of many different places,” Saffold said. “Through the front office, through the trainers, through everybody. So exactly what happened, it doesn’t really matter anymore. Right now all that matters is going in, working, and continuing to work with Rock and the rest of the training staff to get me better for next season.”
Coach Jeff Fisher, who was on hand for Saffold’s news conference at Rams Park, was matter of fact in addressing the shoulder.
“We passed Rodger at the end of the season as far as the physical was concerned,,” Fisher said. “He’s been working here the entire offseason up to this point in the weight room, no issues.”
Saffold wasn’t the only Rams topic on another busy day in free agency.
The Rams continue to bring in free agents following visits by offensive guards Davin Joseph and Daryn Colledge on Thursday. Defensive lineman Antonio Smith (Houston) and wide receiver Kenny Britt (Tennessee) were due in this weekend for visits, but Smith has signed with Oakland.
The Rams were interested in using Smith as their third defensive tackle. Even with the connection to Fisher, bringing in Britt was surprising considering his off-field and injury issues, plus his underachieving career.
Meanwhile, three more Rams free agents found new jobs.
Cornerback Cortland Finnegan, serving as his own agent, brokered what is reported to be a two-year, $11 million deal with Miami. If that’s the case, the Rams could get most or all of the $3 million in guaranteed roster bonus money back, which would create even more salary cap room.
Offset language in Finnegan’s Rams contract will give the team up to the entire $3 million back if he signed with a new team, depending on contract details.
Offensive guard Shelley Smith has joined Finnegan in Miami, signing a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Dolphins that includes $1.5 million in guaranteed money.
And tight end Mike McNeill, the former Kirkwood High star, has agree to a two-year deal with Carolina. McNeill was scheduled to be a restricted free agent, but the Rams in effect cut ties by not making a qualifying offer to him before the start of free agency.
Back to Saffold: Fisher said Saffold’s agents contacted the Rams little more than an hour after things fell apart in Oakland about the possibility of returning to St. Louis.
Even though the Rams were gracious after Saffold opted for Oakland, Saffold said it was “slightly embarrassing” calling to see if they were still interested after Oakland fell though.
“That just shows the goodwill of everyone in the front office,” Saffold said. “Coach Fish, Kevin Demoff, they got everything done so quickly. I was able to fly back the next day, and be able to get everything done and finally have this weight lifted up off my shoulders. Now that it’s time to go to work, it’s the best thing.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_11e25103-7ba3-5264-a5c7-ca7e72f470d2.html
In case you were wondering, Rodger Saffold said his shoulder is fine. You know, the shoulder the Oakland Raiders don’t like.
“My shoulder feels great,” Saffold said Friday. “And if you (reporters) have any more questions, you guys can come into the weight room. I’ll be with Rock on Tuesday.”
That would be Rams strength coach Rock Gullickson. At a news conference Friday to formally announce his return to St. Louis, Saffold confirmed what agent Alan Herman had told the Post-Dispatch earlier this week.
Namely, that Saffold had bench-pressed 400 pounds recently, which would hardly seem possible for someone with a torn labrum — much less someone who needed immediate surgery as the Raiders claimed in nixing their agreed-upon five-year, $42.5 million deal with Saffold.
Even for an offensive lineman such as Saffold, a 400-pound bench press is no walk in the park.
“It was about a week and a half, two weeks ago,” he said, adding that 400 pounds isn’t even his max on the bench.
“I didn’t want to strain myself too bad,” he said. “You don’t want anything to happen in the weight room that’s unfortunate right when you’re about to sign with a new team. But yeah, I work hard all the time. I’ve been in here (lifting) in the offseason a bunch.”
Saffold also confirmed that a Raiders doctor told him he was fine after taking his physical in Oakland.
“Yes, but at the same time it went through a filter of many different places,” Saffold said. “Through the front office, through the trainers, through everybody. So exactly what happened, it doesn’t really matter anymore. Right now all that matters is going in, working, and continuing to work with Rock and the rest of the training staff to get me better for next season.”
Coach Jeff Fisher, who was on hand for Saffold’s news conference at Rams Park, was matter of fact in addressing the shoulder.
“We passed Rodger at the end of the season as far as the physical was concerned,,” Fisher said. “He’s been working here the entire offseason up to this point in the weight room, no issues.”
Saffold wasn’t the only Rams topic on another busy day in free agency.
The Rams continue to bring in free agents following visits by offensive guards Davin Joseph and Daryn Colledge on Thursday. Defensive lineman Antonio Smith (Houston) and wide receiver Kenny Britt (Tennessee) were due in this weekend for visits, but Smith has signed with Oakland.
The Rams were interested in using Smith as their third defensive tackle. Even with the connection to Fisher, bringing in Britt was surprising considering his off-field and injury issues, plus his underachieving career.
Meanwhile, three more Rams free agents found new jobs.
Cornerback Cortland Finnegan, serving as his own agent, brokered what is reported to be a two-year, $11 million deal with Miami. If that’s the case, the Rams could get most or all of the $3 million in guaranteed roster bonus money back, which would create even more salary cap room.
Offset language in Finnegan’s Rams contract will give the team up to the entire $3 million back if he signed with a new team, depending on contract details.
Offensive guard Shelley Smith has joined Finnegan in Miami, signing a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Dolphins that includes $1.5 million in guaranteed money.
And tight end Mike McNeill, the former Kirkwood High star, has agree to a two-year deal with Carolina. McNeill was scheduled to be a restricted free agent, but the Rams in effect cut ties by not making a qualifying offer to him before the start of free agency.
Back to Saffold: Fisher said Saffold’s agents contacted the Rams little more than an hour after things fell apart in Oakland about the possibility of returning to St. Louis.
Even though the Rams were gracious after Saffold opted for Oakland, Saffold said it was “slightly embarrassing” calling to see if they were still interested after Oakland fell though.
“That just shows the goodwill of everyone in the front office,” Saffold said. “Coach Fish, Kevin Demoff, they got everything done so quickly. I was able to fly back the next day, and be able to get everything done and finally have this weight lifted up off my shoulders. Now that it’s time to go to work, it’s the best thing.”
