Barksdale will visit Titans
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_1c1cd324-0cb2-5c07-9901-ab2a01884e73.html
After weeks of inertia, there is finally movement on the Joe Barksdale front, but not the kind of movement that is necessarily good for the Rams. Barksdale, the team’s starting right tackle for the past two seasons, will make a free-agent visit to Tennessee on Thursday.
The Titans are looking for a starting right tackle since releasing Michael Oher earlier this offseason. Tennessee is the first known visit made by Barksdale, who got married and then went on a honeymoon earlier in the free-agency period.
Losing Barksdale to the Titans would be a blow to a Rams offensive line that is looking for starters at center, guard and right tackle (if Barksdale leaves).
With Jake Long released by the Rams earlier this season, and Mike Person signing with Atlanta in free agency, the Rams have only three offensive tackles on their current offseason roster: Greg Robinson, Garrett Reynolds and Steven Baker.
Reynolds, a free-agent pickup from Detroit last month, started four games last season at right tackle for the Lions, but guard is considered his best position. Baker spent the last nine weeks of the 2014 season on the Rams’ practice squad, but the East Carolina product has yet to play in an NFL regular-season game.
Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft last season, is slated to be the Rams’ starting left tackle in 2015. Veteran Rodger Saffold, obviously has experience at tackle as well, but the Rams prefer him at guard.
REYNOLDS SIGNS
Running back Chase Reynolds, one of the Rams’ core special teams players, has signed his one-year, $585,000 tender with the team as an exclusive rights free agent. Reynolds led the Rams in special teams tackles last season with 19.
PRACTICES SCHEDULED
The Rams have scheduled their spring practices known as OTAs for the following dates: June 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16, 18, 19. The sessions at Rams Park are closed to the public. Once again, the team will not have a mandatory veterans minicamp. The start of the formal offseason conditioning program is April. 20.
LOCAL VISITS
Four St. Louis area draft prospects visited Rams Park on Monday for the team’s local pro day: Missouri wide receiver Jimmie Hunt (Cahokia High); Southern Illinois Carbondale tight end MyCole Pruitt (Kirkwood High); Kansas and Findlay tight end Charles Brooks (Maplewood High); and Northwest Missouri State cornerback Travis Manning (Belleville West High).
Unlike the “top 30” pre-draft visits reserved usually for more high-profile players, those attending the local pro day can work out for Rams coaches. Former SIUC quarterback Kory Faulkner of Ste. Genevieve, who was on San Francisco’s offseason roster a year ago, threw for Hunt, Pruitt and Brooks.
HOOPS FOR HOPE
Registration is open for Rams wide receiver Chris Givens’ 3-on-3 Hoops for Hope charity basketball tournament May 9 at Lindenwood University. A celebrity basketball game follows. Registration for the event, which benefits Lift for Life, is at stlouisrams.com/hoopsforhope.