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HOT TOPIC
After a pursuit that took nearly two months, the Rams finally signed defensive tackle Jason Fisk to a one-year contract.
The team has been trying to add experience on the inside of the line and had also considered former Saints defensive tackle Grady Jackson. Fisk, entering his 12th NFL season, will back up Jimmy Kennedy at nose tackle on the Rams' four-man line. It will be a similar role to what he played during his best seasons with Minnesota and Tennessee. Fisk was with the Browns in 2005, but was released on March 14.
"It fits what I do best to get back into that system," he said. "My body feels good. I'm not nursing any nicks and bruises. I'm ready to go. Plus, I don't want to end 6-10 (the Browns' record last season).
"Their (Rams) style fits me real well. It's very similar to Minnesota's and Tennessee's. It's like going back home after being with the Browns. No more 3-4."
While with the Titans, Fisk played against the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV, which the Rams won, 23-16.
He did say this would likely be his final season, as his family, which includes three children, will remain in California.
Fisk said, "It's a one-year deal; this is the last one. The family is staying in Davis (Calif.). I'm not going to drag them around again. I'm 99.9 percent sure on this one. Being there without the family will be rough on the kids."
He thought he might retire after being cut by Cleveland, but admitted, "I couldn't find anything better to do."
Fisk added, "This was a hard opportunity to pass up. Once you say no, you're done for a lifetime. I'm going back to a system that I fit in and have a chance to do good. It will be a good way to tie it up for me."
Despite those comments made earlier in the week, Fisk sang a different tune after his first minicamp practice.
"I might have said that," Fisk said, "but it's too early to make those kinds of decisions. I will say this will be my last team."
PLAYER NOTES
--With only seven weeks until the start of training camp, coach Scott Linehan wanted the players to think minicamp was almost like training camp. The Rams held their final minicamp June 9-11, the first time veterans and rookies have been together except for OTAs.
"Now that our roster is close to being complete, we want to go full throttle and incorporate everything," Linehan said. "We'll have all our systems installed so that when training camp starts, we can dive right into it. Not only are we implementing our systems, but we're conditioning our players, getting them into football shape."
With virtually all of the roster attending the off-season activities, Linehan has been pleased with the work that has been accomplished.
"We'll add some wrinkles," he said, "but the assumption is that we'll have installed everything already, and then we'll test the carry-over, see how much they're able to retain. We really have to turn it up a notch."
Wide receiver Dane Looker said the minicamp "will give us a little bit of a taste of what training camp will be like."
--Defensive coaches like what they've seen from first-round pick Tye Hill during OTAs. A cornerback, Hill settled in after the first post-draft minicamp.
"The game has slowed down for him," defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said. "That's the key with a young player. He was thinking so much that he wasn't playing as fast as we knew he could. As he's got more comfortable, you can see he's playing much faster."
--Offensive lineman Richie Incognito has been all over the place this offseason. At the first mini-camp, he was at right guard with Adam Timmerman side lined after minor knee surgery.
At the post-draft rookie camp, he was at center. Now, with Timmerman practicing, Incognito worked exclusively at left guard as the mandatory minicamp opened Friday. In the first minicamp, Todd Steussie, normally a tackle, was at left guard.
Claude Terrell, who started 10 games at left guard last season, did not practice at the first minicamp because of a wrist injury, coupled with the fact he is out of shape. Terrell was at left guard with the third unit at Friday's first minicamp practice.
"I'm competing to win the job," said Incognito, who practiced one day last season after signing late because of a knee injury suffered at the scouting combine and hasn't played since the 2003 season at Nebraska. "It's just great to be on the field. But I can't wait to get the pads on."
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
MEDICAL WATCH: Cornerback Jerametrius Butler, who missed the entire 2005 season because of a knee injury, has recovered from the knee problem, but missed the first day of minicamp because of a slight tear in his hamstring. Coach Scott Linehan said Butler could play if it were the regular season. ... Linebacker Trev Faulk is still recovering from off-season back surgery. Linehan revealed for the first time that Faulk had an operation. Previously, it was said only that his back was bothering him. It is expected he will be ready for training camp.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--P Bryan Barker (not tendered June 1).
--RB Aveion Cason (not tendered June 1).
--CB Terry Fair (not tendered June 1).
--G Tom Nutten (not tendered June 1).
--TE Roland Williams (not tendered June 1).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
--CB Dwight Anderson got a second chance late in 2005 season and can develop if he matures.
--DT Jeremy Calahan is somewhat undersized, but works hard and gives great effort.
--S Dwaine Carpenter was signed late in the season, and could be in the mix at a position that needs help.
--TE Jerome Collins has excellent athletic ability, but remains very raw at the position.
--LB Mike Goolsby was added to the roster late in the season, and contributed on special teams.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--WR Isaac Bruce (had been released; $15M/3 yrs, $1M SB/$5M base guarantee; 2006 cap: $7.273M.
--WR Kevin Curtis: RFA; $1.573M/1 yr.
--DE Brandon Green: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--CB DeJuan Groce: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--LS Chris Massey: Potential UFA; $2.73M/4 yrs, $300,000 SB.
--WR Shaun McDonald: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--OG Blaine Saipaia: Potential ERFA; $385,000/1 yr.
--QB Jeff Smoker: Potential ERFA; $385,000/1 yr.
--LB Drew Wahlroos: Potential ERFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--CB Fakhir Brown: UFA Saints; $12M/5 yrs, $2.5M SB.
--S Corey Chavous: UFA Vikings; $16M/5 yrs, $4M SB/$1M RB; 2006 cap: $3.3M.
--RB Tony Fisher: UFA Packers; $625,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2006 cap: $465,000.
--DT Jason Fisk: FA Browns; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--QB Gus Frerotte: FA Dolphins; $6.3M/3 yrs, $2.1M SB/$500,000 RB '07-08; 2006 cap: $1.51M.
--DT La'Roi Glover: FA Cowboys; $12M/3 yrs, $3M SB; 2006 cap: $3.506M.
--WR Brad Pyatt: Not tendered as RFA by Colts; $432,500/1 yr, $7,500 SB).
--FB Paul Smith: UFA Lions; terms unknown.
--LB Raonall Smith: UFA Vikings; $750,000/1 yr, $150,000 SB.
--OT Todd Steussie: UFA Buccaneers; $850,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2006 cap: $465,000.
--P Matt Turk: FA; $850,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2006 cap: $465,000.
--LB Will Witherspoon: UFA Panthers; $33M/6 yrs, $9M SB/$2M, $4M base guarantee 2006-07; 2006 cap: $3.5M.
PLAYERS LOST
--S Adam Archuleta: UFA Redskins; $30.18M/6 yrs, $5M SB.
--LB Chris Claiborne (released; failed physical/knee).
--S Mike Furrey: Not tendered as RFA/Lions; $540,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB.
--RB Arlen Harris: Not tendered as RFA/Lions; $500,000/1 yr.
--CB Corey Ivy: UFA Ravens; $2.16M/3 yrs, $250,000 SB.
--DE Tyoka Jackson: UFA Lions; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--CB Chris Johnson: Not tendered as RFA/Chiefs; $940,000/2 yrs, $5,000 SB.
--DT Damione Lewis: UFA Panthers; $3.9M/2 yrs, $1.5M SB.
--LB Jeremy Loyd: Not tendered as ERFA/Patriots; terms unknown (subsequently cut).
--TE Brandon Manumaleuna: Traded Chargers.
--QB Jamie Martin: UFA Saints; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--OT Matt Morgan: Not tendered as ERFA/Bills; terms unknown.
--NT Ryan Pickett: UFA Packers; $14M/4 yrs, $2M SB/$3M RB.
--OL Rex Tucker: UFA Lions; $3.65M/3 yrs, $1M SB.
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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