St. Louis Rams: Begin OTAs With Jackson Recovering and Bradford Hovering

Steven Jackson is back and vows to be better than ever.

The St. Louis Rams Pro Bowl running back underwent back surgery last month to repair a herniated disc. Jackson is in the middle of an eight-week rehab program but was at Rams Park Tuesday for the first session of organized team activities.

"The back feels really good," said Jackson, who put off surgery for three months in the hopes that rest and rehab would fix his ailment. "The discomfort was up until the point of surgery.

"It was a different kind of pain. Muscle pain, I’ve been able to deal with that. But nerve pain is something that just doesn’t go away. Anyone who has back problems knows that it’s a different monster."

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said the team will "tread lightly" but anticipates Jackson being ready for the start of training camp in late July. Jackson said the surgery provided immediate relief to his pain, and now the focus is on strengthening his core and back muscles.

"I’m still in shape," Jackson said. "I’m in the pool, which allows me to keep my endurance up. Right now, I feel fine."

Jackson said his back feels great, and he might be even better this year following last year’s Pro Bowl season. Jackson rushed for 1,416 yards despite playing much of the season with back spasms.

"I’m healthy again, and that will make me a better running back," Jackson said. "I always pride myself on playing with pain. But now I know I’ve taken my body to another level."

Jackson was one of the few returners from the 2009 season that saw the Rams go 1-15. Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney have overhauled the roster, including two new quarterbacks in veteran A.J. Feeley and rookie Sam Bradford.

Feeley is a 10-year veteran the Rams brought in from Philadelphia, where current Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was the quarterbacks coach. Bradford, a former University of Oklahoma signal caller, was the No. 1 overall pick in last month’s NFL draft.

Spagnuolo said Bradford did "some good things" in his first practice with the veterans. Both Spagnuolo and Bradford said the speed was a bit different because the older players know where to move without hesitation.

"It was different because those guys have been in the league, and they know what’s going on. This isn’t anything new to them," Bradford said. "They’ve been doing it for years now."

Of the 96 players listed on the OTA roster, only six are 30 years old or older.

"Not to take anything away from the guys who are older, but I think all the young faces, that’s what makes it easy to come in here and fit in," Bradford said. "There are so many guys who are young and have gone through this process recently. They still understand what it’s like to come in as a rookie. I think that’s why they’re so welcoming."

Bradford worked out and threw to make sure he "was still in shape" when he arrived to Rams Park on Monday. Between the rookie mini-camp, which ended on May 2, and this week’s OTA, Bradford said he spoke with Shurmur and quarterbacks coach Dick Curl about twice a week.

"We talked, just going over different things. It was very brief," Bradford said. "They just wanted to make sure I felt comfortable with everything we did at the rookie mini-camp."

Feeley took the reps with the first-team offense, something Bradford did not mind.

"He’s got so much experience with this offense," Bradford said of Feeley. "I’m just excited to be here and learn from him."

Bradford is not concerned with his contract negotiations, saying that he hired St. Louis-based agent Tom Condon for a reason and will let him deal with everything. He said reporting to training camp on time is a priority.

"It’s important to be in camp on time, especially as a rookie quarterback," Bradford said. "That’s something I want to happen, and I think it will happen."

Safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, who has not signed his restricted free agent tender, was not in attendance. The two sides are trying to work out a long-term deal. If he remains unsigned, Atogwe can become an unrestricted free agent on June 1.

Rookie receiver Mardy Gilyard is unable to attend OTAs because of the NFL’s graduation rule. The University of Cincinnati does not graduate until June 12, meaning Gilyard will not be able to participate in OTAs or mini-camps until then. Gilyard will miss four OTA sessions and the team’s first mini-camp, scheduled for June 10-12.

While in Cincinnati, Gilyard and his bodyguard were robbed at gunpoint Monday night walking out of a gas station.

"The rule’s there because we want to respect the college graduation process," Spagnuolo said. "We’ll honor the rule and Mardy’s honoring it, too."

The Rams began OTAs with four players on the sidelines—Jackson, offensive lineman Roger Allen, long snapper Chris Massey and tight end Daniel Fells. All four are coming off either injuries or surgeries.

Guard Jacob Bell injured his knee last week during a running program. He had arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday and will miss four to six weeks. He’ll miss all of the OTAs but should be fine for training camp.

Cornerback Bradley Fletcher and receivers Laurent Robinson and Brooks Foster are back and healthy. Spagnuolo said Foster, drafted last year from North Carolina but unable to play with an ankle injury, figures into the mix at wide receiver, where the Rams currently have 13 signed players.

"It’s great to have the veterans and rookies together," Spagnuolo said. "It’s not ‘real’ football because they don’t have pads on, but there are a lot of things we can get done."

This article can also be found at The Alton Telegraph .