I know this news is a few days old, but in the process of working around my broken computer and my addressing the comment in yesterday’s post, I haven’t been able to discuss it until today. The Rams have signed former Mizzou standout wide receiver Danario Alexander to a contract. I know many of you are big Tiger fans, and I know that this move is going over well with most everyone in Rams Nation. As for my take, I love it. Alexander’s upside is off the charts, and he could develop into a legitimate threat at the NFL level. For those of you who are expecting him to be rookie of the year this season, you might want to lower your expectations. Transitioning from college to the NFL as a receiver is supremely difficult, and that’s assuming you have OTAs, training camp, and the preseason to prepare. Alexander will hardly have any of that, so I expect it to take awhile before he is able to contribute to this team.

With that being said, this could be a major move for the organization’s future. It’s pretty obvious that this team is extremely lacking at the position, so bringing in talent is never a bad move. You have to like the future potential of a Sam Bradford, Mardy Gilyard, Danario Alexander trio. Toss in Steven Jackson and Donnie Avery, and you have the makings of what could develop into an exciting offense. This team is still a long way from contending, but I like the steps being taken to make it better. Now, if someone would just address the backup running back issue, we might have something going.

In a related note, the team apparently released Brooks Foster to make room for Alexander on the roster. I hate to see Foster go, as I really thought he had some potential. You have to wonder where he would be if he hadn’t gotten hurt last season, but people get hurt in the NFL. It happens. Good luck to Foster in his future endeavors, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds a home somewhere else rather quickly.

1. Sam Bradford- Pretty obvious number one. Our $50 million man gets his first taste of real NFL action tonight, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the NFL pass rush. Also, it will be interesting to see how long it will take before Bradford to get into the game, and how many starters will be with him when he takes the field. All eyes will be on Sammy tonight, so hopefully he can keep his strong summer going.

2. Wide Receivers- Possibly the most interesting battle this summer, I will be looking to see who steps up at the receiver position tonight. We have talked plenty here about the candidates, and this race is close enough that solid performances in preseason games could make the difference. I am anxious to see Brooks Foster, who missed last year and has been impressive this summer, and I also want to see if Danny Amendola can stay hot.

3. Tackles- No, not tackling (although it would be nice to so an improvement in that area), but offensive tackles. Let’s see where Jason Smith and Rodger Saffold line up, and let’s see how the perform against a good top-unit pass rush from the Vikes. We could learn plenty about how good Saffold really is tonight.

4. Rookie Ends- It’s been no secret that we need to get a pass rush from somewhere, and we will get our first look at the three rookie ends in action tonight. I am obviously a big Gorge Selvie fan, but the coaches are big on Hall Davis and Eugene Sims as well. Don’t be shocked if you hear Selvie’s name plenty, but keep an eye out for Davis and Sims (if Sims is healthy) as well.

5. Corners- I like our group at cornerback, but the position has been ravaged by injury over the last few weeks. I don’t expect Ron Bartell to play, and Justin King will probably be out as well. Bradley Fletcher has been slowed from soreness during injury recovery, so plenty of guys should get a chance to showcase their skills. Two guys to really watch (if they play) are Kevin Dockery and rookie Jerome Murphy. Dockery has quite possibly been the biggest surprise at camp, as he seems to make plays every time he steps on the field. Murphy is still acclimating to the NFL level, so this will be a good test for him.

Those are the top things I will be watching for, but if anyone has anything else, feel free to let us know in the comments section. For those of you who aren’t going to be in attendance watching it live, you will have to wait until 10:30 p.m. to watch in on TV due to blackout rules. It is Saturday night, so don’t forget to set the DVR before you head out on the town.

I will get to some news from camp today in a bit, but first I wanted to address a question posted in the comment section yesterday regarding who is going to make the team at the WR position. I don’t think there is any question that the WR battle will be one of, if not the, best in camp. There are nine players vying for five or six spots, and all of them could make a case to stay on the squad.

First, let’s look at the guys who have spots pretty much guaranteed. You have to think that Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson, and Mardy Gilyard are safe (as pointed out by Betty White in the comment). For argument purposes, let’s assume that the team will keep six. That means there are three spots left for Brooks Foster, Danny Amendola, Jordan Kent, Keenan Burton, Dominique Curry, and Brandon Gibson. Here is my take on each player.

Brooks Foster- I know the team is high on Foster, and he has reportedly been very impressive in offseason workouts. He hasn’t really had a chance to prove himself since he missed all of last season due to injury, but the potential is there. If he continues to impress in camp, I would expect him to make the team.

Danny Amendola- Amendola was pretty solid when given the opportunity last season, and he brings another aspect to the team in the return game. The issue here is whether or not his skills at the receiver position are good enough to keep him on. I think Gilyard will likely take over some of the return duties, and if he does it could really hurt Amendola’s chances.

Jordan Kent- Kent is a guy I really like, but he comes across as more of a practice squad player at this point. he is a special teams dynamo, but I don’t think the coaching staff can justify keeping him on just for those purposes. There is plenty of potential there, as he is still developing as a player since he played three sports in college at Oregon. Look for him on the practice squad.

Keenan Burton- Burton is going to be the most difficult player to judge in this competition. He has the ability, and he has proven it on the field. The problem is, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy during his NFL career.  I think he could be in real trouble unless he blows the staff away during camp and preseason. If he doesn’t force the coaches to keep him on, I think he will be out of luck.

Dominique Curry- Curry will have an uphill battle as an undrafted free agent, but he has shown that his size and solid hands can play well at the NFL level. I am a fan of Curry, but he is really going to have to impress to get consideration. I wouldn’t be shocked if he made the squad, but he certainly isn’t a favorite.

Brandon Gibson- Gibson is a solid player, and I think he is in pretty good shape to make the team. He played in nine games last season and made 34 receptions for 348 yards, and he made a good impression on the coaching staff. I wouldn’t put him in the sure thing category by any means, but he does appear to be a front-runner.

So, if I had to make a prediction based on the assumption that the Rams keep six WRs, I would guess it will be Avery, Robinson, Gilyard, Gibson, Foster, and Burton.

Camp Notes: Chris Hovan was back today after leaving yesterday’s practice, and Marquis Johnson was out with fluid behind his knee. Fendi Onobun and Eric Butler left practice early due to dehydration, which is no shock considering it was over 100 degrees today. The biggest injury news of the day was Ron Bartell, who left with an ankle injury. The team said it was just  tweak, we should know more after x-rays come back. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious.