Feb 25, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Missouri Tigers tight end Michael Egnew participates in a catch and run drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

We are up to the tight ends in the combine report here at Ramblin’ Fan, and honestly this is the group I was looking forward to the least. This crop of TE’s is just not very good overall, and I think it showed at the Combine. As always, there were some guys that stood out and some others that didn’t have a great day. Here are my thought.

Guys I Liked: Michael Egnew, Cory Harkey, DeAngelo Peterson

None of these guys are very highly ranked, but I thought they really outplayed their projections on Saturday. Egnew is out of Mizzou, and he probably had the best day of anyone in the group. He was a 4.62 40, had the best broad jump of his group, and he looked outstanding in the drills. He isn’t going to do much blocking at the next level, but in the new NFL where tight ends are another offensive weapon, he really helped his cause. Harkey is a guy who was tabbed as a blocker who has suspect hands, but I really liked what I saw from him catching the ball. Peterson is going to be a project, but he is an excellent athlete who could become an NFL starter if he can refine some of his raw skills.

Guys Who Diappointed: Orson Charles, Coby Fleener

These guys are probably two of the three top-rated players in this group, and both of them chose not to run the 40. Fleener didn’t work out because of an ankle injury, so his inclusion in this “disappointment” group is based on the fact that I struggled to watch this entire session and he was one of the main guys I wanted to see. He didn’t hurt his stock, and he should still be one of the top TEs off the board. Charles is a different story. He was the top-ranked guy on a lot of lists, but I just wasn’t impressed. His 40 wasn’t outstanding, and although he was a beast in the bench press with 35 reps, he really disappointed in the drills. He didn’t look like a great pass-catcher, and overall I was just expecting more.

The quarterbacks are next on my list, and after watching a few hours of tight end workouts, I can’t wait. Spoiler alert for the QB report: Robert Griffin reportedly stole the show! That’s a very good thing for the Rams.

My next question was about the running game. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are two of the better runners in the league, but neither one is having a great season. For those of you wondering, Williams missed practice again Thursday with a foot injury, and he might not go this week. The biggest problem with the running game is their quarterback. Defenses are loading up the box with eight-man fronts, and with All-Pro tackle Jeff Otah out, the running game has really been slowed. If Williams is unable to go this week, it could be a nice added bonus for St. Louis.

Defensively, the Panthers are actually pretty good. They have a young defensive line, but there is plenty of talent there. The linebacking corps has some solid players, but injuries have caused them to play out of position. The group that most concerns me is the secondary. They have some playmakers in that group, namely Chris Gamble, and I am worried that turnovers could happen. Sam Bradford needs to take care of the ball, and we should be fine.

Injury Report: SJ39 didn’t practice today, but he said he will play this weekend. That’s great news. He is trying to find some kind of soft cast to wear on Sunday, but expect him to be full-go. Fred Robbins didn’t go today, and his status is still unknown. If he can’t go, it would be a big blow. Jason Smith left after a helmet-to-helmet hit with Chris Long, but hopefully he will be fine. Clifton Ryan was placed on IR due to migraines, so we can stop worrying about him. I don’t know what the deal is here, but I can’t believe they can’t get it solved. The team signed safety Michael Lewis to take Ryan’s spot, and he is another Spags guy who is a former Pro Bowler.

To lighten the mood, here is a picture of Bradford making good on his bet with Danario Alexander over the Oklahoma-Mizzou game last weekend. Sam looks awfully good in the black and gold. Sorry for the size, it’s the only way I could get it on.

Sunday is here again, and the Rams find themselves on the road this week as they look to push their record over .500 against the Tampa Bay Bucs. This is another very winnable game, but this team has to prove they can win on the road before we truly buy in to what they are selling. Much like the Rams, the Bucs have been a surprise in 2010, and also much like the Rams, Tampa still has a long way to go. Here are my keys to the game for the Rams this week.

Youth Is Served – We here in St. Louis know what it’s like to have a young QB under center, and Tampa is being led by second-year man Josh Freeman. I think Bradford’s accuracy as a passer is significantly better than Freeman’s, but Freeman is capable of changing the game with his athleticism. The Rams defense has to make sure they keep Freeman under control when he gets out of the pocket if they are going to win this game. If Freeman is contained, I think the Bucs will have a very difficult time moving the ball.

Runnin’ For The Record – SJ39 could very well become the franchise’s all-time leading rusher tomorrow, and if the Rams are going to win, he will do just that. I’m not sold on the Tampa defense just yet, and I think we will be able to run the ball. Steven needs to get his game established, because the Bucs secondary can force turnovers if they can sit back and play the pass.

The Danario Effect – At this point I don’t really know what to expect from WR Danario Alexander this week. I would like to think he can be a major factor like he was last week, but he won’t be sneaking up on the Bucs after four catches and 72 yards last week. He is certainly a big play threat, and I expect the team to have some specific packages ready for him much like they did last week. Let’s see if this guy is really as good as we think. It looks like Mardy Gilyard might not be able to go, so if he is sidelined it is even more important for DX to step up.

Bradford Depression? – As much as I loved watching the Mizzou Tigers take down the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night, I hope Sam doesn’t take the loss of his alma mater too hard. If Bradford is up all night sobbing in his hotel room, he might be a little sluggish Sunday morning. He needs to put the Sooners’ loss behind him and be 100 percent prepared for Tampa.

In case you couldn’t tell, that last one was a joke. But let’s be honest, it was excellent watching that Mizzou win. Anyway, I really like this matchup for the Rams, and I think we could make a statement this week by getting that road win. Let’s go with a 24-17 Rams victory this week for the prediction.