Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Rams rookies set to get to work

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The St. Louis Rams don't officially open training camp until Friday when the full roster reports. But for the team's rookies, the action begins Tuesday afternoon.

As per coach Jeff Fisher's preferred custom, the rookies will get a little advanced opportunity to get back in the flow before the veterans join. The rookie group reported to Rams Park on Monday evening. They have a light workout scheduled for Tuesday afternoon and will follow with another Wednesday. There will be no pads and the workouts will essentially amount to conditioning sessions for the roughly 25 rookies on the roster.

But Fisher has generally considered those few extra days valuable time for the rookies as they adjust to the NFL. In the spring, Fisher likes to use the time to get the rookies acclimated to how the team does things and how practices will run.

Once the veterans arrive Thursday and practice begins Friday afternoon, the time for waiting for the rookies to get caught up goes by the wayside. Unlike the spring, which the Rams use to prepare for training camp and the preseason, this time is used to prepare for the season. That means fewer reps for the rookies and an emphasis on culling the roster to the best 53 players.

All 11 of the Rams' drafted rookies are expected to attend Tuesday's practice after they all signed on the same day in June. The team's collection of undrafted rookies will join them for the pair of workouts.

For the most part, the Rams should have a healthy group of rookies ready to get to work with a couple of possible exceptions. Safeties Maurice Alexander and Christian Bryant missed time in the spring with knee and ankle injuries, respectively. At the end of OTAs, Fisher indicated that Bryant might not be ready to go for the start of camp.

The rookie practices are closed to the public with the first of 14 open sessions scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET Friday.

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