St. Louis Rams C Brett Romberg, who suffered a broken hand during training camp, is no longer in pain when he snaps, but he remains firmly entrenched behind C Nick Leckey according to PFW. Leckey surprisingly worked his way up the depth chart to win a starting job, which he has shown no signs of relinquishing.

(ffmastermind.com)

Brett Romberg practiced without restrictions Thursday for the first time since breaking his right hand early in camp.

"I started snapping Monday, and it felt pretty decent," Romberg said. "So, hopefully by next week this thing is going to feel like I never broke it."

While Romberg was healing, Nick Leckey wrested away the starting job at center.

(stltoday.com)

Rams center Nick Leckey could be on the field with the starting unit in Week 1, usurping the position from Brett Romberg, according to Pro Football Weekly.

Our View:Leckey is small for an offensive lineman, but he has been one of the surprises of training camp. Romberg is out with a broken hand, and the injury may cost him his starting gig.

(rototimes.com)

A week into camp, the battle for the starting center’s spot — arguably the stiffest competition of the Rams’ preseason — is no closer to resolution. Brett Romberg has the edge, as he did coming into camp, but Richie Incognito still is very much in the picture.

Romberg has a bruised hand, which makes snapping the ball painful. So Incognito has been working with the first team for a couple of days.

“It’s too early” to make a determination, coach Scott Linehan said. “I think a lot of that is going to be determined in games, but I think it’s a very, very good competition. They’re outstanding individuals, which makes it very pleasant even though they’re battling for a job. You couldn’t find two better guys to compete against each other, because they help each other.”

(stltoday.com)

MEQUON, WIS. — Last year at this time it was Andy McCollum. This spring it was Mark Setterstrom. And now, as the Rams settle in at training camp, it's Richie Incognito.

The Rams have done everything shy of calling for volunteers from the stands to make sure Brett Romberg has competition at the center spot.

"Yeah, there's always going to be somebody," Romberg said, grinning. "I pretty much have a plan that it's going to be an uphill battle every year. You're always going to fight for your job. If you get lackadaisical, then somebody comes in and snatches you from behind."

The twist this time is that the competition is coming from perhaps his best friend on the team in Incognito.

"I've been friends with Richie ever since I got here," Romberg said. "He was my first guy — my 'road dog' — that I used to hang with all the time when I first got here."

But Romberg is rooming with wide receiver Drew Bennett — not Incognito — this camp. And that has made it easier for some teammates and even coaches to tease Romberg and Incognito about their competition at center.

"You can tell that there's a little bit of an 'atmosphere' going on about it," Romberg said. "We just sit and laugh about it. There's no hard feelings whatsoever. It's just that he's going to try to be the starter, and I'm going to try to be the starter."

Because of a season-ending injury to McCollum, Incognito started 12 games at center in 2006, a year in which Romberg was a backup until the very end of the year. Guard is a more natural position for Incognito. He was slated to open 2007 as the Rams' starting right guard, but ankle and knee injuries limited him to four starts there.

Not unlike Romberg, Incognito still feels he has plenty to prove.

"There's a lot more for me to do," Incognito said. "I want to have a long career in this league. Injuries and things like that are just major setbacks. It's just time to step up to the plate."

Whether it's center or guard, Incognito says he's comfortable.

"It's just (that) they've got to let me know," he said. "I don't want to be jumping around — at the last second going to guard and going back to center. If they want me to play center, then leave me at center."

In the early going at training camp, that's exactly what the Rams have done. Incognito has worked strictly at center. But so far, it has been strictly with the second team.

Listed at 318 pounds, Incognito provides more of a physical presence than Romberg, who's listed at 296. But Romberg has much more experience at center over the course of his college and NFL careers. After winning the starting job last season in a mild upset over McCollum, ankle injuries limited Romberg to nine starts.

"They're in an extremely competitive situation right now," coach Scott Linehan said Sunday. "Brett's been good. He's one of the guys who has really showed up as being very, very consistent."

And at the end of the day, Incognito could end up back at right guard, where Setterstrom currently is working with the first unit.

"I've told them it doesn't make any sense to have one of the five best offensive linemen standing on the sideline with me," Loney said. "So we will find a way of having the five best offensive linemen start against Philadelphia (in the regular-season opener). That's all in the evaluation."

(stltoday.com)

If the Rams have fewer ankle injuries this season, they’ll have center Brett Romberg to thank.

Romberg convinced the Rams to build a 50-yard long by 8-yard wide outdoor sand pit at Rams Park. The logic behind the pit is that running in sand will build up ankle and leg strength, which will lead to fewer injuries.

Romberg said he and his teammates often ran in a sand pit at the University of Miami.

“I keep getting blamed for the sand pit thing,’’ Romberg said. “It’s just something we used a lot in Miami and I never heard of high ankle sprains or saw any high ankle sprains. I just thought it might be a little bit help.’’

Romberg, who played in only two of the Rams’ final nine games last season after spraining both of his ankles, said he and his teammates have spent a lot of time in the sand this spring.

“We’re in it just about every day, to tell you the truth, when we’re doing the conditioning and doing the offseason workouts,’’ Romberg said. “Pulling sleds, doing agility drills, it’s nothing that people look forward to, but the work will pay off.’’

After having their offensive line decimated by injuries last season — four offensive linemen ended the season on injured reserve — the Rams are willing to try something a little unconventional when it comes to injury prevention.

Romberg said new offensive line coach Steve Loney has stressed that injuries will not be an excuse for the offensive line under performing.

“The first thing he told me and the first thing he told the group as a group was that injuries are no longer an excuse for what is going to happen here,’’ Romberg said. “No longer will we be the Achilles’ heel to this football team.’’

Romberg was a free agent for about three weeks this winter. He ended up signing a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum to return to the Rams.

“At one point, I didn’t think I was going to come back here,’’ Romberg said. “Obviously, the opportunity arose. I wanted to get back here personally. I felt like I had a lot of unfinished business here. I love my teammates here. I definitely wanted to come back.’’

Romberg will be battling Richie Incognito for the starting job in training camp. Romberg was working with the starters, while Incognito was working with the second unit last Thursday during OTAs.

(korte blog)

For now, anyway, Richie Incognito moved from right guard to center. He has played both spots for the Rams.

“Let’s be honest, he’s played his best football for us at center,” Linehan reminded reporters. “He’s played guard before and he’s played well at that position. That will be interesting, to see how the next week goes.”

Incognito was OK with the pre-camp shift. “I think it’s great,” he said. “I was feeling comfortable at right guard. The way things shook out, they wanted to get little competition for me and Romberg at center. It’s great. It good for both of us. It makes us both better players.

“It will be better for the team, better for the offensive line,” he said.

Yeah, but can he still play a physical game at center?

“Most definitely,” Incognito said. “You can play as physical as you want at any position. You can play physical at receiver.”

Now THAT is why we love the guy, even with the excessive personal fouls. This team needs more intensity, not less.

-- That said, Brett Romberg will head into training camp atop the depth chart at center. He, too, is having a strong offseason.

“The battle will ensue at center,” Linehan said. “And Romberg is playing very well. This is not a reflection on him. We’re just trying to find our best five.”

The re-signing of Brett Romberg helps stabilize the center position, though the starting job is anything but assured. The team seems committed to giving G Mark Setterstrom a shot in the middle. Romberg has good footwork but lacks ideal size and strength.



(thesportingnews.com)

Rams center Brett Romberg, who sat out seven games last season because of injuries to both ankles, actually suggested installing a sand pit to the Rams' strength and conditioning staff.

Romberg attended the University of Miami and has been using a 60-yard sand pit at the Hurricanes' complex this offseason along with former college teammate Jeremy Shockey, the tight end for the New York Giants.

"After we work out, we're in the sand box," Romberg said. "We're doing jumps and sprints and explosive stuff. At Miami, I couldn't remember a high ankle sprain. So I do feel that the sand pit strengthens the ankles. Especially when you go in there with bare feet. ... It makes a difference. I highly recommend the sand pit."

(cianram.com)

Last year, the St. Louis Rams, saddled with injuries to their offensive linemen, had to reach into their bench and outside the organization to find players who could compete for starting jobs.

Center Brett Romberg, one of those players who helped from the bench, reached agreement Thursday on a one-year deal to re-sign in St. Louis. Terms were not available. Romberg, 28, started nine games and played more than 50 percent of the snaps.

He becomes the third offensive lineman to re-sign. In the past couple of weeks, the Rams reached one-year deals with guard Adam Goldberg and tackle Brandon Gorin. They also signed Jacob Bell from the Titans to a six-year, $36 million deal.

Romberg, 6 feet 2 and 298 pounds, is a success story. He was an undrafted player out of the University of Miami, spent four years in Jacksonville as a backup and joined the Rams two years ago. In those two seasons, Romberg played in 19 games and had 10 starts.

Due to all of the injuries and the return of most of the players who filled those roles, Rams coach Scott Linehan will have a good stable of options with starting experience. Romberg has a chance to start at center, or, if needed, help out at guard.
(espn.com)