Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

East graduate works out as long snapper for Rams

Hodel spent training camp with Patriots

ST. LOUIS -- Belleville East High School graduate Nathan Hodel worked out for the St. Louis Rams on Monday as the team is looking for a replacement for injured long-snapper Chris Massey.

Hodel was one of several long snappers who worked out at Rams Park on Monday, the day after Massey suffered a season-ending knee injury covering a punt in the Rams' 42-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Hodel, 31, played in every game for the Arizona Cardinals from the 2002 through 2008 seasons. He handled the long-snapping duties for the Cardinals' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII in February, but he was released less than a month later.

Hodel spent the preseason with the New England Patriots before being released before the start of the regular season.

The Rams aren't expected to make a decision on a long snapper to replace Massey until today.

The Rams lost both Massey and rookie cornerback Bradley Fletcher for the season during the game against the Colts.

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo doesn't think the FieldTurf surface at the Edward Jones Dome, which is replaced each year, has anything to do with it.

"I'm trying to remember in my mind if there has been any opponent ... I can't think of one,'' Spagnuolo said. "We're both playing on the same surface, that's what I'm saying. I'm not going to go down that road. I'm not going to speculate. Injuries happen. There has been some freak ones. I've seen some of those kind of injuries. In my 11 years in the league, they do come up.''

Spagnuolo said none of the Rams' players have complained to him about the surface.

Massey has a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. He'll undergo surgery in a couple of weeks after doing some rehab work first.

Massey was injured covering a punt with 5 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter.

Fletcher will have surgery to repair his lateral collateral ligament (LCL) either today or Wednesday, and then he'll have surgery to repair his ACL in about a month.

Fletcher, a third-round pick in the 2009 draft out of Iowa, was hurt turning to break up a pass with 6:43 left in the fourth quarter.

Fletcher was making his third start this season, and he had been coming on strong.

"Great. Great,'' Spagnuolo said of how Fletcher had been playing prior to his injury. " I thought he played outstanding yesterday. I can't tell you how hard that young man has worked on getting where he is.''

Spagnuolo said there is no guarantee that Fletcher will be ready to return for the start of next season.

Jonathan Wade, Quincy Butler and Justin King, who is returning from a knee injury, are all candidates to replace Fletcher in the starting lineup.

Right guard Richie Incognito had an MRI on his foot that revealed a low-grade lisfranc injury.

"It might be a two-to-three week injury,'' Spagnuolo said. "We will not have him this week. That can be a tough one if it is a bad one.''

Adam Goldberg will start at right guard in place of Incognito.

Defensive lineman C.J. Ah You is having an MRI on his injured ankle. Spagnuolo said the results weren't known yet.

Linebacker David Vobora has been reinstated after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

The Rams were given a one-week roster exemption for Vobora.

"I want to see where he is at,'' Spagnuolo said when asked if Vobora would be worked back into the defense this week. "You're talking about a month off.''