proCane Rams OL Brandon Washington (#70) along with many other players from both teams was involved in a Training Camp fight between the Cowboys and Rams.

Huge fight at Cowboys-Rams practice... @NBCDFW pic.twitter.com/Jvk3P0XvrA

— Pat Doney (@PatDoneyNBC5) August 19, 2015

The St. Louis Rams began organized team activities this week, but they’re still without starting left tackle Greg Robinson, who is recovering from toe surgery, and left guard Rodger Saffold, who is making his way back from shoulder surgery. As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch‘s Joe Lyons recently detailed in his notes from OTAs, the Rams are providing several backups with an extended chance to prove themselves:

With left tackle Greg Robinson (toe) and left guard Rodger Saffold (shoulder) limited as they return from offseason surgery, the Friday first unit remained Brandon Washington at left tackle, veteran Garrett Reynolds at left guard and rookies Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown at right tackle and right guard, respectively.

Despite the fact that he’s stuck around for nearly the entirety of Jeff Fisher and Les Snead’s reign at Rams Park, it’s a bit surprising to see Washington getting starting reps at left tackle. Over his three seasons with the Rams, Washington has been active for just one game while serving time on the practice squad for each of those seasons. While it’s not necessarily an ultimate indication of the organization’s faith in the player–former undrafted rookie Sean Hooey got plenty of reps with the ones last spring at left tackle but ended up being released at the end of training camp–it says something that the Rams are acting as if Washington will be the next man up if Robinson goes down.

The choice to work Washington with the ones is also a likely indication of exactly how raw fourth-rounder Andrew Donnal is. Donnal, who started for just one full collegiate season, playing right tackle for Iowa in 2014, was widely talked about as needing to develop more on-field strength before being able to perform at the NFL level. Considering that the Rams seem to be uncomfortable with even giving him reps with the starters as a fill-in during the spring, it might be an indication that Donnal will receive a “redshirt year” in 2015, just as previous Fisher/Snead draftees such as Barrett Jones, Demetrius Rhaney, and Rokevious Watkins (on injured reserve) have received before him. This way, the 6-foot-6, 313-pounder can take his time learning the offense and adding strength before the team counts on him in a game.

If Washington is ultimately pressed into duty at the position this year, he’d be one of the shortest NFL left tackles in recently memory, standing at 6-foot-2 and 320 pounds. It’s somewhat curious that Fisher, who just last month commented that 6-foot-8 rookie tackle Rob Havenstein was “too tall” to play guard, would approve of the 6-foot-7 Reynolds playing guard while Washington works at tackle.

Reynolds, who has NFL experience at both tackle and guard, will likely be the Rams’ top swingman on the offensive line this year unless another veteran is signed before training camp. The 6-foot-7, 305-pounder has started 27 career games in the NFL and should be a nice veteran depth option on the Rams’ inexperienced line.


(archauthority.com)

Rams re-signed exclusive rights free agent OG Brandon Washington to a one-year, $585,000 contract.

Washington was the Eagles' sixth-round pick in 2012. He was part of final cuts that year and has been with the Rams ever since. Viewed as a project with upside coming out of Miami, the time is now or never for Washington. He has a great opportunity ahead of him with the offensive line-starved Rams.


(rotoworld.com)

The Rams promoted offensive guard Brandon Washington from the practice squad on Wednesday filling the final opening on their 53-man roster. Washington 6-2, 318, takes the roster spot created by placing wide receiver Brian Quick on the injured reserve list with a season-ending shoulder injury.

Washington, 26, entered the league as a sixth-round draft choice by Philadelphia in 2012 out of the University of Miami (Fla.). He spent the entire 2012 season on the Rams' practice squad. Last season, he spent 10 games on the Rams' 53-man roster in two stints sandwiched around a six-week stay on the practice squad.

Washington finally got to play his first NFL game in the 2013 season finale at Seattle, playing 17 snaps at guard.

The team also added TE Justice Cunningham, WR Emory Blake, and OG Travis Bond to their practice squad, and confirmed the signing of OT Steven Baker to the practice squad. They still have one spot open on the practice squad, and it's anticipated that that spot will go to QB Case Keenum if he clears waivers later this afternoon.

Cunningham and Bond were with the team in training camp but didn't survive the final cut. Cunningham was waived injured with a high ankle sprain he suffered in the preseason finale. Blake was released from the practice squad Oct. 20, after showing up late for a team meeting.


(stltoday.com)

It was one of the busiest NFL proCane roster cut weekends of all-time. See below all the action.

WR LaRon Byrd was cut by the Dallas Cowboys who signed him this offseason, but was quickly picked up by the Cleveland Browns and placed on their active roster.

DB Brandon Harris was cut by the Texans, who drafted him out of Miami 3 years ago, but was also quickly picked up and added to the Titans active roster.

Practice Squad Signings: Stephen Morris: Jags, Tommy Streeter: Dolphins, Chase Ford: Vikings, Erik Swoope: Colts, Brandon Washington: Rams, Harland Gunn: Falcons, Micanor Regis: Panthers, Asante Cleveland: 49ers.

Cuts: Maurice Hagens: Falcons, Eric Winston: Seahawks, Richard Gordon: Chiefs, Tyler Horn: Titans, Jared Wheeler: Bills.

Rams guard Brandon Washington readily admits he is not a good patient.

“I probably was a pain in the butt for the guys in the training room because I was constantly bugging them to let me get back on the field,’’ said Washington, a second-year pro who returned to the practice field this week after missing time with a hamstring injury. “I did everything in my power and they helped get me back out here.

“I cannot afford to be on the sideline. I just kept reminding myself daily that you can’t make the club in the tub.’’

The 6-foot-2, 320-pound Washington hopes to make his preseason debut Saturday when the Rams take on the Browns in Cleveland. Even while injured, he tried to stay as connected to the offensive line as possible.

“You can’t afford to fall behind, so you try to stay on top of things physically, mentally and emotionally,’’ Washington, 25, from the University of Miami, said. “But it’s good to be out here again, back with my brothers. It just feels good to get some reps and get a chance to compete again.’’

Washington, one of a handful of players battling for interior-line spots, was selected by Philadelphia in the sixth round of the draft in 2012 and signed to the Rams’ practice squad that September. Last season, he split time between the practice squad and active roster before making his regular-season debut with 17 offensive snaps in the Rams’ season-ending loss in Seattle.


(stltoday.com)

When Brandon Washington was growing up, his mom worked four jobs so she could provide items like name-brand athletic shoes for her son. Now as a professional football player, Washington wants to give local kids the same opportunity.

In a business class at Maryville University, Washington was explaining to the class his problem of always wanting to buy the latest shoes. It was suggested to him that he donate 10 brand-name pairs to kids that needed them in East St. Louis. Washington took that idea and expanded it to include his Rams teammates and a real challenge was born. 

Washington and the Rams set out to donate name-brand shoes for 100 local kids in the St. Louis area. Washington partnered with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis to find 100 kids ages 5-17 in need of shoes because they couldn’t afford brand-name, they didn’t have the right kind or theirs were too worn. With his own funds and with contributions from his teammates, Washington shopped for the shoes to distribute at the event held at the Clyde C Jordan Senior Citizens Center.   

“It’s an awesome feeling knowing where (I) come from and knowing the struggle,” said Washington. “I grew up in a single parent home, my mom had five kids, I had four brothers, and my mom wasn’t able to afford name-brand shoes for me and all four of my brothers. These kids might keep this pair of shoes for a long period of their lives, knowing they got it from a professional athlete with the St. Louis Rams.”

Along with receiving their new shoes, Washington posed for photos, shared snacks with the kids and hosted a PLAY 60 event. The NFL PLAY 60 Challenge is a program intended to educate and motivate middle school students to stay active for 60 minutes every day. The kids were broken up into four group activities: passing, catching, wheel-barrel racing and foot speed drills.

In addition to Washington’s efforts, the Rams organization held a shoe drive and collected an additional 100 pairs of shoes for the Urban League to distribute to area children.

“It feels great, it’s just great to give back,” said Washington. “These kids, when you look around and see these smiling faces, they welcomed me with a warm welcome as soon as I got out of my car.” 


(stlouisrams.com)