Injury will keep Rams' Proehl out of opener against Titans

MACOMB, Ill. -- St. Louis Rams wide receiver Ricky Proehl will miss Saturday's preseason opener at Tennessee after straining his right hamstring during practice.

The injury happened Wednesday. No date for Proehl's return has been set.

The disgruntled Proehl slammed his helmet to the ground after suffering the injury, which has almost become a rite of summer.

"Every year that he's been here he's had some sort of hamstring problem," coach Mike Martz said. "It seems no matter what we do, how we work him, he does this every summer. He fights through it and we get him back for the season, and he's fine. And he plays the whole season and it never bothers him."

Proehl would have played only sparingly against the Titans anyway. Martz wants to get long looks at many players competing for a spot on the team as a wide receiver.

Returning veteran Yo Murphy, rookie Eric Crouch and NFL Europe World Bowl MVP Dane Looker are all in the hunt for what will likely be one or two spots on the roster.

Quarterback Kurt Warner will, at most, get a handful of snaps before giving way to Jamie Martin, Marc Bulger and perhaps Ryan Helming. Bulger and Helming entered camp close in the battle for the No. 3 job.

Elsewhere

REDSKINS: Taped to a goal post from his ankles to his forearms, Patrick Ramsey had little wiggle room as he fielded questions about his first training camp practice.

"You kind of expect this," said the rookie quarterback, putting a brave face on the hazing that marked the end of his 16-day holdout. "You almost consider it an honor. You've grown up seeing this happen to rookies, and now it's your turn."

Ramsey, who signed a five-year, $5.7 million contract Wednesday, didn't get the royal treatment during practice, either. Coach Steve Spurrier started the rookie on the very bottom rung, running scout team plays from the opponent's play book in preparation for Saturday's exhibition game at Carolina.

BUCCANEERS: Receiver Keenan McCardell returned to practice sooner than expected.

The Bucs originally thought the 11-year pro would be out for as long as a week, but he was back after just two days.

TITANS: Linebacker Peter Sirmon was released from the hospital Thursday, and might play in Tennessee's exhibition opener Saturday night against St. Louis.

49ERS:Ben Lynch, a top reserve for San Francisco last year who filled in when Pro Bowl center Jeremy Newberry was lost for an early portion of the season, re-signed.

BRONCOS: Denver signed center Mark Fischer, who played four seasons with Washington but missed most of last season with a knee injury.

-- From wire reports