Rams sign special teams player

~ Kacyvenski was the captain of the special teams in Seattle before being released in a roster maneuver.

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams fullback Paul Smith is out this week and probably next week from injuries sustained in a wedge-busting collision that landed Smith and a Lions player in the hospital.

Smith has small fractures around his eyes along with a concussion, coach Scott Linehan said Wednesday.

The Rams (3-1) have a bye after playing Green Bay this week and the Seahawks next week, and it's likely he wouldn't return until after that.

"We haven't counted him out next week, but he'd be highly doubtful," Linehan said. "With those two injuries, it's going to take a while before he's going to be cleared."

Linehan said the facial fractures will heal without surgery.

Smith started the first four games and also had significant duty on special teams. The Rams filled that void by signing linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski, the Seahawks' special teams captain until being released on Saturday.

The Seahawks cut Kacyvenski because they needed depth at running back with Shaun Alexander out with a broken foot. Linehan called it a "great sign" for Kacyvenski, who signed a one-year contract, and said he would be surprised if he's not ready to play on special teams this week at Green Bay.

"He's been known as one of the better special teams players," Linehan said. "Weird circumstances how he ended up here. We certainly didn't expect a player of this caliber to be available."

The signing gives the Rams two players from Harvard. Ryan Fitzpatrick, in his second season, is the third-string quarterback.

Kacyvenski had been expecting the Seahawks to re-sign him, but said he couldn't wait around after a half-dozen teams called. He was on a layover in Denver en route to St. Louis when the Seahawks said they had a contract for him, but said a shot at playing linebacker with the Rams tipped the scales even though he considers coach Mike Holmgren "almost like a father figure."

"It wasn't going to be in Seattle," he said. "It's going to be tough to play against them in two weeks, but it's a business, and I had to do what I had to do."

He said getting released after seven seasons in Seattle was a cold reminder of the business side of the sport.

"The stock phrase in the NFL is 'We're going to bring you back Monday,'" Kacyvenski said. "Everybody in the NFL knows that's a famous phrase.

"I was wary, I was hurt and I had a lot of mixed emotions about it."

The Rams released safety Dwaine Carpenter, who had been inactive the first four games.

The 237-pound Smith knocked himself and 325-pound rookie guard Frank Davis of the Lions out of the Rams' 41-34 victory on Sunday on the opening kickoff of the second half. Both players have been released from the hospital.

Linehan said Smith remembers most of what happened.

"It's not like it was an out-of-body experience or anything," Linehan said. "I'm sure he'd like to forget how it felt there for a while."

Pace questionable

Offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who missed Sunday's game with a concussion, did limited work in practice on Wednesday but was listed as questionable for this week.