ST. LOUIS — After viewing hours of tape and watching Sam Bradford in person several times before the draft, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo was convinced of his new quarterback's physical skills. On Friday at rookie minicamp, Spagnuolo homed in on less tangible issues.
"I wanted to see his command of the huddle, his interaction with his teammates," Spagnuolo said. "And he kind of stepped to the forefront. You could tell he was the guy that's done this before.
"That's a small thing, but I'd be a lot worried if he hadn't passed that simple test."
As the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Bradford was the marquee performer among 66 players — 11 draftees, 15 rookie free agents, four returning players with less than a year of experience, and 36 tryouts — who hit the fields at Rams Park for two practices.
Two more workouts are planned for Saturday, with a concluding practice set for Sunday morning.
By then will Bradford, the 6-foot-4, 236-pounder from the University of Oklahoma, have been anointed the first-team quarterback?
"You're way ahead of me there," Spagnuolo said. "We didn't really set anything that way. The only thing we've set right now is to get through these five practices."
Bradford scoffed at the notion, too.
"It's not up to me; it's to them," he said. "But I know I'm going to come here every day and work as hard as I can, try to learn as much as possible, and when they feel the time is right, they'll make that decision."
Day one with the Rams began a bit earlier than expected for Bradford, who acknowledged being "a little nervous" before his first practice.
"I woke up a little before my alarm went off this morning," he said. "I really wasn't sure how it was going to go today, as far as the schedule and the practice. But once I got out there, I felt really comfortable. I really enjoyed it. ". . . It was a blast."
The script called for Bradford to attempt a number of different passes, and he said his surgically repaired right (throwing) shoulder presented no problems.
"I made a wide variety of throws, some downfield throws, some intermediate throws, some quick throws. And they all felt good," he said. "The arm feels great; it's not tired at all. So I'm really happy with the way the shoulder feels right now."
Bradford said he regarded the minicamp as "a great learning experience."
"Obviously, I've got a lot to learn; that was apparent today," he noted. "Everything looks really good on paper. But when the X's and O's start moving, it gets a little tougher.
"It was good, though. I think I learned some things, and hopefully I can improve on those."
Keeping it simple
No rigorous mental challenges are planned for the newcomers, and that's by design.
"The reason we do it that way is so they can show us what their skills are," Spagnuolo said. "If you give them too much complicated-wise, try to do too many things, they get a little brain freeze and then you don't really get to see what they are physically.
"So we kind of keep it simple so they can just let it go."
RAM-BLINGS: Wide receiver Travis Brown missed the afternoon practice after being struck in the throat with a ball at the first workout. An X-ray showed no serious damage. ... Defensive tackle Chris Bradwell, who spent part of last season on the Rams' practice squad, was absent Friday because of what Spagnuolo termed a "communications problem." Bradwell is expected to practice today. ... Rodger Saffold, the team's second-round draft choice, worked at left tackle. He's wearing No. 76, a tribute to his boyhood favorite, Orlando Pace.