Rams get hit with bad news on Avery

In terms of experience and proven depth, wide receiver may be the one position where the Rams can least afford a significant injury. So the news that wide receiver Donnie Avery could miss four to six weeks with a foot injury is a blow to the team's early season offensive hopes. "The MRI showed more than we thought," coach Steve Spagnuolo said through a team spokesman after Sunday afternoon's special teams workout. "It's probably a four- to six-week injury." Sources told the Post-Dispatch that Avery has suffered a stress fracture in his left foot. Such injuries often require nothing more than time to heal. Even under the four- to six-week outlook, Avery would be sidelined the entire exhibition season at a minimum. If he's out six weeks, he could miss the first two regular season games (Seattle Sept. 13 and Washington Sept. 20). But stress fractures can be tricky. It's not unusual for them to take longer to heal than expected. During Sunday morning's practice, Laurent Robinson and Keenan Burton worked with the starting unit. Tim Carter, who was one of the more productive receivers in Friday's scrimmage at Lindenwood University, also got some reps with the first unit. Derek Stanley, Ronald Curry and rookie Brooks Foster also could be in the mix, beginning with this Friday's preseason opener in the Meadowlands against the New York Jets. "Any time anybody goes down, you have to step your level of play up," Burton said. "That's from top to bottom. From the rookies, all the way up to Carter and Curry having seven years (experience). So you've got to go out and play." Burton added: "I don't necessarily know how (Avery's injury) affects me at all. I'm going to play my position. I know all the receivers are going to play their positions. And we're going to go out here and compete." The Rams worked out two free agents Sunday: defensive end Shaun Smith (most recently with Cleveland) and safety Anthony Scirrotto (most recently with Carolina). But no wide receivers. That could change this week. By all accounts, the team didn't know the severity of Avery's injury until Sunday afternoon. Avery suffered the injury in Friday's scrimmage, although it's not clear when it happened, or even if it happened on a specific play. During his regular media briefing after Sunday morning's practice, Spagnuolo said Avery felt some discomfort in his left foot when he woke up Saturday - the morning after the scrimmage. "(Trainers) worked on it a little bit, they X-rayed it - didn't find anything," Spagnuolo said. "We thought he'd be able to go today, but it still felt a little bit tender." Avery spent part of the morning practice riding on a stationary bike. But when the team gathered indoors at Rams Park for an afternoon special teams practice, Avery was wearing a boot on the foot - never a good sign. Despite being slowed by a hip injury last season, Avery finished with 53 catches for 674 yards. Both figures were second on the team to Torry Holt, the seven-time Pro Bowler who was cut in March and subsequently signed by Jacksonville. One of the fastest players on the team, Avery provided a much-needed deep threat in the passing game. The first wide receiver taken in the 2008 draft, Avery broke into the starting lineup in Game 4 against Buffalo. He provided instant big-play ability by: - Scoring on a 37-yard run against the Bills. - Catching a 43-yard pass that set up the game-winning field goal in Game 5 against Washington. - Catching a 42-yard touchdown pass in Game 6 to spark a 34-14 rout of Dallas. - Catching a 69-yard TD pass and non-scoring passes of 44 and 35 yards in Game 7 against New England. Avery's production slowed over the second half of the season in part because defenses started paying more attention to him, and partly because his training camp hip injury - which never fully healed - bothered him down the stretch. Without Avery's speed in the lineup in 2009, opposing defenses can be expected to crowd the line of scrimmage to take away Steven Jackson and the running game. If the Rams are satisfied with their wide receiver group as a whole, and are convinced that Avery's injury will be relatively short term, they could stand pat at the position. If not, there isn't a lot available on the free-agent market. Former Indianapolis superstar Marvin Harrison is available. So is former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Ike Hilliard, as well as Darrell Jackson, Ashley Lelie, former Ram Dane Looker, Justin McCareins, Billy McMullen, Jerry Porter and Reggie Williams. Released by Seattle over the weekend, McMullen spent his first three NFL seasons (2003-05) with Philadelphia, working for a coaching staff that included current Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.