Rams report, 8/18

* Upcoming schedule:
Open practice today at 1:15. Practices tomorrow are closed to the public. Preseason game #2 against Tennessee Saturday night at 7:00.

* Injuries.
- Returning: Great news yesterday that Donnie Avery has returned to practice. He's even expected to play Saturday night. That should be a big moment for him. Mike Sims-Walker was a surprise partial participant yesterday. He's been upgraded to day-to-day status and might play Saturday. Rodger Saffold and Jacob Bell have also returned to practice, as has Fendi Onobun. Camp reports have also confirmed Jermale Hines and George Selvie returned to practice.

- Sitting out: I don't know what the hell he could have done to hurt it, I swear the team puts about as much load on him in training camp as they do the kickers, but Steven Jackson was out for the second straight day yesterday with a sore hip. He's lobbying, though, to get all the first-unit snaps Saturday night. I think it's safe to assume Jermelle Cudjo remains out due to his back injury, but that's unconfirmed.

- Status unknown: Mikail Baker, Jerious Norwood.

- Still out and been out: Marquis Johnson, Jerome Murphy.

- Transactions: UDFA offensive lineman Roy Watts left the team yesterday for family reasons. The Rams website, which looks up-to-date, shows 86 players on the current roster.

Updates as they happen, I'll do what I can to clear up the status unknowns.

-$-