By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

Quite a bit has changed since the Rams’ first preseason game last week against Chicago.

After watching the Bears lose their starting quarterback, St. Louis lost one of its starting cornerbacks for the season. The Rams also brought a first-round draft choice into the mix and continued the shuffling on the offensive line.

As St. Louis travels to San Diego for Sunday’s 3 p.m. (CST) kickoff with the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium, there are plenty of things that will be closely monitored throughout the day.

With the news that starting cornerback Jerametrius Butler is out for the season because of a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee comes the opportunity for many defensive backs to take advantage of an opportunity.

DeJuan Groce will get the starting nod in Butler’s place for the second week in a row, but this time he does so with an air of responsibility knowing that the job belongs to him and he must do all he can to win the job.

Groce said Friday that he has been turning to any one he can for advice, including a number of phone calls to former Ram and future Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams.

“I will call Aeneas up and he will tell you everything you need to know,” Groce said. “That’s probably going to be my game plan for this week. Call Aeneas.”

Of course, there has been plenty of help for Groce at Rams Park in the form of the man he finds himself replacing. 

“JB has been a lot of help for me,” Groce said. “He gives you a lot of confidence when you go out for the game. He called me right away when it happened and said you better be ready, it’s time to step it up.”

Butler should know better than anyone considering that he was in Groce’s situation not so long ago. The role of mentor and cheerleader isn’t one Butler would prefer, but it’s what he has right now. It didn’t hurt Groce’s cause too much last week as Groce recovered a fumble and held up well against Chicago.

Another cornerback who will get a long look against the Chargers is rookie Ronald Bartell. Bartell played quite a bit against the Bears and held up OK, but hasn’t quite taken the next step yet.

Physically, Bartell has all the tools.

"He's a big guy," Martz said. "In terms of an athlete at the position, he's the whole package, with the size, speed, quickness, agility."

But Bartell still needs some work in the mental aspects. That’s why he will get his baptism by fire. The Bears fired it in Bartell’s direction plenty of times last week and the Chargers will probably do the same.

Butler got a long glimpse of Bartell last week and said he thought the rookie showed promise.

“He’s done pretty good,” Butler said. “They threw him in the fire last game so he’s done pretty good. He is holding his own. Once he gets more confidence he’ll be all right.”

As for Barron, he will get his first action, probably not until the second half, against San Diego. Barron arrived in St. Louis last weekend, but didn’t participate in his first practice until Monday.

Barron held up well in his first week of practice, surviving a skirmish with defensive end Anthony Hargrove and a number of heated battles in one-on-one pass rush drills.

"I was pleasantly surprised by a lot of things with Alex," Martz said. "I think the toughness and the resolve that he really came to camp with was evident after I looked at practice tape. I'm very pleased with that.”

Barron’s stay at left tackle will probably be short-lived depending on how he holds up this weekend, but all signs point to a switch to the right side sooner than later.

"Once he learns, then you can teach him the skills to move to right tackle,” Martz said. “If you are trying to get in a right-hand stance when you're used to being in a left-hand stance and trying to learn a new system at the same time, it's difficult."

Barron will replace left tackle Orlando Pace, who will get his first action of the preseason against the Chargers. Joining him on the starting unit will be left guard Claude Terrell, center Andy McCollum, right guard Blaine Saipaia and right tackle Rex Tucker or Matt Willig.

Right guard Adam Timmerman was originally scheduled to make his debut, but it was determined Friday night that he isn’t quite ready to play.

RAMS-CHARGERS NOTES: The Rams have played the Chargers more than any team in the preseason…This will be the 34th meeting between the teams with the Rams leading 17-16…The last time the teams met was in 2002 with St. Louis losing 31-10…Of course the most famous recent meeting between the teams was in 1999 when quarterback Trent Green suffered a season-ending knee injury.