By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

UPDATE: 10:00 AM

By Nick Wagoner

Senior Writer

MEQUON , Wis. – The Rams officially began training camp Friday morning with a team meeting at 9:15 . With running back Steven Jackson and receiver Donnie Avery not in the fold, that duo is officially considered late.

Jackson ’s absence is believed to be contract related as the Rams and his agent Eugene Parker continue to discuss a lucrative, long term extension. It was originally believed that Jackson would arrive to camp on time but there is no certain timetable for his arrival as of Friday morning.

Rams coach Scott Linehan said Thursday he expected Jackson to be in attendance Friday but had no contact with Jackson as of Friday morning.

Avery, the team’s second round pick in April’s draft remains unsigned though sources close to the situation deem a deal “very close.” Avery is the lone unsigned draft pick from the team’s 2008 NFL Draft class.

Receiver Dante Hall, who was one of the others opting for alternate transportation arrived in Mequon in time for the morning meeting.

Elsewhere, left tackle Orlando Pace and defensive tackle Adam Carriker went through a litany of tests on their injured shoulders and came out with solid results. Both have been cleared to practice and will be on the field Friday afternoon.

Carriker is expected to be able to go at full speed while Pace’s repetitions will be limited in the first few days of camp as he works his way back.

Thursday Evening's Story

MEQUON, Wis. – On the eve of the first official practice of training camp, a trio of Rams have yet to arrive.

Running back Steven Jackson and receiver Dante Hall made alternate plans for transportation to Concordia University while second round pick Donnie Avery has yet to come to terms on a contract.

While there remains a sliver of doubt about Jackson’s status as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Rams coach Scott Linehan said he fully anticipates all of the missing players to be in camp on time.

For the record, the Rams and Linehan view Thursday as a “travel” day, meaning no player will be deemed late for camp until 9:15 on Friday morning when the team commences its first official meeting.

“Everything is optional (today),” Linehan said. “They can go through a tour and get an orientation. Our first official day is tomorrow; today is counted as a travel day.”

Jackson recently changed agents after a relationship with Gary Uberstine was severed. Jackson made no bones about wanting a contract extension during the May minicamp but the change in agents complicated that mission.

Linehan says Jackson and the Rams have had conversations in recent days that lead him to believe that not only will Jackson be in Mequon by Friday but also that a contract could be signed in short order.

“I do know and that has been a priority,” Linehan said. “The talks have been there. I know Jay (Zygmunt) has had contact with Steven’s new agent. He just recently hired a new agent so that has just in the last couple days become…I know there’s open dialogue right now and our hope is that will be done soon.”

As for Avery, he remains the lone unsigned pick from the team’s 2008 draft class. Like with Jackson, Linehan has little concern about the receiver out of Houston being in camp on time.

“We anticipate him to be signed soon and be here on the next available flight tonight,” Linehan said. “I am thinking optimistically but I do expect him here for practice. It would be unusual. He’s a young player that needs to get in camp and we talked about that today and he knows that.”

Hall’s absence was nothing more than an alternate travel plan and he too is expected in time for camp.

For now, Linehan and the Rams are holding out hope that all three will be in Wisconsin in time for that opening meeting.

“My hope is that that’s the case,” Linehan said. “I have no reason to believe otherwise.”

INJURY UPDATES: A pair of Rams were to go through a number of tests Thursday evening to determine their state of readiness for the first practice scheduled for late Friday afternoon.

Left tackle Orlando Pace and defensive tackle Adam Carriker, both coming off serious shoulder injuries, will test their respective injuries and the assorted doctors and coaches will determine how much work that duo will get in the first practice.

“We are going to have them tonight,” Linehan said. “We did some physical things with them before we took a break and because everyone is traveling we are going to do it here.”

Contrary to reports earlier in the week, Pace has not been placed on the physically unable to perform list and isn’t likely to be officially placed on it. Instead, Linehan has tried to make the point that Pace might literally be unable to be full go for the first week or so. Of course, nothing will be determined until Pace is put through the motions Thursday evening.

“My anticipation is we will probably take it a little slower with Orlando,” Linehan said. “It’s just a matter of whether we clear him today, tomorrow, four days from now, a week. We don’t know until we talk to Jim and the doctors. He looks great, he’s in great shape. We don’t anticipate it will be very long but with what’s happened the past two years, we better just be a little bit slow on that.”

As for Carriker, his participation is likely to be more accelerated than Pace’s. Linehan said he isn’t anticipating any problems with the second year defensive tackle. Carriker agreed.

“I’ll be going,” Carriker said.  They are just going to monitor me and see how it feels and see how it reacts. It should be fine.”

WAYWARD WROTEN: Defensive tackle Claude Wroten received a one-year suspension from the NFL on Wednesday for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.

The loss of Wroten, while not something that pleases the coaching staff, is not considered to be a significant one, at least not to Linehan.

“We really felt like Claude was going to be  battling to make this team going into camp,” Linehan said. “What it does is eliminate him from the mix and brings the next tier of guys in there to get a chance.

Linehan said the Rams will likely carry just seven defensive linemen into the season with Victor Adeyanju as the utility man who can move between end and tackle. Undrafted rookies Vernon Bryant, Joshua Thompson and Willie Williams will get a longer look in practice because of Wroten’s absence.

RAM BITS: The Rams arrived at their dorm here to an ovation from an assembled gathering of about 75 locals, who expressed delight at the arrival of the team…Linehan is sporting a new buzz cut that is a hit among his players. Safety Corey Chavous called it “pretty cool”…The menu for the first dinner in Mequon included strip steaks, lobster, shrimp, mashed potatoes and a variety of pastas.