Ram Notebook : First-Round Pick Cox Still Waiting to Make His First Catch as a Pro

Aaron Cox, who couldn’t wait for the day he caught his first pass for the Rams, is still waiting after being shut out in Saturday’s Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

In fact, as debuts go for rookie wide receivers with high expectations, Saturday wasn’t much of a day at all.

Cox, the team’s first-round pick from Arizona State, didn’t make a catch in the 14-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Second-round choice Willie Anderson from UCLA had just one reception for 10 yards.

“It’s not frustrating at all,” Cox said. “It’s early in the season, hopefully next game the ball will get thrown my way earlier in the game.”

Afterward, Cox, like a fisherman who came up empty, could only talk about the one that got away--a long Hugh Millen pass that dropped in and out of his hands early in the fourth quarter.

“I was real close,” Cox said. “Actually, I didn’t think I’d get there because my legs were dying out on me.” Was Cox nervous in his professional debut?

“I was a lot more nervous in the locker room preparing for the game,” he said. “As soon as I stepped on the field and lined up in the huddle, I wasn’t nervous at all. Judging from right now, I think I did OK, but films tell a different story sometimes. I think I did OK. I didn’t do anything spectacular and I didn’t screw up anything major.”

Injury update: Fifteen injured players did not make the trip to Canton. Some of them should be ready to play in Wednesday night’s game with the Denver Broncos at Anaheim Stadium.

The most important of those is first-round back Gaston Green, who missed Saturday’s game with a bruised thigh. A final decision on Green’s status will probably be made today.

Others key players expected to return are linebacker Jim Collins (knee), receiver Michael Young (back), tight end Pete Holohan (hamstring), and perhaps guard Robert Cox (knee and ankle).

Mike Schad, the first-round pick of 1986, survived Saturday’s game at left guard, where he was playing in place of holdout Tom Newberry and the injured Robert Cox. Schad hadn’t seen so much action since his college days at Queen’s College in Canada.

Schad, who played about 60 downs against the Bengals, had spent his first two years on injured reserve with various ailments.

There is a time to make a stand and a time to go to work, and John Robinson thinks the time has come for his five holdouts to report to training camp.

“There’s not a lot of time,” he said Sunday. “That grace period that goes with a holdout is over. It’s time now.”

The absence of the entire defensive front--Greg Meisner, Shawn Miller and Doug Reed--is causing some problems, especially since the team’s other top lineman, Gary Jeter, has been plagued with back problems this summer.

Ram Notes

In Kevin Brown, the Rams may have found the man who will replace punter Dale Hatcher this summer. “A 44 average and 38 net, that would only lead the league,” Coach John Robinson said of Brown’s statistics against Cincinnati. Hatcher will likely miss the season opener with a knee injury. . . . Veteran Gary Jeter’s bad back might keep him out of Wednesday’s game against the Denver Broncos. “He’s got a back just like mine,” Robinson said. “You have it the rest of your life. But they (team doctors) don’t think it’s real bad.” . . . Jeter, 33, missed most of the 1984 season with a herniated disc. . . . Ross Browner, the 34-year old veteran defensive end signed by the Rams last Friday, could make his debut as early as Wednesday. “He’s got to show what he can do quickly,” Robinson said. . . . Jim Everett will likely play most of the first half Wednesday, with backup Steve Dils making his 1988 debut in the second half. . . . Robinson said he was very impressed with Everett, who completed 7 of 9 passes for 72 yards against the Bengals. “All the things he’s been criticized for, the hesitations, you saw none of that. Clearly, he’s making great progress.” Who made Robinson’s best-player list for Saturday? Fullback Robert Delpino, tailback Keith Jones, tackle R.C. Mullin and linebacker Brett Faryniarz.