PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Kinchen Takes an Important Test

Todd Kinchen, expected to be the Rams’ No. 3 wide receiver before he suffered an off-season knee injury, returned to practice Monday.

“Today was a real big test day--we don’t know if it’s well fr sure,” Kinchen said. “We don’t know if it’s totally healed. If it blows up (today) and there’s swelling, then that’s going to mean the knee’s not ready.”

Kinchen suffered the injury while playing basketball.

“My knee is a little bit tender coming out of cuts, slowing down and things like that,” he said. “But I’m ecstatic (about) the way it felt. I was very nervous. I thought it was going to hurt a lot more.

“I had a broken bone and it’s been only three months, so I feel very good where I’m at. I only did some individual routes. I didn’t do team (11-on-11 practice) because the pace picks up and I didn’t want to get too crazy or do too much.”

Richard Buchanan and Sean LaChapelle have been competing for the No. 3 spot in Kinchen’s absence. LaChapelle, however, has been hampered by injuries.

Wide receiver Jeff Chadwick, who has sat out much of training camp because of a hamstring injury, returned to practice, as has wide receiver Phillip Bobo, who had a knee injury.

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Linebacker Shane Conlan, who sat out two days of practice earlier because of a knee injury, was sidelined because of a hip injury.

“I just pinched the hip a little bit--no big deal,” Conlan said. “I can run straight ahead, no problem, but cutting hurts.”

When the Rams acquired Conlan as a free agent from the Buffalo Bills, they dismissed suggestions that he was injury-prone.

“I told my wife, ‘Oh, God, what are the writers going to say?’ ” Conlan said. “I don’t think I’m injury-prone. They’re just freak things. I swear every one of my injuries throughout my career--none of them have been serious.”

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Defensive lineman Mike Piel, who underwent shoulder surgery in February after playing in 16 games with the Rams last season, joined workouts for the first time in training camp. . . . Cornerbacks Robert Bailey and Darryl Henley had interceptions in practice and drew praise from Coach Chuck Knox. . . . Knox also singled out the work of defensive tackle Sean Gilbert.