Scouting the Rams

• The Rams have the youngest roster in the league for a third consecutive season. They have 23 players on the roster with less than two years of experience.

• St. Louis recovered 15 fumbles on defense last season, which tied for a league-high.

• DE Robert Quinn set a single-season franchise record with 19 sacks and finished second in the NFL. He also had 33 quarterback hits and 36 pressures last year.

• RB Zac Stacy finished second among rookies with 973 rushing yards. He started the final 12 games and had four games with over 100 rushing yards.

• LB James Laurinaitis had 116 tackles last season in his fifth consecutive year with 100 tackles. The Wayzata native also collected two interceptions and 3.5 sacks.

• CB Trumaine Johnson will be out at least four weeks because of a sprained MCL. He led the team with three interceptions last season.

PLAYER SPEAK QB Shaun Hill

• This will be Hill's 27th career start and second in Week 1. His last start was against the Vikings in the 2010 regular season finale during his tenure with the Lions.

• On Bradford's season-ending injury: "Everybody does feel for Sam in this situation but at the same time it's the NFL. It's a next-guy-up league and our approach has not changed as a team, our mind-set has not changed and our goals have not changed."

• On the Vikings defense: "Very athletic, they fly around the field. That's one thing that hasn't changed in a long time there. They're a good group for sure."

• The 56-year-old Fisher is in his third season with the Rams, where he's 14-17-1.

• On offensive coordinator Norv Turner's offense: "Norv's probably walking around with a smile on his face right now because of the players he's working with. It's potentially a very, very explosive offense."

• On defensive end Michael Sam, the NFL's first openly game player, who was cut after training camp and signed with Dallas: "It wasn't a distraction at all. On draft day obviously there was a lot going on, but he was just another guy and just another player."