PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Dupree’s Left Foot Still Is Swollen

Tailback Marcus Dupree’s left foot was still swollen and painful during Sunday’s light workout, and his status is doubtful for tonight’s game against the San Diego Chargers.

“I can’t go 100 percent,” Dupree said after the workout. “Then again, I might wake up and it might feel OK. But right now, I’ve still got a problem pushing off.

“It’s coming around faster than I expected. Today, I can bend it. Yesterday, I couldn’t bend it at all. Now it’s just got to get to the point where I can push off. Then I’ll be OK.”

Dupree’s left foot is bent at the base of his big toe. He has sliced open his shoe to give the foot more room.

Cleveland Gary, who sat out last week’s exhibition-opener because of a sore right leg, is scheduled to get the bulk of the first-half work at tailback tonight. Gary recently started practicing again.

Tackle Gerald Perry still can’t work on his sore right knee, and definitely will sit out. “We’ve got to get him into a rhythm of practicing, getting him assimilated,” Coach John Robinson said. “We’ve fallen behind there. We’ve got to try to catch that up.”

Rookie Roman Phifer is expected to start as the right outside linebacker, and Brett Faryniarz probably will start at the left outside spot. Those two had been battling for the right-side spot, but the Rams are expected to split them up and start both. Paul Butcher will replace Phifer and Mike Wilcher will move in for Faryniarz sometime in the second or third quarters. . . . Larry Kelm is the odds-on regular-season starter at middle linebacker. Frank Stams will come in as the extra inside linebacker against the Chargers’ power offense. Stams will be the middle linebacker when the Rams start substituting.