NEW ORLEANS — The St. Louis Rams will start Rod Jones at right offensive tackle in the Super Bowl ahead of Ryan Tucker, who has been slow to recover from a sprained ankle.

        “Tucker still has a bit of an issue,” coach Mike Martz said Thursday. “And Rod has played so well, he deserves this opportunity.'

        Jones made only one start in the regular season but has started both of the Rams' playoff games. He was an offseason free agent pickup from the Bengals and is playing in his first postseason.

        “I've got to be excited, right?” Jones said. “I'm an offensive lineman coming out of obscurity into the national spotlight, and I'm going to make the best of the situation.”

        After the first two playoff games, Jones is getting used to starting.

        “Before, I was the emergency guy,” he said. “Now, I'm just part of the ship; I'm just one of the motors that's keeping it moving.”

        Jones also is banged up, having injured his groin in the NFC Championship Game. He was limited in practice Wednesday but said he'll be 100 percent by Sunday. Jones played both left and right tackle in practice.

        Playing on the left side was easier on the groin problem, but he'll be starting on the other side.

        Tucker, injured in the season finale, said his left ankle was sore, but that he could play if needed. He played as a reserve in the NFC championship game, stepping in when Orlando Pace strained a knee ligament and then filling in when Jones hurt his groin.

        “I'm not 100 percent and it's definitely taking longer than I expected it to,” Tucker said. “Obviously, I haven't shown them in practice that I'm my old self, so I can understand where they're coming from.

        BRONCOS:

        The team signed free agent offensive lineman Jay Humphrey. Terms were not disclosed.

        Humphrey, in his second season out of Texas, has never played in an NFL game. He was active for one game in 1999 after being drafted by Minnesota in the fourth round, and he spent the 2000 season on the practice squad.

        PANTHERS:

        A judge dismissed a noise violation charge against defensive tackle Al Lucas.

        Macon (Ga.) Municipal Court Associate Judge Althea Buafo ruled Wednesday that the Oct.6 citation against Lucas for blaring the stereo of his Chevrolet Suburban incorrectly relied on a code section that dealt with someone operating a vehicle.

        Lucas, 23, was washing the vehicle in the driveway of the home of his parents, when Macon police officer Daniel Epps arrived to cite him after a caller complained about the noise.

        “It is the position of the court that Mr. Lucas was charged under the wrong statute,” the judge said.

        Tension escalated when Epps asked for Lucas' identification, which the player refused to produce. Two-and-a-half hours later, at least four police cars and a city councilman had shown up, Elaine Lucas had called the police chief and authorities had decided no one would be arrested.

        Elaine Lucas filed a formal complaint against Epps, charging the officer with being rude, trespassing on her property and racial profiling.

        “I think this was a case of racial profiling, even though this officer was black,” she said. “I think (Epps) thought he had him a drug dealer he was going to get some evidence on.”

        She said Wednesday that her son also filed a similar complaint against the officer and that neither complaint has been answered.

        COLTS:

        Coach Tony Dungy hired four assistants who worked with him in Tampa Bay, completing his coaching staff.

        Jim Caldwell (quarterbacks), Clyde Christensen (wide receivers), Chris Foerster (tight ends) and Ricky Thomas (offensive quality control) were added to the staff.

        Dungy retained three assistants from former coach Jim Mora's staff: offensive coordinator Tom Moore, running backs coach Gene Huey and offensive line coach Howard Mudd.

        Caldwell spent last season as the Buccaneers quarterbacks coach and was head coach at Wake Forest from 1993 to 2000. Christensen spent six seasons at Tampa Bay, starting as a tight ends coach, moving to quarterbacks coach and was offensive coordinator a year ago.

        Foerster spent the past six seasons as Tampa Bay's offensive line coach and Thomas spent the past three season as its tight ends coach. He also was an offensive assistant with the Buccaneers in 1997-98.

        Dungy was hired last week after Mora was fired following a 6-10 season. Dungy went 54-42 in six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was fired after a first-round playoff loss.

        SAINTS:

        Former San Diego coach Mike Riley will join New Orleans as assistant head coach and secondary coach. He was fired by the Chargers Dec.31 after going 13-34 in three seasons.

        “We are very pleased to be able to hire Mike because of all of the experience he brings to the table and I have known and trusted Rick Venturi for many years, he is a natural fit,” Saints head coach Jim Haslett said.

        Longtime Saints assistant Rick Venturi will move into the defensive coordinator position vacated by Ron Zook, who left to become coach at the University of Florida.

        Venturi served as New Orleans' assistant head coach-secondary coach for the last two seasons.

        JAGUARS:

        Special teams coordinator Frank Gansz, 63, retired after 24 years of coaching in the NFL. John Bonamego will replace him.

        SUPER OFFICIALS:

        Bernie Kukar on Sunday will referee his second Super Bowl, heading an officiating crew with 70 years of NFL experience. Kukar also worked the 1999 Super Bowl in Miami and three conference championships.

        Joining Kukar on the Super Bowl crew will be umpire Jeff Rice, head linesman Mark Hittner, line judge Ron Phares, field judge Pete Morelli, side judge Laird Hayes and back judge Scott Green. Only Phares previously worked in a Super Bowl, in 1995.

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