2016 Rams WR-TE-RB Roster Battles.. take a peek

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den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
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Dennis
Thought this a great breakdown by Florida Ram:

This is a Full breakdown & Analysis of the WR-TE and RB Roster Position Battles for the Rams 2016 Final 53 man squad.
(obviously subject to change on a weekly basis due to performance, injuries and player/upgrades: transactions)



#11 WR/RB/PR TAVON AUSTIN 5'8 180 lbs (Turns 26 on 03/16/2017)


2015 Rams CATCHES 52 YARDS 473 YPC.. 9.1 TD 5
2014 Rams CATCHES 31 YARDS 242 YPC.. 7.8 TD 0
2013 Rams CATCHES 40 YARDS 418 YPC 10.5 TD 4


CAREER RUSHING
44 GAMES ATT 97 YARDS 809 AVG 8.3 TD 7

[en.wikipedia.org]
2015:Austin had arguably his best season in 2015. He posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (5). Austin further proved to be a dynamic player on offense as he ran the ball 52 times for 434 yards and 4 touchdowns.

After a Thursday Night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Austin became the first player to score at least five receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and a punt return touchdown in a single seasonsince Gale Sayers did so for the Chicago Bears in 1965.



#18 WR KENNY BRITT 6'3 223 lbs (Turns 28 on 09/19/2016)


2015 Rams CATCHES 36 YARDS 681 YPC 18.9 TD 3
2014 Rams CATCHES 48 YARDS 748 YPC 15.6 TD 3


[www.rotoworld.com]
2015: Britt flashed some big-play ability down the stretch of 2015 and was the recipient of a few downfield shot plays by Case Keenum against San Francisco. Britt finished the season with a receiving line of 36-681-3. As Britt did not hit the statistical standards to void his contract head of the 2016 offseason, he will be under contract for at least one more year. Britt will be 28 next season.



#83 WR BRIAN QUICK 6'3 218 lbs (Turns 27 on 06/05/2016)


2015 Rams CATCHES 10 YARDS 102 YPC.. 9.1 TD 0
2014 Rams CATCHES 25 YARDS 375 YPC 15.0 TD 3
2013 Rams CATCHES 18 YARDS 302 YPC 16.8 TD 2
2012 Rams CATCHES 11 YARDS 156 YPC 14.2 TD 2


2016: Rams re-signed WR Brian Quick to a one-year deal. Incentives worth up to $3.75 million, and includes $1.5 million guaranteed. 2015: Recovered from major shoulder surgery but finished the season with a paltry 10 catches for 102 yards 0 TD's. (Quick has a dismal 4 year career receiving line of 64-935-7)

[www.sbnation.com]
2014: Wide Receiver Brian Quick is likely going to miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn rotator cuff and dislocated shoulder, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Quick has 25 catches for 375 yards and three touchdowns so far in 2014 -- all career highs -- although he only had four catches over the last three games.



#15 WR/SP Teams BRADLEY MARQUEZ 5'10 196 lbs (Turns 24 on 12/14/2016)


2015 Rams CATCHES 13 YARDS.. 88 YPC.. 6.8 TD 0
2014 TECH CATCHES 65 YARDS 821 YPC 12.6 TD 10
2013 TECH CATCHES 49 YARDS 633 YPC 12.9 TD 6


(In his Rookie season, Marquez was a Special Teams Standout for the Rams but only had a receiving line of 13-88-O and 6.8 YPC)

[www.therams.com]
COLLEGE: Appeared in 43 games and caught 155 passes for 1,866 yards and 17 touchdowns...two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention...three-time Academic All-Big 12 (1st Team)...NFLPA Collegiate Bowl participant...played in 12 games (11 starts) with 65 receptions, 821 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns as a senior...led Big 12 in receiving touchdowns and was fifth in receptions... as a junior, caught 49 passes for 633 yards and six touchdowns...

As a senior at Odessa High, rushed for 2,210 yards and 29 touchdowns...two-time All-State selection in football and a state qualifier in track and field in 2011 (long jump). Signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent (5/7/15).

YOUTUBE: HIGHLIGHTS (TEX TECH College)
[www.youtube.com]



#10 WR/RB/PR/KR PHAROH COOPER 5'11 207 lbs (Turns 22 on 03/07/2017)


2015 S.CAR CATCHES 66 YARDS... 973 YPC 14.7 TD 8
2014 S.CAR CATCHES 69 YARDS 1,136 YPC 16.5 TD 9


[www.gamecocksonline.com]
2015: Earned first-team All-SEC honors by the league’s coaches as both a wide receiver and as an all-purpose back... was an AP first-team All-SEC wide receiver and a second-team all-purpose back... also named a first-team All-SEC wide receiver by ESPN.com... Gamecocks’ leading receiver with 66 receptions for 973 yards... ranked second in the league with 81.1 receiving yards and fifth with 5.5 catches per game... caught 35 percent of the team’s passes for 39 percent of the yards thrown... his 66 receptions were more than the rest of Carolina’s wide receivers combined total of 56...

His 66 catches was the seventh-highest single-season total in school history, while his 973 receiving yards was the sixth-best mark... led the team with eight receiving touchdowns and with nine TDs overall... had five 100-yard receiving games in 2015 (Kentucky, Missouri, LSU, Vanderbilt, Citadel) and nine in his career... best game came against The Citadel when he caught 11 passes for 191 yards and a score... also had a 160-yard effort against Vanderbilt... averaged 94.9 all purpose yards per game... rushed 24 times for 111 yards and a score... completed 2-of-5 passes for 11 yards and a touchdown... returned 12 punts for 55 yards...

Finished his junior season with 138 career catches (ninth all-time) for 2,163 yards (eighth all-time) with 18 touchdown receptions (sixth all-time)... team captain... was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection... logged 513 rushing yards, 118 passing yards, 2,163 receiving yards, 359 kickoff return yards and 172 punt return yards in his 36-game career that included 25 starts... had six plays of 70-plus yards (two rushing and four receiving).

[www.nfl.com]
WEAKNESSES: Has neither height nor length for desired catch radius. Was unable to reach big-play throws downfield. Contested catches became a chore. Battled focus and concentration drops at one point. Hip tightness creates rounded routes and limited wiggle after catch. The more wrinkles in the route, the less effective Cooper becomes. Relies on straight line quickness over speed or agility in open field. Limited route exposure while at South Carolina.

YOUTUBE: HIGHLIGHTS (CAREER Long 9 mins)
[www.youtube.com]



#13 WR MIKE THOMAS SOUTHERN MISS 6'1 200 lbs (Turns 22 on 08/16/2016)


2015 S.MISS CATCHES 71 YARDS 1,391 YPC 19.6 TD 14
2014 S.MISS CATCHES 41 YARDS....592 YPC 14.4 TD 5


[www.rotoworld.com]
2015: Thomas (6'1/193) spent two years at Southern Miss after transferring from community college, posting a 112-1,983-19 (17.7 YPR) receiving line and setting single-season school records for receiving yards (1,391) and receiving TDs (14) as a senior. Shockingly snubbed for a Combine invite, Thomas ran 4.54 with a 36-inch vertical and 10-foot-6 broad jump at the Golden Eagles' Pro Day. A terrific route runner who won 50:50 balls and dominated after the catch in Conference USA, Thomas has a Marvin Jones-like skill set with No. 2 receiver upside

Pro Football Focus continues to tout Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas as an early-round talent. PFF ranks Thomas as the No. 7 receiver overall. "He plays bigger than his 6-1 height on tape, making contested catches better than any of the other top receivers in the class," Steve Palazzolo wrote. "Thomas will also dabble with the spectacular catch, turning poor throws into productive plays. The wide receiver class features a healthy mix of skillsets and Thomas’ ball skills and upside as a route-runner should have teams eyeing him as early as the second round." Thomas caught 72 balls for 1,319 yards and 14 touchdowns on 19.3 yards per reception last year.

Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas ran the 40-yard dash in an unofficial time of 4.40 seconds during Thursday's Pro Day. While Thomas should be proud of his 40-yard time, he understands that being able to sprint in a straight line without football gear says little about his overall ability as a receiver. "The game tape never lies. (Scouts) told me I did pretty good today, but game film tells the tale," he said. Last season, he caught 72 passes for 1,319 yards and 14 touchdowns with a smooth 19.3 yards per reception on the ledger. Bleacher Report's Luke Easterling noted in mid-February that Thomas "could easily outplay" his late-round status, while the Pro Football Focus analysis team believes that he "has the ability to really surprise some people down the road."

Pro Football Focus grades Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas as a better NFL prospect than well-known prospects like Will Fuller, Braxton Miller and Tyler Boyd. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Thomas, inexplicably snubbed from the Combine, posted a monster 72-1,391-14 last year on an average of 19.3 yards per reception. He also forced nine missed tackles over the course of the year. "It’s understandable to question the level of competition, but Thomas was tied with [Laquan] Treadwell in terms of receiving grade, and warrants consideration on Day 2," Gordon McGuiness wrote. PFF ranks Thomas as the No. 7 receiver overall and a second-round value.

YOUTUBE: 2015 HIGHLIGHTS
[www.youtube.com]



#86 WR NELSON SPRUCE 6'1 205 lbs (Turns 24 on 12/05/2016)


2015 COL CATCHES 89... YARDS 1053 YPC 11.8 TD 4
2014 COL CATCHES 106. YARDS 1198 YPC 11.3 TD 12
2013 COL CATCHES 55.... YARDS 650 YPC 11.8 TD 4
2012 COL CATCHES 44.... YARDS 446 YPC 10.1 TD
3

[www.cubuffs.com]
2015: He started all 13 games and led the team in receiving for the second straight year with 89 receptions for 1,053 yards, averaging 11.8 yards per catch with four touchdowns; he had 46 catches for 10 or more yards (10 of 20-plus) and a pair of 100-yard games, which came at Washington State (10-120) and at Utah (5-111, 1 TD).

He caught at least five passes in all 13 games
and finished second in the Pac-12 and 14th in the NCAA in receptions per game (6.8), with his 81.0 yards per game ranking fifth and 31st, respectively; he was also sixth in the conference in punt returns (7.1 avg.). He had an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game, but opted out after suffering a slight ankle injury, but he was fine by the NFL Combine a month later. He again was a candidate for both the Biletnikoff and Maxwell awards.

[www.ralphiereport.com]
Spruce doesn't rely on his speed (4.69, 40-yard dash) when making plays, but rather his hands and feet. He's a tremendous route runner who will edge out defenders to the ball and use his body to create space. Spruce won't be a primary receiver in most NFL systems, but will likely be a No. 2 seeing a steady amount of looks. The NFL teams that scouted him have noticed his physical abilities and his skilled route running.

At 6'1" and 205 pounds, he broke the Pac-12 record for career receptions and rarely drops passes when targeted. What's deceiving about Spruce is his ability to trick out defenders in routes by often using inside/outside double moves in coverage. He's not a huge downfield threat but he will make up for what he lacks by being a quarterbacks "best friend" in the slot. Spruce's game as a punt returner and run blocker shows his versatility when it come to making a big team impact. His willingness to learn the playbook and adapt to an offensive system makes him a great addition to any roster.

YOUTUBE: HIGHLIGHTS
[www.youtube.com]



#00 WR D'HAQUILLE Duke WILLIAMS 6'2 220 lbs (Turns 24 on 05/13/2017)


2015 AUB CATCHES 12 YARDS 147 YPC 12.3 TD 1
2014 AUB CATCHES 45 YARDS 730 YPC 16.2 TD 5


[www.cbssports.com]
A JUCO transfer, Williams arrived at Auburn in 2014 and led the Tigers in catches (45) and receiving scores (5) despite missing three games due to injury. However, he routinely rubbed coaches the wrong way and his inconsistent effort on and off the field led to his dismissal in October.

STRENGTHS: Natural tools are encouraging. Lining up mostly inside in Auburn's offense, Williams is a good-sized target with long-striding speed to accelerate quickly into his routes, displaying hesitation with his footwork at the top of his patterns. He is best on stick and stop routes.

WEAKNESSES: Like Sammie Coates, he is raw in several areas. He doesn't consistently play up to his size and often misjudges his highpointing jumps when attacking the ball. Williams found himself in the dog house during preseason practices and his lackadaisical route-running has NFL scouts worried about his passion and commitment, failing to lift up the offense while his teammates struggled prior to his dismissal from the program.

IN OUR VIEW: William's didn't look like a first round pick on 2014 tape, but many scouts graded him as the top senior receiver over the summer. However, he might find himself undrafted or a late rounder at best unless he makes some changes. Dane Brugler (11/1/15)

[www.nfl.com]
"He has great size, and he has very good hands and he's tough, but if you're not a good locker-room guy, and I've heard from scouts that he's a selfish player and not a good guy, then you better have a great trait like speed. He doesn't. Size isn't enough," Zierlein said. "He's not a Marcus Peters, who was a first-round pick after being kicked off his (college) team.

YOUTUBE: (HIGHLIGHTS)
[www.youtube.com]



#3 WR MARQUEZ NORTH 6'4 216 lbs (Turns 22 on 04/21/2017)


2015 TENN CATCHES.. 6 YARDS.. 58 YPC 9.7. TD 0
2014 TENN CATCHES 30 YARDS 320 YPC 10.7 TD 4
2013 TENN CATCHES 38 YARDS 496 YPC 13.1 TD 1


[www.cbssports.com]
STRENGTHS: Built like a running back with a muscular, filled-out frame. Long arms to track and extend his catch radius, making tough grabs look easy away from his body. Above average body control and strong hands to adjust and stab. Accelerates well off the line of scrimmage and quickly gets into his routes. Enough speed to stack receivers vertically. Nifty to catch the ball in stride. Body power to trample defensive backs and shrug off tacklers. Uses physicality to separate. Balanced blocker to engage and control his target, keeping busy. Blocks with violence and not shy about delivering blows.

WEAKNESSES: Better timed than play speed and more of a one-note runner. Tips his routes and doesn't set up cornerbacks, lacking nuance or tempo. Allows his feet to get tied up at stem. Doesn't have the start/stop burst to quickly redirect or be efficient at the top of patterns - ran a lot of comeback and rudimentary routes to keep things simple. Average leaper. Not elusive after the catch and not a consistent YAC threat. Overaggressive tendencies as a blocker leads to the occasional whiff. Poor career production. Struggled to stay healthy, missing several games each of his three seasons in Knoxville (10 total games).

IN OUR VIEW: North is rocked up with the size/athleticism profile that is highly intriguing, showing strong hands and the body control to contort his body mid-air. North is also one of the most physical blocking receivers in this class, but is a below average route-runner and his athleticism doesn't consistently translate to football production. A player who will be drafted higher than his resume suggests due to his raw traits and upside, North can be a better pro than college player if he stays healthy and focuses on the details of the position - he projects as a developmental receiver worth the gamble in the mid-rounds to be a snatch-and-secure wideout.
Dane Brugler (4/13/16)

YOUTUBE: (HIGHLIGHTS)
[www.youtube.com]



#8 WR PAUL MCROBERTS 6'3 192 lbs (Turns 24 on 11/15/2016)


2015 SE.MI.St CATCHES 76 YARDS 940 YPC 12.4 TD 9
2014 SE.MI.St CATCHES 44 YARDS 711 YPC 16.2 TD 9
2013 SE.MI.St CATCHES 44 YARDS 646 YPC 14.7 TD 9


[www.cbssports.com]
McRoberts received the call-up from the Shrine Game to the Senior Bowl as a replacement for injured TCU receiver Josh Doctson and was the first SEMO player to participate in Mobile. The St. Louis native was a first team All-Ohio Valley Conference player by the media after catching 76 passes for 940 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 12.4 yards per catch in 2015. McRoberts broke Southeast's all-time career record in receiving touchdowns (29) and had four 100-yard receiving games. He also compiled 162 yards on 14 punt returns, including a 69-yard return for a touchdown. McRoberts finished his Southeast career with 2,435 receiving yards, third-most in school history.

STRENGTHS: Good-sized athlete with long-striding acceleration. Not explosive, but nifty. Quick hands and long arms to pluck and secure, swallowing the ball with his large mitts. Tracks well with the body control and catch radius that gives him a chance. Will aggressively attack and fight for the rebound.

Won't break many tackles, but runs tough and physical to finish. Nice job working for body position, paying attention to his feet along the sideline. Two-time team captain and reliable (SEMO HC Tom Matukewicz: "When your best player is your hardest worker it makes your job pretty easy."
Special teams experience, averaging 11.5 yards on punt returns (14/162/1) and 19.5 yards on kick returns (4/78/0). Highly productive and holds the school-record for career receiving touchdowns (29).

WEAKNESSES: Doesn't consistently play up to his size. Average-at-best play speed with only one gear in his routes, struggling to create separation. Upright runner and doesn't set up defenders in his patterns, lacking tempo. Allows cornerbacks to slow or re-route him. Limited after the catch and won't create on his own as a ball carrier.

Too many almost catches and needs to better time his leaps. Needs to improve his recognition of coverages and concepts. Good pop, but little sustain as a blocker and needs refinement in this area. Missed five games in 2014 due to a Lisfranc fracture in his right foot (Sept. 2014). Most of his experience has come vs. lower competition.


YOUTUBE: (HIGHLIGHTS)
[www.youtube.com] VS Murray State good game.
[www.youtube.com]



#9 WR/PR JIMMY JJ WORTON 6'2 212 lbs (Turns 25 on 01/07/2017)


2011 UCF CATCHES 41 YARDS 531 YPC 13.0 TD 4
2012 UCF CATCHES 44 YARDS 594 YPC 13.5 TD 5
2013 UCF CATCHES 47 YARDS 721 YPC 15.3 TD 7
2014 UCF CATHCES 36 YARDS 514 YPC 14.3 TD 5


[www.ucfknights.com]
The 6-foot-2, 211-pounder, spent the final month of the 2015 regular season on the St. Louis Rams practice squad after being signed on Dec. 11 as a rookie free agent from University of Central Florida. SENIOR SEASON (2014) Selected to Phil Steele's Postseason All-Conference First Team as a punt returner completed his senior year with 36 catches for 514 yards and five touchdowns, including a touchdown catch in his final four games played in a UCF uniform. Also returned 17 punts for 167 yards.

Finished with 703 all-purpose yards in 2014. At Croke Park Classic vs. Penn State 8/30: Hauled in five catches for 83 yards. At Missouri 9/13: Made three catches for 32 yards. Bethune-Cookman 9/20: Scored a 35-yard touchdown on his sole catch of the game. That moved him into 10th on the UCF all-time receiving yards chart as he now has 1,996 yards in a Black and Gold uniform... Worton also added 52 yards off four punt returns. At Houston 10/2: Had a catch for nine yards and two punt returns for 13 yards. Worton went over the 2,000-yard mark for receiving yards. He is the 10th player in school history to accomplish that feat.

[boston.cbslocal.com]
The Orlando Sentinel reported that the former University of Central Florida player signed with the Patriots January 11 and was working out with New England’s practice squad. Jimmy “J.J.” Worton was arrested early Saturday morning after police say he assaulted a man and two women at a Foxboro bar. Foxboro Police charged the rookie wide receiver with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 and over and one count of assault and battery.

YOUTUBE: (HIGHLIGHTS)
[www.youtube.com]



#87 WR/PR DEON LONG 6'0 192 lbs (Turns 25 on 06/14/2016)


2013 MARYLAND CATCHES 32 YARDS 489 YPC 15.3 TD 1
2014 MARYLAND CATHCES 51 YARDS 575 YPC 11.3 TD 2


[www.nfl.com]
2014: Started all 13 games. 2013: Played in first seven games with six starts, prior to suffering lower right leg fracture to his tibia and fibula vs Wake Forest.

STRENGTHS: Good foot quickness. Hits top speed quickly. Gets desired release off the line of scrimmage. Has strong hands. Attacks the ball and can make contested catches. Adjusts to the ball mid-air and finishes the catch. Survivor. Spent time at three FBS schools, a junior college and out 5 games in 2013 with a broken leg. Scouts like the talent and say production was hurt by quarterback play in 2014.

WEAKNESSES: Has below-average long speed for "X" receiver. Lack of consistent effort and desire as a run blocker. Gets only average separation at top of routes. Hand usage needs work both off the line and into routes. Coaches have questioned his practice habits and maturity in the past. Must prove he wants to put in work in film room and on practice field.

YOUTUBE: (HIGHLIGHTS)
[www.youtube.com]



#82 WR/QB/RB KAIN COLTER (Turns 26 on 10/2016)


OPTION QUARTER BACK: 2013: True senior ... Second year as team co-captain ... Owned a completion percentage of 78.8 (63-of-80) with four passing TDs on the year ... Ranked second on the team with 489 rushing yards and five TDs despite missing most or all of five games due to injury (Cal, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan State and Illinois)

Picked up a rushing touchdown in overtime against Michigan ... Ran for 78 yards total against the Wolverines ... Ran for 86 yards at Nebraska ... Threw for 104 yards and a touchdown at Iowa ... Added 60 rushing yards against the Hawkeyes ... Perfect 12-for-12 through the air against Ohio State ... Caught a nine-yard TD pass against the Buckeyes, his first since 2011 ... Threw for one TD and ran for another against Maine ... Ran for 106 yards and a touchdown against Western Michigan ... Completed 15-of-18 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown against Syracuse ... Also ran for 87 yards and a score against the Orange ... Named to preseason watch lists for Manning and Unitas Awards ... Two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten performer ... Academic All-Big Ten.



#12 WR STEDMAN BAILEY 5'10 194 lbs (Turns 26 on 11/11/2016)


(Bailey has a 3 year career receiving line of 59-843- 2 TD with a 14.3 YPC)

Stedman might get put on injured reserve if he's not cleared for contact at some point before preseason starts, or possibly even retire if he cant get back close to 100%.

[www.rotoworld.com]
It's really remarkable. Bailey was shot twice in the head back in late November and spent a month in the ICU. All along, he's said he plans to make a comeback and play football again, but the Rams have been on the side where they simply want Bailey to return to health. Bailey seems to be well on his way to getting back to his normal life. We'll see what happens in training camp.



(SUMMARY) WR TIER GROUPINGS

1.T.AUSTIN- 100% LOCK to make final 53.(Human pinball machine & fearless Playmaker!)
P.COOPER- 95% LOCK to make final 53.(Talented rookie & multi-purpose slot playmaker)
K.BRITT- 95% LOCK to make final 53.(Veteran of high value & needed for WR stability)

B.MARQUEZ- 85% LOCK to make final 53.(Special Teams sensation offsets his WR abilities)
M.THOMAS- 80% LOCK to make final 53.(Sleeper rookie talent that slid to the 6th round of draft)
M.QUICK- 80% LOCK to make final 53.(Motivated Veteran underachiever with a ton to prove)

N.SPRUCE- 70% LOCK to make final 53.(Polished tough, clever rookie with sticky mitts)
M.NORTH- 65% LOCK to make final 53 or PS.(Rookie with tall athletic size, upside & injury history[/color)
D.WILLIAMS- 65% LOCK to make final 53 or PS.(Troubled talent with upside, size/strength & serious mental baggage)
P.McRoberts- 65% LOCK to make final 53 or PS. (Small school rookie talent with some darkhorse upside)

S.BAILEY- 50% LOCK to make team via injured reserve? (Head injuries might limit his chances to compete)
JJ.WORTON- 45% LOCK to make P.Squad.(2nd year troubled player with arrest history is a longshot)
D.LONG- 45% LOCK to make P.Squad.(2nd year athletic player is a longshot)
K.COLTER- 40% LOCK to make P.Squad.(2nd year option-QB is a major longshot)



(TE) TIGHT ENDS

#88 TE LANCE KENDRICKS 6'3 250 lbs (Turns 29 on 01/30/2017)



CAREER RECEIVING LINE for 6 years
( 154-1,633-15 TD and 10.6 YPC )

[www.rotoworld.com]
ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner believes TE Lance Kendricks could have a bigger role following the release of Jared Cook. Never a dynamic receiving threat, Kendricks has averaged under 10 yards a reception each of the last three seasons. He is a solid blocker with some red-zone ability, but Kendricks is unlikely to find fantasy relevance in the Rams' run-heavy offense. Los Angeles should look to add a young receiving tight end. Feb 23, 2016



#46 TE CORY HARKEY 6'4 259 lbs (Turns 26 on 06/17/2016)
hi-res-7731712_crop_exact.jpg

CAREER RECEIVING LINE for 4 years
( 27-215-3 TD and 8.0 YPC )

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams re-signed FB/TE Cory Harkey 03/15/2016
Harkey is a tight end who doubles as the Rams' lead blocker. His 53-man roster spot should be assured. Source: Nick Wagoner on Twitter



#89 TE TYLER HIGBEE 6'6 249 lbs (Turns 24 on 01/01/2017)


2015 WKU CATCHES 13 YARDS 169 YPC 13.0 TD 1
2014 WKU CATCHES 15 YARDS 230 YPC 15.3 TD 4
2013 WKU CATCHES 38 YARDS 563 YPC 14.8 TD 8


[www.nfl.com]
STRENGTHS:Former wide receiver with a smooth, wide-open gait when he hits top gear. Has big hands. Had just one drop this season and showed ability to recover the catch when he juggled a throw. Becomes a body catcher who can protect the ball in traffic. Willing to work middle of the field and take hits. Quick and slippery off line of scrimmage and into routes. Very good acceleration out of his breaks and can be a tough cover for safeties.

Has the speed and toughness to work all three levels of the field. Can own the Y-seam with his vertical speed and hands. Immediately opens and looks for expedited throws when he's over the top of inside linebackers. Has frame for more muscle mass. Extremely competitive after the catch with speed, elusiveness and decent power. Can carry body tacklers after the catch.

WEAKNESSES: Still has work to do filling out his frame. Slow to adjust to blocking assignment during flow of play. Not powerful enough yet to handle NFL edge power as inline blocker. Doesn't run feet through block to sustain. Upright into his breaks. Needs route polish for underneath routes. Can get better at creating additional leverage through crisper routes. Suffered through a knee sprain that cost him four games before re-aggravating it in Conference USA Championship Game. Missed his bowl game and expected to miss Senior Bowl because of it.

YOUTUBE: (HIGHTLIGHTS)

[www.youtube.com] VS Marshall big game
[www.youtube.com] career highlights



#84 TE TEMARRICK HENINGWAY 6'5 244 (Turns 23 on 07/30/2016)


2015 SCST CATCHES 38 YARDS 418 YPC 11.0 TD 1
2014 SCST CATCHES 18 YARDS 251 YPC 13.9 TD 1
2013 SCST CATCHES 26 YARDS 223 YPC.. 8.6 TD 4
2012 SCST CATCHES 11 YARDS 164 YPC 14.9 TD 1


[www.rotoworld.com]
Hemingway (6'5/244) was South Carolina State'ssecond leading receiver as a senior, posting a 38-418-1 line en route to first-team All-MEAC honors. He showed plus athleticism in Indy, running 4.71 with a 9-foot-7 broad jump and impressive 6.88 three-cone time.

With long arms 34" big hands 10" and NFL-level movement skills, Hemingway was one of Josh Norris' favorite pre-draft sleepers. Hemingway is still far from ready to play with almost no honed blocking ability or notion of NFL route concepts.

YOUTUBE: (HIGHLIGHTS 6 mins)
[www.youtube.com]



#48 TE JUSTICE CUNNINGHAM 6'3 258 lbs (Turns 26 on 01/14/2017)


CAREER RECEIVING LINE for 3 years
( 1-4- TD 0 and 4.0 YPC )

TRANSACTIONS: Signed from the Rams practice squad to the active roster (11/25/14)...signed to the practice squad (10/28/14)

2014 SEASON: Placed on the Rams’ practice squad (10/29/14)...activated to the 53-man roster (11/25/14)...declared inactive Week 13 through Week 17.

2013 SEASON: Spent the last four weeks of the season on the Rams’ practice squad...played in one game as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, at Arizona (11/24/13).



(SUMMARY) TE TIER GROUPINGS

L.KENDRICKS- 100% LOCK to make final 53.(Steady veteran is sticking around)
T.HIGBEE- 100% LOCK to make final 53(Talented rookie & a future go to guy for Goff)
C.HARKEY- 90% LOCK to make final 53(Solid veteran with H-Back & blocking value)

T.HEMINGWAY- 80% LOCK to make final 53.(Sleeper rookie with soft hands & upside. Big gamble to sneak on PS?)
J.Cunningham- 60% LOCK to make final 53.(Hard working young veteran will fight for a spot)



The RUNNING BACKS


#30 RB TODD GURLEY 6'1 227 lbs (Turns 22 on 08/03/2016)


2015: ATT: 229 YARDS: 1,106 AVG 4.8 TD 10

CATCHES21.. YARDS.. 188.. YPC.. 9.0 TD 0

[www.sbnation.com]
Todd Gurley's historic debut season ends with Offensive Rookie of Year honor: Gurley went bonkers once given a prominent role, rushing for 146, 159, 128 and 133 in each of his first four starts, becoming the first rookie in league history to run for at least 125 yards in four straight games. The only other rookie to run for 100-plus yards in four of his first five games was Adrian Peterson, in 2007. His 566 total yards in that span were the most by any player in his first four career starts since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger.

Although he cooled off after that scorching-hot start, Gurley still finished as the NFL's third-leading rusher with 1,106 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns in just 12 games. His yards-per-rush average of 4.83 ranked second in the league among backs with at least 150 carries. What made Gurley so special was his explosiveness and ability to break tackles. He posted the second-most runs of 20-plus yards (11) and led all players with five 40-yard rushes.



#36 RB/KR BENNY CUNNINGHAM 5'10 217 lbs (Turns 26 on 07/07/2016)


3 Year CAREER: ATT: 150 YARDS: 647 AVG 4.3 TD 4 .... CATCHES 77 YARDS 661 YPC 8.6 TD 1

Rams re-signed restricted free agent RB Benny Cunningham to a one-year, $1.671 million contract.
[profootballtalk.nbcsports.com]
Cunningham has played 46 games for the Rams over the last two seasons and his offensive contributions have primarily come as a receiver out of the backfield. Cunningham has 71 catches for 602 yards over the last two seasons while also serving as the team’s No. 1 kickoff returner.



#27 RB TRE MASON 5'8 207 lbs (Will turn 23 on 08/06/2016)


2 Year CAREER: ATT: 254 YARDS 972 AVG 3.8 TD 5 .... CATCHES 34 YARDS 236 YPC 6.9 TD 1

[www.dailynews.com]
Mason was arrested March 5 in Hollywood, Fla., where police allegedly saw him drive more than twice the speed limit in a 35-mile-per-hour zone. According to a written report, police subdued Mason by tasing him twice after pulling him over. They then found 12 grams of marijuana in his Porsche.

A third-round draft pick in 2014, Mason is facing misdemeanor charges that include reckless driving, resisting arrest, and possession of marijuana.
MASON is in the final year of his contract:

[www.spotrac.com]
Tre Mason signed a 4 year, $2,980,938 contract with the St. Louis Rams, including a $637,500 signing bonus, $637,500 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $745,235. In 2016, Mason will earn a base salary of $641,146. Mason has a cap hit of $800,521 while his dead money value is $318,750.



#39 RB MALCOLM BROWN 5'11 224 lbs (Turns 23 on 05/15/2016)


2015 RAMS ATT:....4 YARDS:...17 AVG 4.3 TD 0
2014 TEXS ATT: 183 YARDS: 708 AVG 3.9 TD 9
2013 TEXS ATT: 214 YARDS: 904 AVG 4.2 TD 9


Rams signed RB Malcolm Brown to the practice squad. An undrafted rookie out of Texas, Brown rushed 17 times for 69 yards (4.1 YPC) in the preseason, adding a 9/127/1 line as a receiver. He should get the first call if the Rams need a running back. Sun, Sep 6, 2015

[www.cbssports.com]
Considered the nation's top running back out of high school four years ago, Brown led the Longhorns in rushing yards in 2013 (904 yards), but he hasn't exactly lived up to the monumental hype. Nonetheless, his talent is obvious and was on display when he finished the 2013 season strong with three straight 100-yard performances (128, 131, 130).

Unfortunately, Brown wasn't able to continue this momentum in Charlie Strong's first season as the head 'Horn, eclipsing the 100-yard mark just one time in 2014 - a 116-yard, two-touchdown effort (on a season-high 22 carries) in a 34-13 win over Texas Tech. Brown looks the part, boasting a combination of power and balance to keep his feet and drive through contact for additional yardage. Unfortunately, he lacks the wiggle and breakaway speed that teams value in today's NFL, leaving the former five-star recruit hoping just to get drafted.



#34 ST/RB CHASE REYNOLDS 6'0 205 lbs (Turns 29 on 10/22/2016)


3 Year CAREER: 43 GAMES 23 TACKLES 2 ASSISTS (Special Teams ACE)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams re-signed RB Chase Reynolds to a one-year contract. Although listed as a running back, Reynolds only plays special teams. He finished the 2015 season with three special teams tackles in ten appearances. Apr 18, 2016



#36 RB AARON GREEN 5'11 205 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/15/2016)
h=300

2015 TCU: ATT.. 244... YARDS... 1,272 AVG.. 5.2.. TD 11
2014 TCU: ATT.. 129... YARDS......922. AVG.. 7.1.. TD. 9
2013 TCU: ATT.... 72... YARDS......232. AVG.. 3.2.. TD. 0
2011 NEB: ATT.... 24... YARDS......105. AVG.. 4.4.. TD. 2


[www.cbssports.com]
Green arrived at Nebraska in 2011 as a top high school recruit, but with a crowded running back depth chart led by Rex Burkhead and Ameer Abdullah, He elected to transfer. Green chose TCU over Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, sitting out the 2012 season due to transfer rules. He stepped into the starter role as a junior with a team-high 922 yards and nine scores, earning second team All-Big 12 honors. Green had his bests season in 2015 as a senior (10 starts) with a career-high 1,272 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.

STRENGTHS: Balanced athlete and light on his feet to make sharp lateral cuts, creating with ankle-breaking jukes. Shifty movements and open-field wiggle to explode north-south. Easy acceleration to burst away from defenders in space. Natural run instincts to read blocks and usually has a plan at the line of scrimmage. Runs tough and keep his legs churning, fighting for every yard.

Focused receiver with reliable hands, often lining up in the slot. Has the chops to at least make an effort in pass protection. Only three fumbles in his career. Driven individual and well-respected by people around the program "phenomenal young man".

WEAKNESSES: Lacks an ideal build for the position and his frame doesn't have the growth potential to get much bigger. Runs with minimal power and is limited as an inside runner. Tunnel vision at times and gets bounce happy, dancing and taking too many steps in the backfield.

Needs to take what is blocked for him instead of trying to create on his own. Bad habit of stopping his feet and won't pick up yards after initial contact, too easily taken down by finger-tip tackles. Doesn't have elite downfield speed and can be caught from behind. Route-running and field sense need improved. Steps up as a blocker, but too easily knocked off his feet. Ball security needs improved, holding the ball too loose.

IN OUR VIEW: Green has video game-like cuts, making quick reads and reacting with his feet to keep defenders off-balance, but he needs space to be effective. He isn't a strong between-the-tackles runner and struggles with congestion, not consistently trusting his vision or allowing blocks to develop. Green is quicker than fast with the athleticism to create on his own as a runner or receiver, but his lack of run power will limit his role in the NFL.
Dane Brugler (2/8/16)

YOUTUBE: (HIGHLIGHTS) Long speed has a Governor on it but his 0-60 MPH is Tavon like. (Related to the former HOF CB Darrell Green)
[www.youtube.com]


(SUMMARY) RUNNING BACK TIER GROUPINGS

T.GURLEY- 100% LOCK to make final 53.(2015: NFL Rookie of the year is a RB bell-cow phenom)
B.Cunningham-100% LOCK to make final 53.(A veteran balanced RB & reliable on 3rd down pass-pro)
T.MASON- 85% LOCK to make final 53.(Underachiever with recent off-filed issues. Possible trading block?)
M.BROWN- 85% LOCK to make final 53.(Powerful 2nd year compact runner has shown flashes & good hands.. could stick)
A.GREEN- 80% LOCK to make final 53.(Sleeper slim rookie[/color] lacks power but has video game moves & 0-60 MPH nitro)
C.Reynolds-50% LOCK to make final 53.(Special Teams die hard usually finds his way on roster. Longer odds this year[/color)


SUMMARY: These are just my early roster projections and obviously there is plenty of Roster movement and turnover that can happen to change things in a hurry. I would appreciate any feedback from our great Herd members Rams fans so I can edit this in the coming weeks, due to more insight and roster changes.
 

OldSchool

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Excellent post! Skimmed it for now will come back and read in depth later. Thanks
 

LACHAMP46

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I'm so excited about our receiving corps....North, Thomas, Cooper, and that TE Hemmingway...as DEPTH!
With Higbee, Quick, Austin, Britt, and Kendricks as the mainstays....
Earned first-team All-SEC honors by the league’s coaches as both a wide receiver and as an all-purpose back... was an AP first-team All-SEC wide receiver and a second-team all-purpose back... also named a first-team All-SEC wide receiver by ESPN.com... Gamecocks’ leading receiver with 66 receptions for 973 yards... ranked second in the league with 81.1 receiving yards and fifth with 5.5 catches per game... caught 35 percent of the team’s passes for 39 percent of the yards thrown... his 66 receptions were more than the rest of Carolina’s wide receivers combined total of 56...
It means a lot....I wanna see who gets on the field first between Thomas & Cooper.
Something I dug up looking at some stats at FO
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr
 

A.J. Hicks

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I kind of wonder if Bradley Marquez and Chase Reynolds will be fighting for a roster spot. I know different positions but both of them make their money on teams. Chase has been around and been good for a few years. Marquez made a name for himself their last year.

These skill positions are going to be quite a battle to keep an eye on this year.
 

den-the-coach

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5
I kind of wonder if Bradley Marquez and Chase Reynolds will be fighting for a roster spot. .

Well, those two will be always fighting for a roster spot, IMO, unless Marquez shows more at WR, he's toast and as to Chase Reynolds, well, I believe he has some incriminating evidence on Special Teams Coach John Fassel.
 

Amitar

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Nice post thanks. I want to see Higbee starting as soon as possible. I am not a fan of Kendrcks. He is average at best. The Rams need a TE like Higbee.
 

Corbin

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Nice post thanks. I want to see Higbee starting as soon as possible. I am not a fan of Kendrcks. He is average at best. The Rams need a TE like Higbee.
I'd have to disagree with this assessment of Kendricks. He is a realiable WR and usually a decent run blocker. He's certainly not Pro Bowl Material but he he's not average at best. I'd call him a realiable above average TE.
 

A.J. Hicks

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Well, those two will be always fighting for a roster spot, IMO, unless Marquez shows more at WR, he's toast and as to Chase Reynolds, well, I believe he has some incriminating evidence on Special Teams Coach John Fassel.

I meant battling each other.
 

drasconis

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The percentage lock for WR is a odd....this team will likely run with 6Wr, yet 11 guys are at or over 50% shot of making team? The total percentage is 980% for once again 6 slots (the total should be at 600%-even if you are counting PS guys then it would be maybe 800%)....there are 14 guys on the list and it is a zero sum game for positions.
 

OldSchool

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I'd have to disagree with this assessment of Kendricks. He is a realiable WR and usually a decent run blocker. He's certainly not Pro Bowl Material but he he's not average at best. I'd call him a realiable above average TE.
I agree with your assessment of Kendricks but I don't think he's a #1 TE in the passing game which is where Higbee should shine.
 

Oldgeek

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I think Special Team players are more important than 3rd string anything. No many can play ST well every play.
 

DaveFan'51

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After a Thursday Night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Austin became the first player to score at least five receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and a punt return touchdown in a single seasonsince Gale Sayers did so for the Chicago Bears in 1965.
" XLNT!!" by any standards!!:D


#18 WR KENNY BRITT 6'3 223 lbs (Turns 28 on 09/19/2016)


2015 Rams CATCHES 36 YARDS 681 YPC 18.9 TD 3
2014 Rams CATCHES 48 YARDS 748 YPC 15.6 TD 3
I think Britt will Break 1000 Yards and have at least 8 or 9 TD's this year!;)



#83 WR BRIAN QUICK 6'3 218 lbs (Turns 27 on 06/05/2016)
If Quick doesn't have a Killer Pre-Season he could easily be Cut!


#15 WR/SP Teams BRADLEY MARQUEZ 5'10 196 lbs (Turns 24 on 12/14/2016)
I don't think he makes the squad, considering the Talent the Rams have brought in!


#10 WR/RB/PR/KR PHAROH COOPER 5'11 207 lbs (Turns 22 on 03/07/2017)

#13 WR MIKE THOMAS SOUTHERN MISS 6'1 200 lbs (Turns 22 on 08/16/2016)


#3 WR MARQUEZ NORTH 6'4 216 lbs (Turns 22 on 04/21/2017)
These three(Above) I think are going to Battle it out for Spots on the Active Roster!!

"There's a lot to mull over here, I'll have to come back to this!";)
 

Merlin

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Gonna be fun to watch and I believe they keep 6 WRs and 4 TEs. My expectations with the wideouts:

Likely To Make Team
WR Tavon Austin (playmaker)
WR Kenny Britt (Vet to solidify corps)
WR Pharoh Cooper (Hands, instant starter type in slot)
WR Mike Thomas (Hands, impact possession receiver type for depth behind Britt)

Medical Settlement
WR Stedman Bailey

Likely Cuts
WR Daquille Williams (Bad locker room guy, true colors will show in camp)
WR Marquez North (Injury history, bad route runner)
WR Jimmy Norton (Dumb off field, not talented enough)
WR Deon Long (Bad effort guy, will not last)
WR Kain Colter (Intriguing but way too raw for this year's competition)

Competing For Two Roster Spots
WR Paul Roberts (Work ethic, upside and hands)
WR Nelson Spruce (Work ethic, hands, route running)
WR Brian Quick (He better bring it, and then he better show it in preseason games too)
WR Bradley Marquez (Needs to be more than a teams guy in season two)
 

Memento

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Gonna be fun to watch and I believe they keep 6 WRs and 4 TEs. My expectations with the wideouts:

Likely To Make Team
WR Tavon Austin (playmaker)
WR Kenny Britt (Vet to solidify corps)
WR Pharoh Cooper (Hands, instant starter type in slot)
WR Mike Thomas (Hands, impact possession receiver type for depth behind Britt)

Medical Settlement
WR Stedman Bailey

Likely Cuts
WR Daquille Williams (Bad locker room guy, true colors will show in camp)

WR Marquez North (Injury history, bad route runner)
WR Jimmy Norton (Dumb off field, not talented enough)
WR Deon Long (Bad effort guy, will not last)
WR Kain Colter (Intriguing but way too raw for this year's competition)

Competing For Two Roster Spots
WR Paul Roberts (Work ethic, upside and hands)
WR Nelson Spruce (Work ethic, hands, route running)
WR Brian Quick (He better bring it, and then he better show it in preseason games too)
WR Bradley Marquez (Needs to be more than a teams guy in season two)

Disagree on Williams and Quick. Quick, to be frank, needs to have a hell of an offseason to stay on the squad. And I trust in Fisher to keep Williams in line and/or Williams is a changed man. They wouldn't have brought him in otherwise.
 

Merlin

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Disagree on Williams and Quick. Quick, to be frank, needs to have a hell of an offseason to stay on the squad. And I trust in Fisher to keep Williams in line and/or Williams is a changed man. They wouldn't have brought him in otherwise.

Hope you're right about Quick. And for the record I think he's a cut but giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Re: Williams, yeah, we disagree. Fish brought him in because he's head and shoulders above the rest in talent and is simply hoping he's grown up enough. He is talented enough to overcome that fear IMO, which makes him different from the rest. But Fish isn't gonna cut him any slack, think they're gonna be on him hard and if he doesn't take to the coaching he will be a very fast cut.
 

RamzFanz

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Green is intriguing. Running style is like a mix of B Sanders and G Sayers. Slippery around the LOS like BS but smooth at speed like GS. If the Rams have to give up TA at some point, this guy might be able to play that second back role? Small guy though. If he has any hope of surviving, he needs some lessons in self preservation and work ethic from TA.

Hopefully Higbee can be everything Cook should have been. Good hands, good size, can't block.

Good read on Higbee:

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/5/16/11683266/2016-nfl-draft-tyler-higbee-scouting-report
 

BonifayRam

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At TE.... Fisher went with a short roster number... 3 all season with TE Justice Cunningham & FB Zack Laskey off the master roster & stashed for emergencies riding the Practice Squad. I am thinking strongly that 4 {Hendricks- Harkey- Higbee & Hemingway} will make the final this season....If they all remain healthy & are not IR .

If TE Lance Kendricks turns in another 2015 lackluster like season ..... I clearly see him as "Cap casualty" in 2017. Thus finding out what both these rookie TE's can do is clearly important. Could it be that Hemingway may be more wide out than pure LOS TE in his rookie season? Thus Hemingway may figure in on the WR numbers (5 or 6) that make the final?

Another thing is will RB/SL/WR/PR Tavon Austin figure in more in the backfield this season with RB cadre unit numbers? Boy do I like this 12 WR player cadre unit!!!! What about RB Mason's two incidents this off season as a known "Justice Involved Individual" . Could Fisher just go with four RB's? All matters that may make the final unit numbers a bit FUZZY & UNclear..
 
Last edited:

Ramrasta

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I would personally like to see us trade Mason and promote Brown into his place. Mason has been poor on and off the field lately and Brown looked impressive last time I saw him.