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Joe Lyons
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/givens-looks-for-a-wider-role/article_757c21e7-223e-5495-8eef-ea7822ec018d.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... c018d.html</a>
Much of the Rams’ focus this offseason involved the addition of offensive weapons.
First came the free-agent signing of tight end Jared Cook, formerly of the Tennessee Titans. Then, in the draft, the Rams selected Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, a pair of productive big-play receivers from West Virginia University. The draft also yielded a power runner in Vanderbilt’s Zac Stacy.
The team also improved its offensive line with the additions of Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long via free agency from Miami and three-time national champion guard Barrett Jones from Alabama in the draft.
In a matter of months, the Rams were transformed from a team built around the power running game of Steven Jackson, a free agent who signed with the Atlanta Falcons, to an offense loaded with explosiveness.
Not forgotten but somewhat overshadowed by the Rams’ many offseason additions is second-year receiver Chris Givens, who came on strong after a slow start last year to catch 42 passes for a team-leading 698 yards and three touchdowns in 2012.
A fourth-round draft choice out of Wake Forest, Givens also led the team in kick returns, averaging 23.4 yards on 24 returns. And he set an NFL rookie record with five consecutive weeks with a 50-yard pass reception.
“That doesn’t bother me at all; all that’s going to do is help me not get doubled,’’ the 22-year-old Givens said when asked about being overlooked. “I really don’t pay attention to that too much. As a team, we know who we have and know who’s going to make plays, and I’m one of those guys. I’m just trying to come out here every day to get better.’’
Givens, who played at 6 feet and 198 pounds a year ago, spent the offseason working to get stronger “to be a better all-around football player.’’
Givens even referred to himself as one of the squad’s ‘older’ guys.
“I know that sounds kinda funny, but I like it,’’ he said. “With Steven gone and once we let Danny (Amendola) and Gibby (Brandon Gibson) go, the responsibility was on me to help fill that void and I’m going to do that and more.’’
In spite of his rookie success, Givens feels he has much more to give the Rams.
“To me, I only showed one aspect of my game and that was just the deep ball,’’ he said. “That’s all I was primarily used for last year. I excelled at it, but that’s only a small part of what I can do as a football player.’’
With a year under his belt, Givens said he is much more comfortable with all aspects of the offense as he prepares for the 2013 campaign.
“Last year, trying to make the transition, everything seems to moving fast all the time,’’ he said. “But now, everything’s slowed down for me. I know what I’m doing because I have a better understanding of the offense and I have a ton more confidence in my ability now.’’
Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has definitely seen the difference and is excited to see Givens lining up in a variety of spots.
“I expect Chris to have a great year. He works extremely hard,’’ Bradford said. “Where last year he primarily played the ‘Z’ for us, now he’s also being asked to play inside. He’s being asked to go backside and play ‘X’. He’s a really, really smart football player; he understands our offense and I think by moving him to different spots in our offense, he’ll be able to run more routes.
“There’s only so many routes you can run from one position, but when you move him to two or three different spots, you can incorporate him in the whole offense.’’
Givens has also seen a different Bradford evolve during the recent workouts at Rams Park.
“He’s much more vocal, he’s stepping up to be more of a leader,’’ Givens said. “How he’s handling things in the huddle, off the field, in the film room. He’s way more confident and comfortable and you can see that growing every day.’’
Givens likes what he has seen in workouts, but he is even more excited to see the Rams’ new-look attack in action.
“It should be a lot of fun once we get everybody working together,’’ he said. “We have four or five, six receivers who can all make plays, and Jared Cooks provides another dimension to this offense, something we haven’t seen before. I really think we’re going to be tough to stop.’’
Joe is a St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/givens-looks-for-a-wider-role/article_757c21e7-223e-5495-8eef-ea7822ec018d.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... c018d.html</a>
Much of the Rams’ focus this offseason involved the addition of offensive weapons.
First came the free-agent signing of tight end Jared Cook, formerly of the Tennessee Titans. Then, in the draft, the Rams selected Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, a pair of productive big-play receivers from West Virginia University. The draft also yielded a power runner in Vanderbilt’s Zac Stacy.
The team also improved its offensive line with the additions of Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long via free agency from Miami and three-time national champion guard Barrett Jones from Alabama in the draft.
In a matter of months, the Rams were transformed from a team built around the power running game of Steven Jackson, a free agent who signed with the Atlanta Falcons, to an offense loaded with explosiveness.
Not forgotten but somewhat overshadowed by the Rams’ many offseason additions is second-year receiver Chris Givens, who came on strong after a slow start last year to catch 42 passes for a team-leading 698 yards and three touchdowns in 2012.
A fourth-round draft choice out of Wake Forest, Givens also led the team in kick returns, averaging 23.4 yards on 24 returns. And he set an NFL rookie record with five consecutive weeks with a 50-yard pass reception.
“That doesn’t bother me at all; all that’s going to do is help me not get doubled,’’ the 22-year-old Givens said when asked about being overlooked. “I really don’t pay attention to that too much. As a team, we know who we have and know who’s going to make plays, and I’m one of those guys. I’m just trying to come out here every day to get better.’’
Givens, who played at 6 feet and 198 pounds a year ago, spent the offseason working to get stronger “to be a better all-around football player.’’
Givens even referred to himself as one of the squad’s ‘older’ guys.
“I know that sounds kinda funny, but I like it,’’ he said. “With Steven gone and once we let Danny (Amendola) and Gibby (Brandon Gibson) go, the responsibility was on me to help fill that void and I’m going to do that and more.’’
In spite of his rookie success, Givens feels he has much more to give the Rams.
“To me, I only showed one aspect of my game and that was just the deep ball,’’ he said. “That’s all I was primarily used for last year. I excelled at it, but that’s only a small part of what I can do as a football player.’’
With a year under his belt, Givens said he is much more comfortable with all aspects of the offense as he prepares for the 2013 campaign.
“Last year, trying to make the transition, everything seems to moving fast all the time,’’ he said. “But now, everything’s slowed down for me. I know what I’m doing because I have a better understanding of the offense and I have a ton more confidence in my ability now.’’
Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has definitely seen the difference and is excited to see Givens lining up in a variety of spots.
“I expect Chris to have a great year. He works extremely hard,’’ Bradford said. “Where last year he primarily played the ‘Z’ for us, now he’s also being asked to play inside. He’s being asked to go backside and play ‘X’. He’s a really, really smart football player; he understands our offense and I think by moving him to different spots in our offense, he’ll be able to run more routes.
“There’s only so many routes you can run from one position, but when you move him to two or three different spots, you can incorporate him in the whole offense.’’
Givens has also seen a different Bradford evolve during the recent workouts at Rams Park.
“He’s much more vocal, he’s stepping up to be more of a leader,’’ Givens said. “How he’s handling things in the huddle, off the field, in the film room. He’s way more confident and comfortable and you can see that growing every day.’’
Givens likes what he has seen in workouts, but he is even more excited to see the Rams’ new-look attack in action.
“It should be a lot of fun once we get everybody working together,’’ he said. “We have four or five, six receivers who can all make plays, and Jared Cooks provides another dimension to this offense, something we haven’t seen before. I really think we’re going to be tough to stop.’’
Joe is a St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter.
