How concerned are you with our WRs?

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Lesson

Oh, really?
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I dunno how to evaluate the WRs at this point that were on the roster last season as I think Clemens' playing halted any progression of that group.
 

Memphis Ram

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Do you think he would have more than 29 career catches at this point and 4 TDs?

Let it be known I wasn't a Jeffrey guy and for me to sit here and say that's the guy they should have taken is silly of me. Others could make that point. I can't.

I think so, but I really don't know. Nobody does. But some teams are more patient with these guys while others thrust them into the lineup to sink or swim.
 

FRO

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Here are the receivers projected stats over 16 games with Bradford as QB:
Tavon Austin:
66 Catches
450 Yards
4 TDs

Chris Givens:
41 Catches
674 Yards
0 TDs

Austin Pettis:
57 Catches
573 Yards
9 TDs

Brian Quick
20 Catches
448 Yards
2 TDs

Jared Cook
59 Catches
786 Yards
4 TDs

Pettis was the biggest loser of Sam getting hurt.
 

mr.stlouis

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Main Hook
Here are the receivers projected stats over 16 games with Bradford as QB:
Tavon Austin:
66 Catches
450 Yards
4 TDs

Chris Givens:
41 Catches
674 Yards
0 TDs

Austin Pettis:
57 Catches
573 Yards
9 TDs

Brian Quick
20 Catches
448 Yards
2 TDs

Jared Cook
59 Catches
786 Yards
4 TDs

Pettis was the biggest loser of Sam getting hurt.

9 TD's is impressive
 

Memphis Ram

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The Quick pick at #33 was a head scratcher for every draft guy I read, heard, or spoke with. I challenge you to find one resource that had Quick anywhere near #33. You see it all the time, a team falls in love with a "secret" player and just has to have him regardless of what his value is. That's fine, but not at the top of the 2nd round.

Drafting well means understanding where players are slotted and moving in the draft if necessary to align with the value of the player. The Rams did that last year with both Austin and Ogletree. When you draft scared at the top of the draft you lose at the draft in the long run.

Would Quick have been available at 65? My guess is probably. But that's short sighted. The question is was he going in the top half of the 2nd round because they could have traded down from #33 and taken him lower in the 2nd round to hedge their bet and picked up another draft pick.

I don't go to see all the practices at training camp but I did go to the draft this year, and I learned a lot talking with a lot of people. And the Quick pick was viewed as a rookie GM mistake almost universally.

Small school "draft expert" Josh Buchanan saw Brian Quick being selected as early as #40 overall, which is just 7 spots lower than where he was selected.

Anyway, how many draft guys did you read, hear, or speak to that expected A.J. Jenkins to go in the first round that year? The speculation from outsiders is fun, but unless one has access to the information and the 32 different opinions/draft boards that really matter this is pretty much fruitless, IMO.
 

Yamahopper

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They are what they are. The Rams thought enough of them enough of them not to draft even one WR. And they had the choice of any WR in the entire draft. So if there good with them I am too.
 

Athos

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It's certainly possible that he could bust, but that's not out of the ordinary for any team. Just curious though ... did you do any scouting of Pead prior to the draft that year? Or after? Meaning, the available film of him at Cincinnati. I didn't see any indication that he would be a bad RB, but of course the one thing you can't account for is the mental aspect (dedication, acuity) of a player.

After Gilyard...and now Pead...I say stay the hell away from Bearcat footballers. Ever taken a gander at the Cat players in the NFL? A startlingly mediocre bunch the lot of them outside of 1 or 2 players.

Its like "arguing" with someone who doesn't want to even consider an alternative. And they are basing all of their opinion on raw statistics that have no bearing on the true reasons why they are what they are.

Its fantasy football mentality through and through

To be fair, I've yet to really see you ponder the alternative to YOUR theories and analysis. I've seen you talk up Pead, defend the WRs because of the QB chucking the rock....

But what is this WR bunch DOESN'T improve? Then what? Most of them, sans Austin, will have 3+ years in the system. If they're still the same player next year, haven't we unwisely used those WR investments? What if Quick can't catch back on even with Sam back?

To say this WR corps doesn't have massive questions is silly. It's one of the more "the fuck if I know what they'll give me" units in the NFL outside of the Panthers.

You talk about matching up WRs to specific coverages. Is it wrong to want a WR that can beat all types? I've seen to see a WR since Holt able to do that.

And YES. This WR bunch does have the ability to be effective with the power run scheme we seem to have fallen back on out of necessity.

Ability to do so, however, and actually doing it is another matter though.

Like I keep saying. We'll see. I hope Snisher has made the right choice and is right about this WRs. Because that's a crap ton of wide outs to have to admit after next year need lots of upgrades.
 

max

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I don't believe the Rams were interested in any WRs outside of Watkins and Evans. And it's been reported that they weren't all that high on Watkins.

In 2015 there are gonna be a ton of really good FA WRs, and not all of them are gonna be resigned by their original teams. If Quick and Britt crap out, I hope they grab a guy in FA.
 

CoachO

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After Gilyard...and now Pead...I say stay the hell away from Bearcat footballers. Ever taken a gander at the Cat players in the NFL? A startlingly mediocre bunch the lot of them outside of 1 or 2 players.



To be fair, I've yet to really see you ponder the alternative to YOUR theories and analysis. I've seen you talk up Pead, defend the WRs because of the QB chucking the rock....

But what is this WR bunch DOESN'T improve? Then what? Most of them, sans Austin, will have 3+ years in the system. If they're still the same player next year, haven't we unwisely used those WR investments? What if Quick can't catch back on even with Sam back?

To say this WR corps doesn't have massive questions is silly. It's one of the more "the freak if I know what they'll give me" units in the NFL outside of the Panthers.

You talk about matching up WRs to specific coverages. Is it wrong to want a WR that can beat all types? I've seen to see a WR since Holt able to do that.

And YES. This WR bunch does have the ability to be effective with the power run scheme we seem to have fallen back on out of necessity.

Ability to do so, however, and actually doing it is another matter though.

Like I keep saying. We'll see. I hope Snisher has made the right choice and is right about this WRs. Because that's a crap ton of wide outs to have to admit after next year need lots of upgrades.

I have absolutely said I am as frustrated as many are in here by the lack of development of Quick. But I also have said, that I don't really pay attention to what the so called experts, or draftniks have to say about his being a bust because of where he was taken.

I also commented on not being so concerned with the WHAT they are doing, but trying to understand the WHY. I absolutely understand WHY this coaching staff still appears to have faith in both Pead and Quick. Because I have seem more of them than most of the posters. I can see how they compare directly to the other players on the roster. And the talent is obvious to anyone who doesn't use a stat sheet to form their opinion and write them off prematurely.

Would I like to see it translate into more production on Sunday? Of course. And yes, I am rooting for them because I do think they can be difference makers.
But, I stop short of calling them busts because they haven't, for whatever the reason. I also realize what I have witnessed on the practice field is only a portion of what the coaches see in the meeting rooms, in the weight room, on team flights, and so on. So, once again, I will defer to their judgment when it comes to the decisions that they make.

I also don't buy into the "sky is falling" premise that so many want to adhere to just because they haven't seen the immediate results. I trust in this regime more than any of recent past, and I understand WHAT they are trying to put together. If they have lost faith in either of these guys, they would be gone. That they aren't, is good enough for me.
 

kurtfaulk

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How the hell did this thread go for 11 pages? The rams obviously have no concerns with the current group after adding britt. End of story.

.
 

Ram Quixote

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Well. I have to thank everybody for airing all their concerns. That leaves me to be carefree about the whole subject.
 

max

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I blame Bailey for the heightened level of concern.

I was expecting him to step up his game up this year and nail down one of the starting spots, and so were the Rams. Then we would just need one of 3 guys to come through at the other spot (Britt, Quick, Givens). And with Tavon in the slot we'd be just fine.

I don't believe any rookie WR drafted in the 2nd round would make enough of an immediate impact, and I'd rather have Robinson and Donald than Watkins and Martin. So I'm not criticizing the draft at all.

Without Bailey, there is just a higher risk of continuing the subpar performance at WR, and that's a valid concern. I think they need another guy.
 

den-the-coach

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Without Bailey, there is just a higher risk of continuing the subpar performance at WR, and that's a valid concern. I think they need another guy.

Maybe Max, but it's also time for someone to step up. IMO Britt is the guy that needs to be number one and if that comes to frution, the Rams will be just fine. IMO Givens will have a bounce back year and if the running game should be better than last year will the improved OL barring injury which will be better for the WR's.

I agree about a free agent pick up at WR, however, Brian Quick is the guy that many will look to for improved play. He already blocks well, he just needs to be more consistent. Agreed about Bailey, however, he'll be back when the strong part of the schedule kicks in so maybe in the first three games the Rams will ride Stacy & Mason like their ten cent ponies!
 

Memphis Ram

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Why are some posting as if Bailey has been lost for the season or something? It's just four games. He's got all of training camp / preseason to get better. And he's got a bye week to buy him some time to be ready for the remaining 12 games.

Quite frankly, it seem to me that some seem to be placing far more emphasis on the importance of the WR position in a run first - play action offense than Jeff Fisher. Again, all one has to do is look at what he did in Tennessee.

His 2008, 13-3 team's reception leaders were TE Bo Scaife & WR Brandon Jones.
His 2007, 10-6 team's reception leaders were WR Roydell Williams & WR Justin Gage.
His 2003, 12-4 team's reception leaders were WR Derrick Mason & WR Justin McCareins.
His 2002, 11-5 team's reception leaders were WR Derrick Mason & WR Kevin Dyson.
His 2000, 13-3 team's reception leaders were TE Frank Wychek & WR Derrick Mason.
His 1999, 13-3 team's reception leaders were TE Frank Wychek & WR Kevin Dyson.

He's had a great deal of success minus this superstar WR that most seem to believe this team needs.

Back to Pead. I'm still hopeful that this guy will be used as a 3rd down back ala another so called former 2nd round pick and so-called bust in New England's RB Shane Vereen who wound up with 47 receptions this past season (his 3rd year).
 

BadCompany

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I'm really trying hard to articulate what I'm talking about here with regards to how this offense is structured, Fro. Pettis isn't the best WR we have, and I hope I didn't make it sound like I think he is. He's the best at what he does. If you need a clutch catch, he's your guy. If you need a zone buster, Givens is your guy. If you need to roll coverage on deep ins, Quick is your guy. If you need a receiver that other teams game plan for, Tavon is your guy. If you need a seam buster, Cook is your guy. If you need a guy who is almost always single covered by a linebacker, Kendricks is your guy. And if you need to trot out a personnel grouping that's designed to isolate any one of them, then you have a ton of latitude.

Personally I think the only two WRs that really matter in THIS offense are Pettis and Austin. The rest? Meh. Be nice of course to get production out of them of course, and I'm sure they'll get their share of catches, but in terms of the Rams being successful as a team I think we just need to have good years out of Pettis and Austin. And that's because..

IMHO:

....

2) With everything the Rams did in off-season, it's clear the Rams have shelved the fans' hope of becoming the next generation of The Greatest Show on Turf. Robinson-not Matthews/Watkins, Mason-not a WR, Schottenheimer-not any other available OC, Defense, Defense, Defense. With Mason and Stacy successfully running the ball 35 times a game and a dominant defense, the need for an elite receiving corp is somewhat diminished, no? It worked for Seattle and San Francisco and Fisher has clearly jumped on that ship.

3) Ball control is what Schottenheimer does best, which is why the Zac Stacy emerged last year and the Rams played respectively after Bradford went down. Bradford's injury forced the Rams to go to a ball control offense. The pick of Robinson and Mason clearly shows that Fisher and Schottenheimer are thinking ball control first with the ability to quick strike through the air at a moments notice.

4) The name of the game in ball control is field position, which requires a dominating defense (check, by adding Greg Williams, Donald, Joyner) and elite special teams (big check if and when they get the penalties down). Take away the penalties, add a year of experience and the Rams arguably have the best special teams in football (Minnesota and the 49ers can give good arguments).

5) Wasn't Tavon Austin supposed to be the answer for the Rams' game-breaking WR needs? At least that's what I heard a billion times before and after he was drafted (heard a lot of other crap, but let's ignore that).

....

8) Pettis is a Schottenheimer staple. He blocks well, has tremendous hands and runs his routes well. Name another receiver on the Rams roster that does all three of those? Bailey will in the future, I believe. TJ Moe, very well may (and why he was brought in). You won't see Pettis on very many highlight reels but he does bring a smile to Schottenheimer's face. Every time Austin or Givens dropped a pass or missed a block, or Quick ran a crappy route, it was Pettis trotting out on the field for a key play. If Pettis is cut, it will be because of the emergence of Bailey (now delayed) or Moe as Schottenheimers new security blankey.

I agree that the name of the Rams game is going to be ball control. Nice, 8, 9, 10 minute drives. It won't be the GSOT, but it's not designed to be that. They'll pound out 6 or 7 yards on the ground on first and second downs, and then throw little hitches out to Pettis for 5 or 6 yards and move the chains. If other teams start sitting on the short out, then you dump it off to Austin over the flat and watch him go. Which is why I think those two are the keys to our WR production. If the running game works behind our new offensive line, and if Pettis is reliable and a Bradford go-to, and if Austin keeps other teams honest with big-play potential, then we should be okay. That's three "ifs", but none of them are all that outrageous, if you ask me.

The concern of course is if we get down, and then have to abandon the run to pick up points in a hurry. But then isn't that why we have a top-ranked defense?
 

Hawk

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I'm very concerned. There isn't a single proven wide receiver on the team. Not one. I think Pettis ends up 5th on the depth chart. The Rams organization seems to think Britt can return to his previous form. I sure hope he can.