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Let me start off saying I really like the Ram's depth at WR. As a unit I think this could be the best and deepest unit in the NFL. McVay loves his 11 personnel so having good depth at WR is essential. They really missed Kupp last year and it exposed a weakness in that depth. But I think they may have a guy among the UDFA that might solve that problem. Heres how I break down the WR's that I think will be on the final roster in September. Last year they carried 6 WR's on the active roster in September I believe.
These are the three base starters:
X - Woods, good speed, excellent hands and body control, excellent route runner with good burst coming out of his breaks. Can beat press coverage and reads zone very well.
Z - Cooks has elite speed, with good hands and excellent route running. He can play the X position but is much better in Z and Y where he can use his superior quickness to get a clean release.
Y - Kupp has only average speed, but is a superior route runner. He gets his separation by using crisp route running with a good burst to separate coming out of his breaks. Good length and excellent hands.
Behind them they carried 3 backups. I don't see Mike Thomas making this roster this year. He's a long strider with problems getting separation because of it. This year I think if they carry 6 the other three will be:
XYZ - KhaDarel Hodge has the ability to play all 3 WR positions but of the 3 backups most likely to make the team, he is the best scheme fit for the X position. He's got very good speed and agility. Paired with good hands and overall athleticism he's got a high ceiling. That said he's still a work in progress, because to play on this team he needs a lot of work on his route running. Until he masters that he will remain behind Josh Reynolds.
Z &Y - Reynolds showed last year he can play at this level and that he's shown improvement in his play. He's got good length and speed for a man of his size. Josh is a good athlete with good agility, but like Hodge his route running must improve. He also is a work in progress but has shown he's able to provide needed depth. He struggles a bit with press coverage so IMO he's best playing Z & Y WR positions.
XYZ - Bachman is the guy IMO that can provide what went missing last year with the loss of Kupp. He's faster and in some ways quicker than Kupp though he isn't as long as Cooper. His overall athleticism would seem to make him a good fit in this scheme. IMO he might be able to run those short and medium possession routes better than Hodge or Reynolds. That is what the passing offense lost when Kupp went out. Neither Hodge or Reynolds is that kind of player. After looking a Bachman's film I think he potentially can be that guy.
I think there is only one real slot among the WR's that is open (JoJo's). When you only carry 6 WR's and one is only realistically a return specialist it really impacts the team if one of the starters goes down. That is what happened to the Rams last year. It is why McVay was forced to turn to his TE's to pick up the short to medium range routes more than he has in the past. This is why I anticipate McVay filling Jojo's spot with a legitimate NFL level WR be it Bachman or someone else.
That is why the emergence of Everett was so significant. With Higbee and Everett the Rams have two underrated TE's. Everett has the athleticism and body traits that gives him an extremely high ceiling. It remains to be seen if he can become an elite TE.
TE - Higbee is probably one of the more underrated TE's in the league. McVay's offense is strangely not TE friendly. They seem to be more of an after thought or safety valve than a offensive focus. I wonder if that will change this year, as I think it will. The play of Higbee and Everett last year when Kupp went down was a learning point for a still developing young HC. Higbee has all the physical traints you want in a TE. Deceptively quick and smooth with very good hands. He's the better route runner which is why he is ahead of Everett on the depth chart.
TE - Everett like Higbee has all the physical traits you look for in the position. But there is no question Everett's athleticism sets him apart from Tyler. He has enough speed to play the entire Y route tree. He's a work in progress, but his ceiling is very high. In another offensive scheme he could be a Kelce like impactful TE. If he ever masters route running and really learns to use his basketball skills, i.e. body control and blocking the defender out, Gerald could be scary. Antonio Gates, never played football in college. But he learned to translate those basketball skills into his football play. Gerald needs to do likewise.
TE - Blanton can be that blocking TE that is missing from this roster. Kendall is a very big man. He has experience at blocking due to his being used on occasion in college as a H-back. He isn't fast but he is quick. He's the kind of TE that can provide run blocking and act as an outlet receiver. He's got basic receiving skills with 6'6" height, very long arms and huge hands. He's the kind of TE that can give McVay an extra blocker on the LOS or a tall target in the end zone for Goff.
These players make McVay's passing offense one of the most dangerous in the NFL. Most people may not see it but the seemingly small changes in this team this year have transformed this team. It is a much better team than last years. This year's team can be scary good. As long as they don't beat themselves with stupid mistakes, this team can matchup with anyone.
These are the three base starters:
X - Woods, good speed, excellent hands and body control, excellent route runner with good burst coming out of his breaks. Can beat press coverage and reads zone very well.
Z - Cooks has elite speed, with good hands and excellent route running. He can play the X position but is much better in Z and Y where he can use his superior quickness to get a clean release.
Y - Kupp has only average speed, but is a superior route runner. He gets his separation by using crisp route running with a good burst to separate coming out of his breaks. Good length and excellent hands.
Behind them they carried 3 backups. I don't see Mike Thomas making this roster this year. He's a long strider with problems getting separation because of it. This year I think if they carry 6 the other three will be:
XYZ - KhaDarel Hodge has the ability to play all 3 WR positions but of the 3 backups most likely to make the team, he is the best scheme fit for the X position. He's got very good speed and agility. Paired with good hands and overall athleticism he's got a high ceiling. That said he's still a work in progress, because to play on this team he needs a lot of work on his route running. Until he masters that he will remain behind Josh Reynolds.
Z &Y - Reynolds showed last year he can play at this level and that he's shown improvement in his play. He's got good length and speed for a man of his size. Josh is a good athlete with good agility, but like Hodge his route running must improve. He also is a work in progress but has shown he's able to provide needed depth. He struggles a bit with press coverage so IMO he's best playing Z & Y WR positions.
XYZ - Bachman is the guy IMO that can provide what went missing last year with the loss of Kupp. He's faster and in some ways quicker than Kupp though he isn't as long as Cooper. His overall athleticism would seem to make him a good fit in this scheme. IMO he might be able to run those short and medium possession routes better than Hodge or Reynolds. That is what the passing offense lost when Kupp went out. Neither Hodge or Reynolds is that kind of player. After looking a Bachman's film I think he potentially can be that guy.
I think there is only one real slot among the WR's that is open (JoJo's). When you only carry 6 WR's and one is only realistically a return specialist it really impacts the team if one of the starters goes down. That is what happened to the Rams last year. It is why McVay was forced to turn to his TE's to pick up the short to medium range routes more than he has in the past. This is why I anticipate McVay filling Jojo's spot with a legitimate NFL level WR be it Bachman or someone else.
That is why the emergence of Everett was so significant. With Higbee and Everett the Rams have two underrated TE's. Everett has the athleticism and body traits that gives him an extremely high ceiling. It remains to be seen if he can become an elite TE.
TE - Higbee is probably one of the more underrated TE's in the league. McVay's offense is strangely not TE friendly. They seem to be more of an after thought or safety valve than a offensive focus. I wonder if that will change this year, as I think it will. The play of Higbee and Everett last year when Kupp went down was a learning point for a still developing young HC. Higbee has all the physical traints you want in a TE. Deceptively quick and smooth with very good hands. He's the better route runner which is why he is ahead of Everett on the depth chart.
TE - Everett like Higbee has all the physical traits you look for in the position. But there is no question Everett's athleticism sets him apart from Tyler. He has enough speed to play the entire Y route tree. He's a work in progress, but his ceiling is very high. In another offensive scheme he could be a Kelce like impactful TE. If he ever masters route running and really learns to use his basketball skills, i.e. body control and blocking the defender out, Gerald could be scary. Antonio Gates, never played football in college. But he learned to translate those basketball skills into his football play. Gerald needs to do likewise.
TE - Blanton can be that blocking TE that is missing from this roster. Kendall is a very big man. He has experience at blocking due to his being used on occasion in college as a H-back. He isn't fast but he is quick. He's the kind of TE that can provide run blocking and act as an outlet receiver. He's got basic receiving skills with 6'6" height, very long arms and huge hands. He's the kind of TE that can give McVay an extra blocker on the LOS or a tall target in the end zone for Goff.
These players make McVay's passing offense one of the most dangerous in the NFL. Most people may not see it but the seemingly small changes in this team this year have transformed this team. It is a much better team than last years. This year's team can be scary good. As long as they don't beat themselves with stupid mistakes, this team can matchup with anyone.
