Rams to sign Tavon Austin to contract extension

[LARams_1963]

Great news! Didn't want to loose such a dynamic and positive personality on our team. I really believe when our offense improves and D's have to losen up in the box , great things will com from TA.

 

[gabriel18]

I think you have it backwards usually people produce then get paid.

You're right about that , but the Rams don't do it that way .

 

[CanRamFan]

I love me some Tavon Austin but we way over paid for his services this time. Seems like they are paying him based on what they hope he can be rather than what he has been. I hope he has a monster year and proves me wrong but he has a long ways to go to deserve that amount of $$. Just my opinion.

 

[Rams Until I Die]

Love it!

 

[DthOn2Legs]

So

Edleman can't score from anywhere on field like Tavon... It was pay him or loose him

You don't pay someone that kind of money for what they CAN do. You reward them for what they HAVE done....and Edelman has 135 more catches than Tavon between 2013-2015.

 

[lockdnram21]

You don't pay someone that kind of money for what they CAN do. You reward them for what they HAVE done....and Edelman has 153 more catches than Tavon between 2013-2015.

I Still would take Tavon over Edleman.. Also Gavin wasnt the problem and I think the Rams know that

 

[Ram65]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/08/27/rams-extend-tavon-austins-contract-by-four-years/

The Rams don’t have many offensive weapons. One of the few they have will be sticking around for a while.

PFT has confirmed that receiver Tavon Austin, the eighth overall pick in the 2013 draft, has agreed to terms on a four-year extension.

It’s a four-year extension, worth $42 million. Per a league source with knowledge of the situation, Austin’s true guarantee if he’s on the roster next March will be $25 million.

He was due to make $2.14 million this year and $12.2 million next year, under the fifth-year first-round option. In all, it’s a six-year deal worth more than $56 million.

The deal also includes an incentive package that will pay Austin significantly more, if/when he generates the kind of numbers over the course of a full season that he has generated in flashes through his first three seasons.

Can he generate big numbers over the course of a full season? If running back Todd Gurley continues to improve and quarterback Jared Goff is the real deal, it will be easier for the Rams to get more out of Austin. At times last year, the offense consisted primarily of pushing the ball forward with Gurley and finding ways to get the ball in Austin’s hands in space with a collection of average-at-best quarterbacks.

Florio's numbers are much easier to swallow and make alot more sense

56 over 6 with 25 mill guaranteed. Puts him at about 9.333 a year (elite WR2 money), but the guarantees still seem a bit high. Probably still need more info because the rams are really good at the pay as you go contracts

http://overthecap.com/position/wide-receiver/

Thanks for the numbers SYG! I don't see many long term WR deals around the league. Long term deals always look better in a couple years when the cap increases.

I was a little concerned before I got the numbers. Looks like a good deal all around. TA is wrapped for 6 years without breaking the bank. He and the offense needs to step up but, when you add up all he brings with running, catching, returns and the accountability factor it's a great extension. He has to stop dropping the easy one.

 

[Loyal]

I am happy about it...The Rams know what they can afford, so I don't care about the numbers like Memento said

 

[Memphis Ram]

Good for Tavon. Foolishness for the Rams financially. That is, unless he immediately becomes, the top flight WR he's will soon be paid like. But, hey. It's not my money.

 

[StealYoGurley]

You don't pay someone that kind of money for what they CAN do. You reward them for what they HAVE done....and Edelman has 133 more catches than Tavon between 2013-2015.

julian edleman had career high 7 total tds in his 7th nfl season. Tavon had 10 in his 3rd. Getting in the endzone matters and there still a ton of upside for Tavon.

You absolutely factor what someone can do into their contract. If not whats the point of the extending anyone?

 

[OntarioRam]

As others have mentioned, he is being paid like a top end #2. I think that's more than fair. He isn't a conventional franchise wide-out, so he shouldn't be paid like one, but what he does bring to the table is extremely valuable. Not to mention pretty unique in the NFL, which ups his value accordingly.

My posts defending Austin as one of the best all around football players in the league at his position have been numerous and lengthy. Far from being a gadget player, I view him as a swiss army knife that can do pretty much anything you ask of him. http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/tavon-austin-is-an-interesting-player.45451/page-6#post-767822

I won't re-produce all my thoughts here. Suffice to say, for arguably the league's biggest TD threat on any given play - just look at his TD numbers last year, despite having horrendous QBing and only one other Ram player (Gurley) opposing defences bothered to key on - this kind of money should be no surprise. It is fair value and, if he breaks out, it's a steal. I think he will explode with a competent QB and OC finally in place. We'll see.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I'm iffy on this tbh. I like what Tavon brings, but he still hasn't stepped up the way I have wanted to see from him and I wonder if he will. Risky signing, and I hope this "futures" signing works out better than Foles' did.

I like the deal, even though he's not a #1 receiver, he's so dangerous that a weapon like him is important.

Once Goff is ready, imagine having to defend him, Gurley, Higbee, maybe Spruce or Cooper, another tall receiver... There's going to be options, having a weapon like Austin forces defenses to pay attention to him, if defenses need to pay attention to him, and need to pay attention to Gurley, then someone is going to be open, having weapons like Higbee and Spruce (this assumes they are what we think they are) it's going to be hard to defend. Especially with a QB who can get the ball out quickly.

 

[jap]

The Rams have upcoming contracts with Aaron and Todd. Sign your core guys early, or prepare to fight the rest of the league for their services and pay more heavily.

 

[LARams_1963]

People don't seem to remember the 10 TD's last year.... How many players did that last year??

 

[OldSchool]

People don't seem to remember the 10 TD's last year.... How many players did that last year??

He was tied for 16th in the NFL for TD's. He was 99th in receiving yards and tied for 42nd in td's. He was 58th in receptions. He was 48th in rushing and tied for 25th in rushing td. He was 13th in punt return yards and 20th in YPR with 1 TD (Sproles the only one with 2 and 10 people had 1).

 

[Boston Ram]

I just don't understand this team sometimes. TA is not a 10m player. I know you have to project sometimes, but this kind of money!? I would of invested that money to Aaron Donald, a real life super star

 

[DaveFan'51]

Check out @AdamSchefter's Tweet:
View: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/769657530041536512?s=09

He's well worth it, Look at Today's Jersey count down #11 thread, I up-dated his career stats. You'll see he's a steal at this price!!

 

[Merlin]

Then they should have francised Jenks and not Tru

It's not really that simple. I don't think they trusted Jenks, and probably saw him as greater risk for the long term deal where he might not play up to it. Tru, meanwhile, is not a guy they're gonna give top money to just yet until they see him draw top WRs and excel.

Let's wait and see if they played it wrong; time will tell.

 

[WvuIN02]

Comparing a guy on a team with a HoF QB (Brady might be the best ever) who just won a SB to the Rams who had the worst passing attack in the NFL makes all kinds of sense

 

[Mojo Ram]

10 all purpose TD's last year on a team with no other legit weapons besides Gurley and pedestrian QB-play.
I'm cool with this. I still don't think he'll ever be a true dynamic threat as an outside WR but he's a playmaker who scores TD's.
There aren't many teams if any, who have an option like Tavon integrated into the running game either.
52 totes for 434 yds(8.3 avg) and 4 TD's last season is production.

Talking heads and dumb fans from other teams like to look at his receiving numbers alone and just don't get it.
He's improved in every facet each year too. He's an underrated blocker. Seriously, no blue font. He understands angles and is willing.

It is a BFC though. Lots of cheddar.
My bottom line is the Rams need to identify and hold onto their offensive playmakers because there aren't many on the roster.