Am I the Only One Who Thinks Van Jefferson Will be Special?

[NJRamsFan]

From everything I’ve been reading our boy Van is being discussed as an afterthought around here. Essentially, a guy who only offers what Kupp and Woods do, just to a lesser extent. I for one was very encouraged by what I saw from Van in an admittedly small sample size last year. It felt like every time he touched the football I thought to myself “that doesn’t look like a rookie”. He just has a polished smoothness to his game that I don’t see often out of rookies. His routes are CRISP and his body control is of a seasoned vet. I truly believe he will develop into a number 1 WR. Keep in mind not every number 1 WR is DeAndre Hopkins dominant and that’s not the future I am predicting for him. I think he simply got caught behind a deep WR group as a rookie and we had a limited passing game last year. I expect big things from him in the next few years and for him to eventually make either Kupp/Woods a trade asset.


View: https://youtu.be/wf2ci0q6F-w

 

[NJRamsFan]

While Van may receive fewer snaps than earlier expected due to all our new WR additions, i'm not counting him out by any means. I do believe he will make it easier to swallow should one of Woods or Kupp be injured or later be traded in 2022/23, but he still stands alone as a quality pick, one I certainly prefer over Reynolds. jmo.

I guess that’s kind the question I was getting at....do you only view him as an insurance policy for woods/Kupp , or something more? I think the latter

 

[Riverumbbq]

I guess that’s kind the question I was getting at....do you only view him as an insurance policy for woods/Kupp , or something more? I think the latter

I hope to see Van Jefferson and DeSean J sharing snaps fairly equally, Van has the young legs and Jackson is apt to perform better and be less likely to be an injury risk if he stays fresh. Jefferson can also spell Kupp & Woods whenever needed, so he should get his playing time pretty regularly. He's the real utility guy in the group imo. He's insurance for sure, but he's far more than that and I suspect we'll be seeing a lot of him.

 

[Ballhawk]

I think that as soon as he learns to block, he will start relieving Woods and Kupp to give them breathers, and to hopefully help them to make it to the playoffs uninjured.

 

[Rams43]

I have a few thoughts here...

To say that we have a crowded WR room would be a gross understatement, not to mention the quality at least 5 deep. Don’t think we were that deep even in the GSOT heydays.

Potentially, our TE room could be pretty damned deep, too.

Now, here’s my point. We now have Stafford directing traffic for all these weapons, not Goff. I’m betting that Stafford will see and hit open receivers at a much quicker and higher rate than we’ve been accustomed to seeing. The result could be a devastating O this year, coupled with the running and receiving of Akers and Hendy.

I don’t expect DJ to stay healthy for more than 6 games, either, but that’s alright. Who doesn’t want to see more targets for Jefferson and Atwell, anyway? I’m telling you, we have an embarrassment of riches at WR and maybe TE with Stafford at the helm. Too bad there’s only one football.

McVay is probably going nuts trying to figure out how to maximize the use of all these weapons. His considerable imagination is the only limiting factor because he’s certainly got the weapons now at every position group. Let that sink in for just a moment.

I think we’ll see some 4 and even the occasional 5 WR sets this year. Might see significant 12 personnel sets, too. Like I said, sky’s the limit now, I believe.

Possible O numbers:

Stafford passing for 5000 yards plus.
Maybe 35-40 TD’s.
A 32 ppg average.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Jackson and Kupp on one side, Tutu and Woods on the other, Akers as RB, Stafford with the ball and the OL doing its job, good luck covering that for 60 minutes.

 

[SuperMan28]

Yes

 

[RamFan503]

I think it's really up to Van. I think McVay would love nothing better than to use a fairly even snap count of Woods/Kupp/Jefferson. But I also think Van needs to show some real aggressiveness in his blocking.

DJax will be used a fair amount and I am not in the camp of thinking he will be as fragile as many expect. I realize his history but I also believe he will be looking to impress and he and McVay have a good history. I'm looking for him to mentor TuTu (yes I said it @Memento - eat it. ).

But we have an amazing stable of receivers. And that includes pipeline receivers.

This regime works hard on making sure the cupboard will never be bare.

IMO, that means we will lose good players every year and still be in the hunt. This is the model Kroenke stated he wanted several years ago and I believe that might be the ONE edict he has issued to his staff.

So whether it's WR, CB, Dline, Oline, etc... We will be churning the line-up rather than potentially EVER being in rebuild mode.

Good time to be a Rams fan if you ask me.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Take DJax out of the equation (and he most likely will be) and all of a sudden you're just 4 deep (Harris and Swokwonek aren't gonna see the field as WRs and maybe only a dozen snaps each as TEs this year).

We definitely need Jefferson for the offense. Here's hoping he continues to grow.

 

[MachS]

I guess that’s kind the question I was getting at....do you only view him as an insurance policy for woods/Kupp , or something more? I think the latter

He's going to play a lot more than last year, all the Reynolds snaps will now go to him and DJax. I also think we will run less 2TE personnel sets this year and back to our majority 3WR sets of '17 & '18. I also think with Stafford we will see a lot more 5-Wide sets. A LOT of this. Whether that is 3WR/2TE or 4WR/1TE I think this will be run a ton and let Staff sit in shotgun and pick the D apart. We will need to find snaps for DJax and Tutu of course, but I think Van's usage will definitely be up this year. However I dont see him being a full time starter getting all the snaps until 2022 when I think we will trade Kupp or Woods. That's just my opinion on what I think will happen.

 

[RamFan503]

He's going to play a lot more than last year, all the Reynolds snaps will now go to him and DJax. I also think we will run less 2TE personnel sets this year and back to our majority 3WR sets of '17 & '18. I also think with Stafford we will see a lot more 5-Wide sets. A LOT of this. Whether that is 3WR/2TE or 4WR/1TE I think this will be run a ton and let Staff sit in shotgun and pick the D apart. We will need to find snaps for DJax and Tutu of course, but I think Van's usage will definitely be up this year. However I dont see him being a full time starter getting all the snaps until 2022 when I think we will trade Kupp or Woods. That's just my opinion on what I think will happen.

Personally, I think we will go back to a lot of 11 with completely different plays run from the same "disguise".

 

[CGI_Ram]

I agree with others...

WR 1&2: Woods / Kupp (Jefferson mixed in)
WR 3: DJax (Atwell mixed in)

That appears the core strategy to start anyway. Good depth to deal with bumps and bruises... the engine keeps running well week to week.

Then there is this. Who knows what McVay has up his sleeve with this group;

McVay is probably going nuts trying to figure out how to maximize the use of all these weapons. His considerable imagination is the only limiting factor because he’s certainly got the weapons now at every position group. Let that sink in for just a moment.

 

[TexasRam]

Your not the only one that thinks Van is special. His mom also thinks he is special.

But in all seriousness. I honestly don’t see it. But WR often break out in year 2 so we will see.

If he turns out to be the next Reggie Wayne that would be great.

 

[Ellard80]

Your not the only one that thinks Van is special. His mom also thinks he is special.

But in all seriousness. I honestly don’t see it. But WR often break out in year 2 so we will see.

If he turns out to be the next Reggie Wayne that would be great.

yeah im with Texas on this one... I didn't really see anything last year to make me think "this guy is going to be great"

He did improve a bit by the end... but yeah I need to see something more.

He didn't attack the ball or consistently create separation.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I know he was a rookie but he couldn’t keep Josh Reynolds on the bench.

I hope he improves. I’m not sure what was happening with him. Maybe it was a separation issue. Maybe they want to give him time to get stronger.

When he was drafted we heard so much about Van Jefferson’s play speed. He was the fastest player at the Sr bowl. He was amazing in camp. So then why did they draft Atwell? Why didn’t Jefferson’s play speed become a factor in a year that the Rams needed it most? Why bring in DeSean Jackson too?

I think Snead gets a little too wrapped up in the minute details. The fastest receiver at the Sr Bowl doesn’t mean he’s fast against NFL players. Van looks a lot like what they have in Woods and Kupp. So they used a second round pick on a backup wide receiver to replace the old back up they got in round 4. I hope he becomes something great, but where does he fit? A second round pick on a third receiver who now has to compete for snaps with two new receivers. The only way he can really shine is in case of injury. Otherwise he will have limited snaps. It sucks for him because he looks like he could be very good in Kupp and Woods roles.

 

[So Ram]

From everything I’ve been reading our boy Van is being discussed as an afterthought around here. Essentially, a guy who only offers what Kupp and Woods do, just to a lesser extent. I for one was very encouraged by what I saw from Van in an admittedly small sample size last year. It felt like every time he touched the football I thought to myself “that doesn’t look like a rookie”. He just has a polished smoothness to his game that I don’t see often out of rookies. His routes are CRISP and his body control is of a seasoned vet. I truly believe he will develop into a number 1 WR. Keep in mind not every number 1 WR is DeAndre Hopkins dominant and that’s not the future I am predicting for him. I think he simply got caught behind a deep WR group as a rookie and we had a limited passing game last year. I expect big things from him in the next few years and for him to eventually make either Kupp/Woods a trade asset.


View: https://youtu.be/wf2ci0q6F-w

Excellent highlights,

Van Jefferson will be a bigger part of the mix this season.The highlights cut off short.Would have been nice to see The Rams finish that drive where he made the the last catch.

 

[So Ram]

yeah im with Texas on this one... I didn't really see anything last year to make me think "this guy is going to be great"

He did improve a bit by the end... but yeah I need to see something more.

He didn't attack the ball or consistently create seperation.

Wow - a lot of negativity & doubt.Personally I don’t know what you guys are looking for out of him.
I’m sure your probably apart of The Rams offensive line stinks as well?

—What are you 2’s thoughts on Woods & Kupp ?

 

[Ellard80]

Wow - a lot of negativity & doubt.Personally I don’t know what you guys are looking for out of him.
I’m sure your probably apart of The Rams offensive line stinks as well?

—What are you 2’s thoughts on Woods & Kupp

He had 19 receptions for 220 yards and 1 TD.... After the 1st game I don't think he had a reception longer than 15 yards.

He is young - he could develop... it happens with receivers. But being rational... he hasn't done anything yet to warrant excitement.

 

[dieterbrock]

Jefferson has as many post season TD in his career (1 season) as Kupp does (4 seasons)
He showed up pretty big in the playoff loss to the Pack
I think if Detroit were to come calling for Kupp, he'd be sent packing

 

[Ellard80]

Jefferson has as many post season TD in his career (1 season) as Kupp does (4 seasons)
He showed up pretty big in the playoff loss to the Pack
I think if Detroit were to come calling for Kupp, he'd be sent packing

did you just take a big bong hit? That is the only way i can understand this post.

trading kupp for whatever reason... i don't agree (I've seen it mentioned by others also). .but comparing Jefferson to kupps skill set?

that's drug abuse

 

[So Ram]

Personally, I think we will go back to a lot of 11 with completely different plays run from the same "disguise".

Well if you look at the roster it seems there is a little more of a change