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

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NJRamsFan

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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
 
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dieterbrock

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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
I only compared their career post season stats, which they have the same total of post season TD
Kupp is 100x better player right now, however McVay just drafted a couple guys who fit what Kupp does. Nobody's job is set in stone in LA and I would imagine Kupp's availability in the post season is something that grinds coach's gears
Woods & Kupp wont play out their contracts in LA together, it's just a reality. One will be gone, its only a matter of when
 

NJRamsFan

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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.
I wanted to create discussion on what I saw on the field and see if others saw similar. Pointing out he didn’t have a statistically significant season is obvious (if he did what the point of my post even be? It would be established). To cite his stats as proof he hasn’t shown anything to be excited about is kind of silly. If you only want to discuss whether people who’ve had good seasons had good seasons that’d be boring no?

As I pointed out in my OP I was particularly excited by his route running and body control (not his rookie numbers) as they look advanced beyond his years to me. If you think he didn’t get open I would invite you to rewatch some games because he certainly did.
 

So Ram

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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

I would not say Van Jefferson’s window for his career to have more total yards & TD’s vs. copper Kupp
Is very much open.

I do think The Lack of Respect for Copper Kupp as a Ram is disappointing.
 

12intheBox

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serviceable - special is a word that gets thrown around way too much.

When a player is special, it is almost always noticeable right away - not something that develops. There are exceptions - as there always are (Devante Adams comes to mind as a guy who took his time coming on) - but generally, special stands out - even for receivers - even as a rookie.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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serviceable - special is a word that gets thrown around way too much.

When a player is special, it is almost always noticeable right away - not something that develops. There are exceptions - as there always are (Devante Adams comes to mind as a guy who took his time coming on) - but generally, special stands out - even for receivers - even as a rookie.
Ike was special. You could see it right away. But he only had 21 receptions for 272 yards his rookie season. The second year he jumped to 119 receptions for 1781 yards.

Like I said earlier, I don’t know how Van can get enough receptions to make a noticeable leap in numbers. If (big if) Atwell takes over as the deep option or Jackson stays healthy Jefferson isn’t likely to get the touches needed.

In some ways @dieterbrock is right. But only if Jefferson can force the issue and prove that they need him on the field. But I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that Kupp would be the one traded.
 

BonifayRam

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Jefferson will have his opportunities mostly due to several high-paid WR's who are not trending up (Jackson/Kupp).

Kupp trend is very noticeable going the wrong way fast....just review the stats......receiving yds, yds after the reception, yds per gm, receiving TD's from 10 to 3, Kupps drops increased, finally his huge drop in overall production points.

Woods also had an off 2020 season but not close to that of Kupp. Woods has a big step on Kupp who was unable to play due to injury in the 2018 & 2020 playoff runs.....Woods was healthy & ready!......or it might have been the QB/HC fault on the arrow trending down on the receiving cadre too.

I suspect if Jefferson fulfills his potential in 2021 those veteran high paid Ram WR's trending downwards might be Brandon Cook'd by Snead/McVay in 2022.
 

NJRamsFan

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serviceable - special is a word that gets thrown around way too much.

When a player is special, it is almost always noticeable right away - not something that develops. There are exceptions - as there always are (Devante Adams comes to mind as a guy who took his time coming on) - but generally, special stands out - even for receivers - even as a rookie.
I think you’re taking special to mean Aaron Donald special which I tried to make clear in the OP is not the level I’m projecting. I even said “remember not every number 1 WR is DeAndre Hopkins dominant and that’s not the future I’m predicting for him”

I very clearly don’t mean generational talent special. I do however think he can be the best of our stacked WR room
 

So Ram

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I wanted to create discussion on what I saw on the field and see if others saw similar. Pointing out he didn’t have a statistically significant season is obvious (if he did what the point of my post even be? It would be established). To cite his stats as proof he hasn’t shown anything to be excited about is kind of silly. If you only want to discuss whether people who’ve had good seasons had good seasons that’d be boring no?

As I pointed out in my OP I was particularly excited by his route running and body control (not his rookie numbers) as they look advanced beyond his years to me. If you think he didn’t get open I would invite you to rewatch some games because he certainly did.

Watching the highlights should get Ram Fans excited.Sean Mcvay this last week talked about Van Jefferson multiple times of how he is looking forward to getting him more involved.
—I saw a game late in the season where Van Jefferson was next to a veteran player who saw Reynolds miss a catch.He told him he should be out there & would have made the catch. Very Frustrating he was placed behinds Josh Reynolds.

—2021 draft shows me Van Jefferson will be more of a WR. Special teams is not his thing. That hook & ladder for a TD to Cam Akers was pretty sweet to watch.
I will not say Van Jefferson will be a number 1 WR. He seems to be a solid WR & a Heck of a value pick.Lines up wide & has excellent footwork around the sidelines.
—Van & Wolford have been working out together which shows there workman/friendship.
 

NJRamsFan

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Watching the highlights should get Ram Fans excited.Sean Mcvay this last week talked about Van Jefferson multiple times of how he is looking forward to getting him more involved.
—I saw a game late in the season where Van Jefferson was next to a veteran player who saw Reynolds miss a catch.He told him he should be out there & would have made the catch. Very Frustrating he was placed behinds Josh Reynolds.

—2021 draft shows me Van Jefferson will be more of a WR. Special teams is not his thing. That hook & ladder for a TD to Cam Akers was pretty sweet to watch.
I will not say Van Jefferson will be a number 1 WR. He seems to be a solid WR & a Heck of a value pick.Lines up wide & has excellent footwork around the sidelines.
—Van & Wolford have been working out together which shows there workman/friendship.
Do you have the link to McVay by any chance?
 

Merlin

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I think for McVay it's about having the depth to go all the way. Here's Kupp during the playoffs...

1620235103886.png


I've said this before and will again: I think we beat New England with Kupp. Maybe I'm wrong, we will of course never know. But that was a tight game and he would have changed it significantly. Goff was just a better QB when he had Kupp as his security blanket and the Cheats would have had a much harder time shutting it down with him in the lineup.

The Green Bay game we still probably lose because we couldn't stop their run game and Rodgers with a run game is fearsome. But we didn't have both Kupp and Edwards and Goff was playing with a hurt hand. Injuries and your ability to handle them is really important.

IMO we have been a bit too dependent on Kupp. So now with a change made at QB they didn't stop there. They boosted the depth of the eligibles group with more speed but also more slot potency. If and when they lose Kupp in the playoffs they move Jefferson into his spot and roll Tutu or DJax into the slot and there's still a lot of threat. It's still a dropoff because IMO Kupp is that good, but the difference will be you can't just remove Woody and single up on everyone else. If you single up on Tutu or DJax when they're in this offense you're running a lot of risk.

We are all pulling for Tutu here of course. So how he develops during the season is going to be really important for us in the playoffs. They gotta get him rolling and playing fast without thinking before the playoffs start. If that happens... We're gonna be really tough to beat.
 

So Ram

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Jefferson will have his opportunities mostly due to several high-paid WR's who are not trending up (Jackson/Kupp).

Kupp trend is very noticeable going the wrong way fast....just review the stats......receiving yds, yds after the reception, yds per gm, receiving TD's from 10 to 3, Kupps drops increased, finally his huge drop in overall production points.

Woods also had an off 2020 season but not close to that of Kupp. Woods has a big step on Kupp who was unable to play due to injury in the 2018 & 2020 playoff runs.....Woods was healthy & ready!......or it might have been the QB/HC fault on the arrow trending down on the receiving cadre too.

I suspect if Jefferson fulfills his potential in 2021 those veteran high paid Ram WR's trending downwards might be Brandon Cook'd by Snead/McVay in 2022.

Wow - Bonifay’d?? You might mean Todd Gurley’d ? Then again both Woods & Cooper Kupp will be excellent mentors .

—Really though I get passed off at Ram Fans for there negativity & the coaching staff for there stupidity.Plus for The front office the way they use the system for Franchising players.

I’ll add The Rams franchise keeps working hard to get better & make change through there mistakes.Stan & even Georgia(kids?) there players.
Fans no matter what will be Fans.Some better & some worse.I consider myself in between & more of an evaluator who is passionate more about the team as a GM/coaching Monday night sports guy ?? Just crazy in my mind.

1.Ram Fans(myself at times) don’t see things right & complain about players they think are bad ? Stats don’t always tell the whole story.

2. 2 examples by Mcvay. First starting Brian Allen & Joesph Noteboom without preseason reps.I won’t go on there.It’s bigger than that.Ram Fans want to blame the Offensive Line group without even acknowledging there development.
2nd Is in 2020 special teams.Draft a 7th rd rookie on a playoff team to start as your kicker.Use your #1/2 WR who has slowed down & still has knee issues to be the STARTING PR?

Then paying Tru Johnson a Franchise tag once & then Franchise Tag J. Joyner.Have Aaron Donald Holdout 2 years in a row,but not use the 5th year option & Franchish on 1 Todd Gurley who has a past Knee issue(5 year self life 4 RB’s) & Goff who gets a free pass laying above market with both ? Cook’s as well.Whitworth’s contract was nice & they work magic & trade for value & have got good Comp picks.

Add Ram Fans are a growing base & there will be RAHRAH Fans who are so much better than myself.Stan is building such an excellent Franchise & Mcvay continues to grow as a HC.

I appreciate the way this thing is getting done.I look at the draft & understand the need for depth.I question some things,but now reflecting back from 2020.
 

So Ram

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Do you have the link to McVay by any chance?

Respect!! Thanks. I put in a big post about life & erased it. — Will just say, I wish you the best for the day.-Hope your mom is still alive & you can enjoy the weekend with her. If not she raised a good man. Cheers -
 

Ellard80

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I wanted to create discussion on what I saw on the field and see if others saw similar. Pointing out he didn’t have a statistically significant season is obvious (if he did what the point of my post even be? It would be established). To cite his stats as proof he hasn’t shown anything to be excited about is kind of silly. If you only want to discuss whether people who’ve had good seasons had good seasons that’d be boring no?

As I pointed out in my OP I was particularly excited by his route running and body control (not his rookie numbers) as they look advanced beyond his years to me. If you think he didn’t get open I would invite you to rewatch some games because he certainly did.

I posted earlier before anything about his stats. He doesn't get much separation and doesn't attack the ball enough. I'm sure he was open sometimes and got missed... that's not unique to him.
 

Ellard80

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serviceable - special is a word that gets thrown around way too much.

When a player is special, it is almost always noticeable right away - not something that develops. There are exceptions - as there always are (Devante Adams comes to mind as a guy who took his time coming on) - but generally, special stands out - even for receivers - even as a rookie.
yeah i mean... its only one year and not a ton of chances. But "special" I don't see how anyone could see that from what is on tape.

Not that he can't be... but its not to be seen yet.
 

NJRamsFan

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I posted earlier before anything about his stats. He doesn't get much separation and doesn't attack the ball enough. I'm sure he was open sometimes and got missed... that's not unique to him.
I saw him get separation quite often. I even went back and watched several of our games. I’m sure he failed to get much separation sometimes and got blanketed...that’s not unique to him.
 

Ram65

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I'll start with I think Jackson plays way more than 4-6 games. I initially thought he would play about 35-40% of the snaps with Jefferson getting 35-40%. That could still happen but, no slight to Jefferson I think Jackson changes the offense more and gets more snaps. McVasy could get them more snaps as he could give Kupp and Woods a few more breathers like he did last year. Whatever the percentages turn out to be Jefferson will get his chances. I thought he played well but, at one point he seemed to be held out more. Could be coincidence but, right after Goff through an INT in an in route to Jefferson he seemed to not get as many chances.

All in all, it's great that the Rams have Jefferson as an option. Whether it be injuries, rotation, or even four-wide receiver sets. I thought he played well for his limited snaps last year and think he has great upside. Wish he would not jump for a ball that he doesn't have to. He needs to break that habit so he can get more YAC. I hope the Rams keep Woods, Kupp and Jefferson together for a few more years.
 

So Ram

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I think for McVay it's about having the depth to go all the way. Here's Kupp during the playoffs...

View attachment 45300

I've said this before and will again: I think we beat New England with Kupp. Maybe I'm wrong, we will of course never know. But that was a tight game and he would have changed it significantly. Goff was just a better QB when he had Kupp as his security blanket and the Cheats would have had a much harder time shutting it down with him in the lineup.

The Green Bay game we still probably lose because we couldn't stop their run game and Rodgers with a run game is fearsome. But we didn't have both Kupp and Edwards and Goff was playing with a hurt hand. Injuries and your ability to handle them is really important.

IMO we have been a bit too dependent on Kupp. So now with a change made at QB they didn't stop there. They boosted the depth of the eligibles group with more speed but also more slot potency. If and when they lose Kupp in the playoffs they move Jefferson into his spot and roll Tutu or DJax into the slot and there's still a lot of threat. It's still a dropoff because IMO Kupp is that good, but the difference will be you can't just remove Woody and single up on everyone else. If you single up on Tutu or DJax when they're in this offense you're running a lot of risk.

We are all pulling for Tutu here of course. So how he develops during the season is going to be really important for us in the playoffs. They gotta get him rolling and playing fast without thinking before the playoffs start. If that happens... We're gonna be really tough to beat.

I still see things differently than yourself.

NE game is simple.Go back & watch that holding call on John Sullivan on Todd Gurley’s 10 yard run to cross mid-field in the end of the 3rd qrt.
Give The Rams the first down which they earned & play the game out . I’ll tell you this about The NFL/NCAA is that there are things that happen still today at halftime.Gurley would have started to get his game on.
When The Rams lost to NE way back in the SuperBowl.Get the CB’s off the WR’s.Holding them on the breaks is against the rules.Still don’t blame the Video/Spy Gate things as much.
 

So Ram

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Do you have the link to McVay by any chance?
Sorry you were looking for a quote.
If you listen to any of McVay & Les Sneads interviews before & after the draft he talks about Jefferson stepping up. This is before the playoffs & The Rams still having Josh Reynolds at WR. — I was not a fan of Jefferson sitting over Reynolds.My Hope was for Reynolds to get The Rams a Comp Pick as well as Gerald Everett.

 

Elmgrovegnome

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If they do rotate Van in this year it seems most likely to be at Woods spot. But shouldn’t it be at Kupps spot?
At 28 and 29 the receivers are approaching age that maybe McVay wants to reduce their snaps to keep them fresh for the playoffs.