Article: McVay wants to develop Tavon as a WR.

[Mojo Ram]

With that said, it seems as if he's actually regressed since his rookie year.

Think about that though. Should we really be surprised at his regression or lack of progression under the Fisher/OC umbrella? I'm not. No one got better on offense.

Enter McVay a year ago, but Tavon wasn't healthy for camp. There's a good chance IMO that Tavon can find a role here with a full camp and contribute.

 

[1maGoh]

I think our weapons match up well with that team - some better, some not as good. The question mark to me is if Goff can be the guy to make them all better. I think he can, given time. Warner did it "instantly" but not really. He had a lot of time to get ready mentally and also had a pretty varied experience level. He came out of nowhere for our team but we all know his history.



Wait.... whut?

View: https://youtu.be/T3_UNFZHSQU

I only made it to 3:24 because I got bored, but I didn't see any cuts when running routes. I saw a jump cut once, when he already had the ball. He jukes really well.

Precision cuts? While running a route? Not so much.

 

[Akrasian]

I only made it to 3:24 because I got bored, but I didn't see any cuts when running routes. I saw a jump cut once, when he already had the ball. He jukes really well.

Precision cuts? While running a route? Not so much.

They're best off adding just one or two routes with options at most for him. Let him show he can do that. It will surprise teams enough that with his speed he could break things off, and after actually be the decoy he was initially, until teams figured him out.

I don't expect him to learn all or even a significant part of a full route tree.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Can McVay coach up TA to run precice routes, get separation and make him understand what everyone else is doing and why? Methinks TA's biggest challenge is upgrading his football smarts.

When you score a '7' on the Wonderlic, I have my doubts. Still, a potential learning deficiency shouldn't have an adverse effect on actually catching the ball when it hits him. jmo.

 

[RamFan503]

I only made it to 3:24 because I got bored, but I didn't see any cuts when running routes. I saw a jump cut once, when he already had the ball. He jukes really well.

Precision cuts? While running a route? Not so much.

And? His cutting ability is exactly why he was sought after coming out of the draft - and not just by Fisher. The idea that it was his straight line speed is not even close to reality. He had burst but lacked long speed. It was his ability to make yards by cutting and juking. His nickname in college wasn't Houdini because he outran people. In fact, he gets caught from behind quite a bit. Houdini comes from the thinking you have him boxed in and in the blink of an eye he escapes. To ignore that ankle breaking cutting ability is to ignore practically his whole game. Hell - I think there are still ankles on the field in Oklahoma.

Tavon is fast but it has always been about what he does when he gets the ball in his hands. Unfortunately, that cutting ability hasn't translated to well run routes and being on spot with timing.

 

[So Ram]

He did

He did catch 52 passes one year. Not impossible that he could catch a few more. He needs to really work on routes and totally learn McVay's system to where it is second nature, no hesitation on adjustments. And catch the ball. Again, not something impossible but we'll see.

I think Tavon has a lot of self pride . I went to a Chargers game when Hill was QB & Tavon was returning a punt from the has mark of say the 30 yard line.

I yelled at Tavon to take it to the house . He kept pumping himself up. I continued it. He caught the punt & I think he took it to the house ?? I just remember something bizarre happing , & then Hill threw a INT in the end zone.
I was at training camp &(don’t know how) kept myself from telling about eating a banana. Fisher was pissed because he missed practice the day before because he did not stay hydrated & was cramping. He was about 4 feet away from me for almost 5 minutes.
Then is Oxnard he was the man . A real cool cat !! Signing autographs and taking pictures with Ram fans.

—I think Tavon is a real part of The Rams family, & will bring a positive vibe to practice day in & day out . I only wish the best for him.

The class & LOVE he showed for Stedman was super special !!! Rodney McCloud should have never got away , but glad he,Long,Jones,& Nick Foles got Super Bowl rings !! Wish it could have been with The Rams !!

 

[Karate61]

I think this is good news, cause correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Tavon a wide receiver???

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Lip service.

Tavon hasn’t learned much about being a receiver yet. Why does McVay think he can suddenly able to now?

 

[RamBall]

Can McVay coach up TA to run precice routes, get separation and make him understand what everyone else is doing and why? Methinks TA's biggest challenge is upgrading his football smarts.

I like that McSnead is giving TA a chance to be something more.

I will be at TC and Austin will be on my radar.

I will be watching for improvement from TA in TC also. I do think that having an off season with a QB that can throw it deep will help TA develop into a deep threat. He was starting to develop something with Bradford before SBs 1st ACL. 2016 Keenum was QB1 in TC and last year TA was injured.

Wonder how many of us will be there this year? But I do know I will hear you before I see you. Looking forward to 8/6-8/12 with no work and the SoCal sunshine, while I take in a few days of TC.

 

[ReekofRams]

Well I’m not saying Tavon is going to be an excellent WR . I am saying that he might be more of bishop than a pond in The Rams Chess Board .

Now just who is the Queen on this chess board?

 

[RamBall]

I think our weapons match up well with that team - some better, some not as good. The question mark to me is if Goff can be the guy to make them all better. I think he can, given time. Warner did it "instantly" but not really. He had a lot of time to get ready mentally and also had a pretty varied experience level. He came out of nowhere for our team but we all know his history.



Wait.... whut?

View: https://youtu.be/T3_UNFZHSQU

After watching that, it is obvious TA has put on more than 5 or so lbs.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Well I’m not saying Tavon is going to be an excellent WR . I am saying that he might be more of bishop than a pond in The Rams Chess Board .

Wait, ... there are water traps in chess ?

 

[Akrasian]

Lip service.

Tavon hasn’t learned much about being a receiver yet. Why does McVay think he can suddenly able to now?

The thing to do is to train him in just a small number of plays that he can master, so he can be a credible threat. ONce he's mastered those, then try to expand his capabilities. He is dynamic enough that a small number of plays still can mean he's a useful threat.

 

[Rams43]

Here is the sad fact about Tavon and his Ram future.

There is no part of Tavon’s game that another Ram player cannot do better. Significantly better, actually.

Even the jet sweep now that Cooks is on board.

Moreover, it would cost the Rams not a penny to offload Tavon via trade or outright release.

Sadly, Tavon appears to have no Ram future.

 

[Merlin]

Tavon's been in this league long enough that we know what he is. The fact a small guy with his cutting ability isn't a savant yet in route running is the truest indicator of all. McVay, even as good as he is, isn't going to change that.

He's also not going to improve Tavon's hands or ability to focus the ball in. What will happen this season is they'll give it the ol college try, but he will remain a player you cannot trust to make the catch in a critical situation when you need X amount of yards. And he'll move on after the season to another team, thankfully, and torture their fan base with his talent and upside.

 

[Akrasian]

Here is the sad fact about Tavon and his Ram future.

There is no part of Tavon’s game that another Ram player cannot do better. Significantly better, actually.

Even the jet sweep now that Cooks is on board.

Moreover, it would cost the Rams not a penny to offload Tavon via trade or outright release.

Sadly, Tavon appears to have no Ram future.

Possibly. There is basically no savings cutting him now though, and it would look bad to other players to cut him without giving him an honest try. He will be in camp, and will be getting shots. If it's obvious that he is not worth a roster spot, then they can cut him - but not before. If nothing else, he is insurance for a Cooper injury.

 

[TexasRam]

Mcvay is excellent at seeing the potential in each player and giving them confidence in the vision he sees for them .
Mcvay inspires players. Inspiration leads to Faith which results in a higher level of play for the entire team.

 

[LuvMeThemRams]

No question TA is a great threat with the ball however, getting the ball into his hands is the issue. Too short to be a deep threat, put him in the backfield and the defense KNOWS he's getting the ball. IMO he's a slot receiver and nothing else other than maybe a punt returner. Understood he can't handle an end over end kickoff but a punt is a little more tame.

 

[ReekofRams]

Go back and watch games when Tavon was playing in college and you'll see a guy who didn't drop passes, or fumble kick offs or punt returns. He even made some very tough catches. The one thing his team didn't do was have Tavon run good passing routes, but that was true of all their receivers.

Then he comes to the ram's under Fisher's regime, that didn't buy into the idea of teaching offense, as they didn't even have coaches capable of teaching an offense. But every year they'd say we just need to find ways of getting Tavon the ball, but every year they'd just do it the same way.

So finally he gets a chance to work with a real offensive minded coach under a real offense, one that could show him how to be an NFL receiver, and he can't practice due to his wrist. So claim what you might, but none of us actually know for sure if Tavon is capable or not of being an NFL caliber receiver. But after this year, God I hope we know something.

 

[Merlin]

Go back and watch games when Tavon was playing in college and you'll see a guy who didn't drop passes, or fumble kick offs or punt returns. He even made some very tough catches. The one thing his team didn't do was have Tavon run good passing routes, but that was true of all their receivers.

This is why I keep saying and saying that he's not a fit for this regime. Said it after McVay was hired. Suggested they trade him while he still had value for that reason too. Nothing has changed. This offense requires precise routes of exact depth, which is why it does as well as it does statistically, and if the QB cannot trust the dude to not round things off or adjust his route due to someone sitting on it, or whatever else, he's not the guy you can trust to make the play when you need it.

He was never a fit and that's not going to change. It's not hate or anything like that, it's just the truth IMO.