Countdown to Camp: Rams Have a Deep Group at Wide Receiver
Myles Simmons
RAMS INSIDER
We’re now just one week away from the Rams’ veteran players reporting to 2018 training camp at UC Irvine. With Brandin Cooks signing a five-year extension on Tuesday, let’s continue our position-by-position breakdown with Los Angeles’ wide receivers in this edition of Countdown to Camp.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Newcomers: Brandin Cooks, Steven Mitchell, Ricky Jeune, LaQuvionte Gonzalez
Ten of Los Angeles’ 11 regular offensive starters from 2017 are returning for the upcoming season. The aforementioned Cooks is the only exception, but the former Saints and Patriots standout has already made a strong enough impression to earn a five-year contract extension from the Rams.
“Brandin Cooks has shown himself to be a class act on and off the field since the first day he joined our team,” head coach Sean McVay said in a statement on Tuesday. “He’s a proven professional in this league and signing him to a long-term contract was always our goal. We’re excited to keep Brandin in a Rams uniform through 2023.”
With Cooks in tow, Los Angeles’ current top three receivers — Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp — are now all under contract through 2020. The club signed Woods to a five-year deal in 2017, and he responded by having the best season of his young career. Woods caught 56 passes for 781 yards with five touchdowns in 12 games.
Selected in the third round back in 2017, Kupp led the club as a rookie with 869 yards receiving. He also caught 62 passes and five touchdowns, working mostly as a slot receiver in McVay’s offense.
Another second-year receiver, Josh Reynolds appears poised to take a significant step forward in 2018. He played sparingly on offense as a rookie, but did make 11 receptions for 104 yards with a touchdown.
While Pharoh Cooper’s main contributions in 2017 came as a returner on special teams, he did make 11 receptions for 84 yards and took a carry six yards. He’ll continue as the club’s punt and kick returner, but said during the offseason program he still sees himself as a potential strong contributor on offense.
Mike Thomas is a fellow member of Los Angeles’ 2016 draft class and has been a special teams mainstay since his rookie year. He caught five passes for 93 yards in 2017.
Rounding out the group, L.A. retained Fred Brown after the wideout spent most of last season on the club’s practice squad. The Rams also signed Steven Mitchell, Ricky Jeune, and LaQuivionte Gonzalez as undrafted free agents in May.
[www.therams.com]
Myles Simmons
RAMS INSIDER
We’re now just one week away from the Rams’ veteran players reporting to 2018 training camp at UC Irvine. With Brandin Cooks signing a five-year extension on Tuesday, let’s continue our position-by-position breakdown with Los Angeles’ wide receivers in this edition of Countdown to Camp.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Newcomers: Brandin Cooks, Steven Mitchell, Ricky Jeune, LaQuvionte Gonzalez
Ten of Los Angeles’ 11 regular offensive starters from 2017 are returning for the upcoming season. The aforementioned Cooks is the only exception, but the former Saints and Patriots standout has already made a strong enough impression to earn a five-year contract extension from the Rams.
“Brandin Cooks has shown himself to be a class act on and off the field since the first day he joined our team,” head coach Sean McVay said in a statement on Tuesday. “He’s a proven professional in this league and signing him to a long-term contract was always our goal. We’re excited to keep Brandin in a Rams uniform through 2023.”
With Cooks in tow, Los Angeles’ current top three receivers — Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp — are now all under contract through 2020. The club signed Woods to a five-year deal in 2017, and he responded by having the best season of his young career. Woods caught 56 passes for 781 yards with five touchdowns in 12 games.
Selected in the third round back in 2017, Kupp led the club as a rookie with 869 yards receiving. He also caught 62 passes and five touchdowns, working mostly as a slot receiver in McVay’s offense.
Another second-year receiver, Josh Reynolds appears poised to take a significant step forward in 2018. He played sparingly on offense as a rookie, but did make 11 receptions for 104 yards with a touchdown.
While Pharoh Cooper’s main contributions in 2017 came as a returner on special teams, he did make 11 receptions for 84 yards and took a carry six yards. He’ll continue as the club’s punt and kick returner, but said during the offseason program he still sees himself as a potential strong contributor on offense.
Mike Thomas is a fellow member of Los Angeles’ 2016 draft class and has been a special teams mainstay since his rookie year. He caught five passes for 93 yards in 2017.
Rounding out the group, L.A. retained Fred Brown after the wideout spent most of last season on the club’s practice squad. The Rams also signed Steven Mitchell, Ricky Jeune, and LaQuivionte Gonzalez as undrafted free agents in May.
[www.therams.com]
