Spruce ready to bounce back

[majrleaged]

I just don't think Tavon is an absolute lock to make the 53, fellas.

Please, just hear me out for just a minute.

For one thing, McVay strikes me as a HC that will keep the best 6 WR's. And Tavon is a flawed WR, at least in his first 4 seasons. Could be a big problem for Tavon.

If Tavon is outplayed in camp and PS games, I think that Snead and McVay have the stones to trade Tavon away. Probably for a 5th or so, and might have to agree to eat half of Tavon's '17 salary to sweeten the deal for the acquiring team. Tough, but doable if they're committed to keeping the best six.

Might sound crazy to some, at first. But think about it.

Here's my locks:

Woods
Kupp
Reynolds

All invested in by McVay this year. We KNOW that these guys were wanted. They are the only absolute locks to stick, imo.

After that, I have everybody else on one huge bubble.

These guys are highly likely to make the final 6, in no particular order, btw:

Cooper
Austin
Thomas
Spruce

That's 3 WR's trying to beat out Tavon (as a WR), mind you. Not exactly the Impossible Dream, you know?

And, frankly, others might take a big step up under the guidance of this new coaching staff, too.

Tavon's value as a PR and RB are overrated, tbh. So I think he makes the team as a WR or he just might not make the team at all.

And guess what? We're already hearing some very nice commentary about how well Spruce and Thomas have been looking in OTA's.

Sooooo...

Tavon's sacred cow protection under Fisher is gone. He must sink or swim on the merits of his play in camp for the first time in his career. Can he do that? We'll see.

The problem is all bonus and guarantees come against the salary cap the year you trade. What would be his cap hit. I think they couldn't afford to trade or cut him this year. Besides that, I think with this staff he will have his best year total yards and touchdowns.

 

[Rams43]

The problem is all bonus and guarantees come against the salary cap the year you trade. What would be his cap hit. I think they couldn't afford to trade or cut him this year. Besides that, I think with this staff he will have his best year total yards and touchdowns.

Well, majflleaged, if true, then Tavon is both uncuttable and untradeable.

Geez...

Thank you Jeff Fisher.

 

[majrleaged]

Well, majflleaged, if true, then Tavon is both uncuttable and untradeable.

Geez...

Thank you Jeff Fisher.

Not sure it is a problem. He is a playmaker. Give him a chance in this offense.

 

[bubbaramfan]

McVay keeps stressing he's going to surround Goff with the personel who will best help him succeed. Precise route running, understanding the playbook and knowing where everyone else is supposed to be and catching the ball, to build confidence in the QB. None of which has been Tavon's strong suit. Add to that he's not even participating, having decided to have surgery right before OTA's instead of having it done right when the season ended. I'm sure that went over well wit the coaching staff. McVay has said he doesn't care who drafted you, what round or how much you make. he's putting the players that best help the team on the field.

I agree 43, Tavon has his work cut out for him and he's no lock.

 

[RaminExile]

If Spruce is healthy he"ll be on the roster. He seems to be everything McVay wants in a WR. Tough, crisp route runner, competitor, plays bigger than he is, faster than he is. I'd be shocked if he doesn't win a place on the squad.

 

[kurtfaulk]

It would not surprise me to see Tavon traded

And I'm not surprised to see you peddling this.

I just don't think Tavon is an absolute lock to make the 53, fellas.

Another shocker.

.

 

[majrleaged]

McVay keeps stressing he's going to surround Goff with the personel who will best help him succeed. Precise route running, understanding the playbook and knowing where everyone else is supposed to be and catching the ball, to build confidence in the QB. None of which has been Tavon's strong suit. Add to that he's not even participating, having decided to have surgery right before OTA's instead of having it done right when the season ended. I'm sure that went over well wit the coaching staff. McVay has said he doesn't care who drafted you, what round or how much you make. he's putting the players that best help the team on the field.

I agree 43, Tavon has his work cut out for him and he's no lock.

Did I miss something? Who said he had an injury that he waited to get fixed. I thought he just recently inured it.

 

[Warner4Prez]

I know there's a new regime and new faces mean endless possibilities, but moving Tavon is a no win situation. As it stands he's the only receiver on this roster that can score. Period.

Sure, that's a subtle swipe at the rookies that obviously will contribute, but they're rookies. No one knows to what extent they can contribute at this point. Woods had 1 TD on an offense arguably better than the Rams last year.

Throw in two very green TEs and a RB who is looking to rebound, and you have the recipe for an offense that is in NO position to give away playmakers.

 

[tomas]

Mike Thomas: He doesn't translate all of that athleticism onto the field- poor route runner/cant catch =

 

[simonblaze]

Honestly, if Spruce's game against DAL is truly indicative of Spruce's skills. I think that Woods and Reynolds on the outside with Kupp and Spruce on the inside working the middle/edges of the field gives our passing offense the best chance to succeed week to week.

I like Tavon and appreciate his skills but he's got to improve IMMENSELY as an NFL wideout to contribute. Yes i liked the reverses, shovel passes, and 1 yd screen passes as much as the next guy but FUCK, i haven't seen a whole lot from Tavon that leads me to think he's gonna be a guy that catches 60+ balls for 1000 yds+ with 6-10 receiving touchdowns. Now he may not ever be that guy and thats fine, he can be what he is for another team at $9-$10 mil a year. If he stays, now is the time for him to be what we NEED him to be instead of what he's been which is a 10 million dollar a year return man/trick player.

I get that the game is evolving but at the end of the day a WR who makes $9-$10 million a year needs to catch passes, get yards, and score touchdowns as a WR...Period...anything else is extra...

 

[Merlin]

And I'm not surprised to see you peddling this.

You seem to think I'm anti-Tavon. Never have considered myself to be that tbh. I've been hard on the guy, but I've also done some looks into what a successful season by him in horns might look like, and observed for many years that I don't think he is either a fit for the Rams nor was he set up for success.

But anyway. Keep on keepin on brother.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

I don't see Tavon going anywhere this year. Let's wait and see how Tavon looks in a real offense with real coaching.

Sure he wasn't participating in live action at OTAs, but he was there training, learning, and working on his craft.

 

[Merlin]

The problem is all bonus and guarantees come against the salary cap the year you trade. What would be his cap hit. I think they couldn't afford to trade or cut him this year. Besides that, I think with this staff he will have his best year total yards and touchdowns.

What it looks like to me is that he's going to be on the roster come hell or high water this year due to a $19M dead money total. Next year looks like $5M, so that is what I mean by him being tradeable; if a team makes a move for him they will certainly have him on the roster this year, so it doesn't look like his contract would be a problem IF the team feels like the Rams have a piece they haven't utilized properly.

Since many of us have considered that, it makes sense another team would. He IS explosive when he gets the ball in space.

 

[Ram65]

I just don't think Tavon is an absolute lock to make the 53, fellas.

Please, just hear me out for just a minute.

For one thing, McVay strikes me as a HC that will keep the best 6 WR's. And Tavon is a flawed WR, at least in his first 4 seasons. Could be a big problem for Tavon.

If Tavon is outplayed in camp and PS games, I think that Snead and McVay have the stones to trade Tavon away. Probably for a 5th or so, and might have to agree to eat half of Tavon's '17 salary to sweeten the deal for the acquiring team. Tough, but doable if they're committed to keeping the best six.

Might sound crazy to some, at first. But think about it.

Here's my locks:

Woods
Kupp
Reynolds

All invested in by McVay this year. We KNOW that these guys were wanted. They are the only absolute locks to stick, imo.

After that, I have everybody else on one huge bubble.

These guys are highly likely to make the final 6, in no particular order, btw:

Cooper
Austin
Thomas
Spruce

That's 3 WR's trying to beat out Tavon (as a WR), mind you. Not exactly the Impossible Dream, you know?

And, frankly, others might take a big step up under the guidance of this new coaching staff, too.

Tavon's value as a PR and RB are overrated, tbh. So I think he makes the team as a WR or he just might not make the team at all.

And guess what? We're already hearing some very nice commentary about how well Spruce and Thomas have been looking in OTA's.

Sooooo...

Tavon's sacred cow protection under Fisher is gone. He must sink or swim on the merits of his play in camp for the first time in his career. Can he do that? We'll see.

Well, majflleaged, if true, then Tavon is both uncuttable and untradeable.

Geez...

Thank you Jeff Fisher.

You have to read the contract hit and dead money.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-ange....com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/tavon-austin-12288/

Tavon Austin signed a 4 year, $42,000,000 contract with the Los Angeles Rams, including $28,500,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $10,500,000. In 2017, Austin will earn a base salary of $3,500,000 and a roster bonus of $11,477,116, while carrying a cap hit of $14,977,116 and a dead cap value of $19,977,116. Next year 2018 Cap Hit $8,000,00 and dead money of $5,000,00.

POTENTIAL OUT: 2019, 3 YR, $28,875,000; $0 DEAD CAP


Tavon could be a on a short one year lease but, I think McVay gets the most out of him in all phases of his game WR, RB and PR. I'm thinking 2015 with 10 TDs. Tavon can get open deep and Goff can throw deep. I think surprises many in the pass game.

 

[Ram65]

Locks at WR

Woods
Austin
Kupp
Reynolds

Fighting for two Roster Spot
Cooper
Thomas
Spruce

You can make cases for all to make it or not make it. It's going to get down to play on the field in practice and preseason games. Just like last year anyone could have an injury.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/pharoh-cooper?id=2555419
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/mike-thomas?id=2555562
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/nelson-spruce?id=2555287

For the last spot it could come down to who knows the play book the best. As the 6th man he could be asked to fill in anywhere at WR due to injury and special team contributions.

 

[mikeyboy]

Spruce will make this team because Marquez is going bye-bye.

 

[OldSchool]

LOL We're on the trade Tavon kick again? Already again this off season

 

[LA_Rams_#29]

It would not surprise me to see Tavon traded. The structure of his deal means teams can get out from under it in a year, or if he proves he can play well in an offense that fits him the team will have him under contract. I do think there would be some interest even if the return wouldn't be great. IMO he just does not fit with a WCO approach that prioritizes exact routes and run after catch. And now that he's injured they still don't know to what extent he might be able to step it up, other than looking at his route running.

If not, though, then the Rams are going to cut a guy who will get picked up by other teams. It's gonna be real tight:

Locks to make roster
Austin
Woods
Kupp (he's a lock, bank it)

Likely to make roster
Thomas
Reynolds
Cooper

Bubble players
Spruce
Marquez
North
McRoberts

IMO without Tavon being moved, and assuming 6 will be the number kept, it comes down to whether Spruce can jump one of the three in the likely category. And of those guys the one he's in direct competition with is Cooper, so I'd say it's Spruce vs Cooper for the last spot. Both are return types for teams, too, so I think it will come down to which of them impresses most in the slot, plain and simple.

there is no way Thomas is ahead of Cooper right now..he simply made too many mistakes last year..

I think it comes down to Thomas vs. Spruce...

Spruce putting on the muscle he's put on tells me he's ready to show his value on special teams as well...knowing that would make the coaching staff more comfortable with moving on from Thomas and Marquez...

 

[Merlin]

there is no way Thomas is ahead of Cooper right now..he simply made too many mistakes last year..

I think it comes down to Thomas vs. Spruce...

Spruce putting on the muscle he's put on tells me he's ready to show his value on special teams as well...knowing that would make the coaching staff more comfortable with moving on from Thomas and Marquez...

Thomas and Reynolds both have some size and project to X. Rams are stocked with Y/Z types. Thomas is an extremely good gunner, Reynolds a guy this staff really wanted, so for a starting point I think those two are likely to make the roster.

Cooper can't play outside. Spruce probably can't either. Also, "likely to make it" isn't saying it's for certain. Just where I think this whole thing starts. Rams have to figure out what they're doing outside on the LOS at the position IMO.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Why not keep seeing enough receivers? Tavon's deal is inescapable after this season. He may be a lock to make the team but he is not a lock to produce as an outside receiver. So, if they have six other guys showing the skills to get it done why give one up, when Tayvon has displayed limited route running and questionable hands so far?

Some of he early posts left Reynolds out. I think Woods, Kupp, and Austin are locks. Then you have Spruce, Cooper, Thomas, Reynolds, if they keep seven that is the likely group. If they keep six, one from the second group goes. I don't think any of them remain on the PS. They would be scarfed up quickly.

The real battle may be between Reynolds and Thomas. They are similar players.