Tavon Austin - can we draw a line in the sand?

[Ram65]

The facts
Gurley (with TA on the playing field) 8.1 yards per carry
Gurley (without TA on the playing field) 3.3 yards per carry

I don't want to see Gurley drop his YPC, it's one of the reasons we're winning - and TA is integral to keeping that YPC high.

"It might not show up on the stat sheet, but he's contributing in a lot of ways that goes unnoticed," Rams coach Sean McVay said. "It certainly doesn't in our building."

Your entire post was a nice try. Doesn't appear it changed many poster's minds if any. McVay has started to see the value of Tavon shown above. Remember last year when Gurley was getting tackled in the backfield by the backside defender that the Rams never blocked intentionally. They never made any adjustment. The announcers could not believe it. TA's an asset that has to be used. He should get more PT.

 

[8to12]

You make some good points, but it's not sustainable. At some point you have to say his value to the offense is that of a 5-Mil per season player, not 15.

 

[jrry32]

I'll admit Tavon is electric is space, but if his main job is this offense is "the speedy guy who can take (or fake) jets sweeps sometimes" then he can be replaced by any number of kids in the 5th round of any draft. He was drafted to be a game-changing WR in the NFL, and he just hasn't been able to consistently do that.

What he was drafted to be isn't relevant anymore. He is what he is. However, a fifth round pick isn't going to replicate what Austin can do. The Cowboys tried to use that same action with Switzer. The Rams weren't concerned about it. Austin is a rare talent with the ball in his hands. Defenses have to respect that. It's how the guy was managing to gain 12 to 16 yards in that game when we got backed up.

The kid is a stellar runner. It's too bad he doesn't have the football IQ and pass blocking ability to be a scat back for us. He'd kill in that role.

And those of you who say that all Tavon has is speed, we must not be watching the same football games. Tavon's speed is elite, but it doesn't make him special. There are a lot of guys with similar wheels. There are a few faster guys. Tavon's change of direction skills, stop/start quickness, and open-field vision are what make him special. They are what make him scare the fuck out of defenses on those fake jet sweeps.

 

[kurtfaulk]

The TA link to our run game is way overplayed

8.1 ypc compared to 3.3 ypc suggests that it isn't.

.

 

[Merlin]

8.1 ypc compared to 3.3 ypc suggests that it isn't.

.

That's one hell of an oversimplification don't you think? There is a lot more involved in that improvement than Tavon's contribution.

But again I don't want to keep going back and forth on this man. Let's agree to disagree.

 

[SteezyEndo]

And those of you who say that all Tavon has is speed, we must not be watching the same football games.

All he has is speed and during the niner game you said you gave up on him. He is a decoy, that is all. He is not elite.
There is 64 pages on that thread which i am not going to shuffle through.

Look we know TA isnt a 40 something mil receiver. Lets get that straight. He is a minimal gadget receiver. He is no Dante Hall..

 

[kurtfaulk]

That's one hell of an oversimplification don't you think? There is a lot more involved in that improvement than Tavon's contribution.

But again I don't want to keep going back and forth on this man. Let's agree to disagree.

Not at all because my eyes tell me the same thing. Always refer to the eye test.

.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

@LesBaker Tavon was much more in college than he is now with the Rams. It isn't even close.

@shaunpinney Donald is a beast and is worth more to the team than a decoy. He was the best Dlinemen in the league for another week and the only reason Dak was under consistent pressure and throwing erratically in the second half.

I have dropped the trade Tavon talk. I think they have found a good use for him, but he is still overpaid. I am not so certain they keep him with that contract in the off-season. They will need to pay Donald and hopefully Watkins (if he doesn't want to be reunited with Watson and Nuk). Maybe they try to sign Ogletree. I don't think they need a 40 million dollar man to play decoy. Most speedsters can handle that role, especially with Gurley on the field. Ignore a quick/fast guy on a jet sweep and you get burned, even if his name isn't Tavon.

There's Hill was a fifth round pick btw.

 

[SteezyEndo]

but he is still overpaid.

Can we just admit this?...Dag Gon. He needs a cut...

 

[jrry32]

All he has is speed and during the niner game you said you gave up on him. He is a decoy, that is all. He is not elite.
There is 64 pages on that thread which i am not going to shuffle through.

Look we know TA isnt a 40 something mil receiver. Lets get that straight. He is a minimal gadget receiver. He is no Dante Hall..

All he has is speed? Then why isn't Marquise Goodwin doing what Tavon is? Why isn't Trindon Holiday doing what Tavon is? Why isn't Stephen Hill doing what Tavon is? Those guys all have speed.

Yea, I don't really care what I say in the heat of the passion during a game. Tavon stopped muffing punts.

And nobody called him elite. That's a strawman argument you created. We've only said that he's a valuable decoy and a great runner with the ball in his hands because you claimed he offers nothing but speed. If he offers nothing but speed, please explain these plays:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgJAkemOL_8

View: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000575102/Rams-Tavon-Austin-weaves-through-for-22-yard-run


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS7oQQ8h0XA


That doesn't look to me like Austin only running fast in a straight line.

 

[Debacled]

This is a discussion board. Asking for less discussion kind of defeats the purpose for people clamoring about everyone being negative with the team at 3-1...

With that said for what Tavon is paid it just isn't worth what he does. You cannot sustain paying essentially a decoy only 10% of the cap. He is the 2nd highest paid player on the team right now behind Johnson who has been slapped with the franchise tag two years in a row.

"It gets better" doesn't matter. Its criminal how many resources are being committed to him. The Hill comparisons are nice and all, but he is getting paid seriously more and I'd take Hill in a WR role over Austin any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Is he a WR? Not an effective one. Is he a RB? He can't handle a big workload at his size playing that position. Is he a return guy? Can be, but you don't pay return guys the jack he is making. He is unique, but he is also vastly overpaid. I don't think they'd even find a trade partner for him if they looked simply because of his cap hit and limitations.

 

[SteezyEndo]

All he has is speed? Then why isn't Marquise Goodwin doing what Tavon is? Why isn't Trindon Holiday doing what Tavon is? Why isn't Stephen Hill doing what Tavon is? Those guys all have speed.

Yea, I don't really care what I say in the heat of the passion during a game. Tavon stopped muffing punts.

And nobody called him elite. That's a strawman argument you created. We've only said that he's a valuable decoy and a great runner with the ball in his hands because you claimed he offers nothing but speed. If he offers nothing but speed, please explain these plays:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgJAkemOL_8

View: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000575102/Rams-Tavon-Austin-weaves-through-for-22-yard-run


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS7oQQ8h0XA


That doesn't look to me like Austin only running fast in a straight line.

I know it took you an hour + to muster that up,
but still doesnt coincide with what you felt originally during that time.

I get it his speed is elite, but speed doesnt mean shit in this time of age. He is a gadget. No mas.

 

[jrry32]

I have dropped the trade Tavon talk. I think they have found a good use for him, but he is still overpaid. I am not so certain they keep him with that contract in the off-season. They will need to pay Donald and hopefully Watkins (if he doesn't want to be reunited with Watson and Nuk). Maybe they try to sign Ogletree. I don't think they need a 40 million dollar man to play decoy. Most speedsters can handle that role, especially with Gurley on the field. Ignore a quick/fast guy on a jet sweep and you get burned, even if his name isn't Tavon.

There's Hill was a fifth round pick btw.

Austin is overpaid, but I'm not paying him, so I don't really care as long as he helps us win. That's water under the bridge.

Most speedsters can't handle that role. Defenses won't have the same respect for it if the speedster isn't a dangerous runner. You have to be more than just fast.

Hill being a fifth round pick doesn't mean you can replace Austin with a fifth round pick. That's like claiming because Tom Brady was a sixth round pick, you can replace Philip Rivers with a sixth round pick. I'd love to have a player like Tyreek Hill, but reality is that your odds of landing a Hill in the fifth round are incredibly low. Hell, the only reason Hill fell to the fifth round is because he's a shitty person who beats pregnant women.

 

[jrry32]

I know it took you an hour + to muster that up,
but still doesnt coincide with what you felt originally during that time.

I get it his speed is elite, but speed doesnt mean crap in this time of age. He is a gadget. No mas.

Actually, it took 30 seconds because some other dude on a different board made the exact same claims a week ago that you're making now. Back then, it took 10 minutes max. Google is an incredible thing.

But it's nice to see that even when confronted with evidence to the contrary, you still won't budge a bit on your stance. The other guy was the same way. I don't know what to tell you if video evidence isn't enough.

As for Austin, he is a gadget. He's an overpaid gadget who is a bust for a top 10 pick. Nobody disagrees. However, he still is a valuable role player for this team. He still is a valuable decoy for this offense. He still is a very talented runner with the ball in his hands for more than just his straight-line speed. That's apparent to anyone who isn't biased.

 

[SteezyEndo]

As for Austin, he is a gadget. He's an overpaid gadget

That he is, and anyone out of college could replace him...Cheap...

We need to pay AD right?.

 

[jrry32]

That he is, and anyone out of college could replace him...Cheap...

We to pay AD right?.

I'd use the different opinion button (as much as I hate it), but it's not strong enough here. It would be nice to have a "Sigh" button. I guess I'll just go with this...

Have a good night.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Austin is overpaid, but I'm not paying him, so I don't really care as long as he helps us win. That's water under the bridge.

Most speedsters can't handle that role. Defenses won't have the same respect for it if the speedster isn't a dangerous runner. You have to be more than just fast.

Hill being a fifth round pick doesn't mean you can replace Austin with a fifth round pick. That's like claiming because Tom Brady was a sixth round pick, you can replace Philip Rivers with a sixth round pick. I'd love to have a player like Tyreek Hill, but reality is that your odds of landing a Hill in the fifth round are incredibly low. Hell, the only reason Hill fell to the fifth round is because he's a crappy person who beats pregnant women.

I am not paying him either. But the Rams are not flush with cap space and have bigger fish to fry. Donald for sure. Hopefully Sammy too. Tru? Maybe. For the second youngest team in the league how are they certainly are close to the cap. Tavon is a luxury that they likely won't be able to afford.

 

[SteezyEndo]

I'd use the different opinion button (as much as I hate it), but it's not strong enough here. It would be nice to have a "Sigh" button. I guess I'll just go with this...

Have a good night.

 

[Dxmissile]

I am not paying him either. But the Rams are not flush with cap space and have bigger fish to fry. Donald for sure. Hopefully Sammy too. Tru? Maybe. For the second youngest team in the league how are they certainly are close to the cap. Tavon is a luxury that they likely won't be able to afford.

His cap drops down to 8 million next year I don’t see how people are still worried about that the cap is rising next year the rams are going to have plenty of money to resign who they want to without touching Tavon. Quinn, Baron or anyone else’s contract. Financially this team is in a really good spot

 

[SteezyEndo]

But the Rams are not flush with cap space and have bigger fish to fry. Donald for sure. Hopefully Sammy too. Tru? Maybe. For the second youngest team in the league how are they certainly are close to the cap. Tavon is a luxury that they likely won't be able to afford.

Look jrry right here. He either sucks it up and takes a cut or he gets the hell out. Business wise he is taking up our cap regardless. And his hands are still wishy washy. Hand offs is an RBs job, is that what we are paying him? Throw in Justin Davis.