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

[SteezyEndo]

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

Dx last week you wanted Mannion to start over Goff...

 

[…..]

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

The cap is rising for every other team too. There is not plenty of money, there is no open vault. There is only money to be used wisely, however there will be plenty of money from other teams to compete with for players services.

That said....we do need to come off the rhetoric about Tavons pay because for now, it is what it is and he isnt making Antonio Brown money and isnt demanding Beckum type demands. The decision to pay him 8m next year will come later. Today...on THIS day, he is a Ram and he's integrated into the the team and into the offensive concepts. The team by the way, is a team that is turning into a nicely tuned unit, as noticed by everyone in the free world. Lets focus on that instead of his pay. We can evaluate and debate his value at the end of the season and decide if 8 on TA is using money wisely.

Beak it down Wade...."Family on 3!! .....1....2...3!!"









Footnote-I have been preaching it for two maybe three years, even way back before it was popular to do so, that in order for Tavon to be truly effective and wow us with his game, he needs to be part of the plan...not THE plan. I even went on to say that with him as the focal point we would never find success. We didnt, the stache is gone and flash foward to.... what we are seeing. Which is Tavon slowly becoming part of the plan. Fow all we know, by the time the season progresses and we start to see what the offense truly is, McVay will have found a way to make Tavon worth the 40m that everyone seems so worried about. I dont care if he wunderliches himself to learning a mere 2 plays a week. Eventually,something is gonna happen with this guy and you are going to see Watkins, Woods, Gurley, Goff, and everyone else rush over to congratualte him because they truly love the dude.

As willing as I was to go out on a limb and face the ridicule of this discussion forum for suggesting his prescense was ruining this teams chances, I am now willing to embrace him and admit that with these pieces we have, Tavons star can now shine if we let it.

 

[SteezyEndo]

The cap is rising for every other team too. There is not plenty of money, there is no open vault. There is only money to be used wisely, however there will be plenty of money from other teams to compete with for players services.

That said....we do need to come off the rhetoric about Tavons pay because for now, it is what it is and he isnt making Antonio Brown money and isnt demanding Beckum type demands. The decision to pay him 8m next year will come later. Today...on THIS day, he is a Ram and he's integrated into the the team and into the offensive concepts. The team by the way, is a team that is turning into a nicely tuned unit, as noticed by everyone in the free world. Lets focus on that instead of his pay. We can evaluate and debate his value at the end of the season and decide if 8 on TA is using money wisely.

Beak it down Wade...."Family on 3!! .....1....2...3!!"









Footnote-I have been preaching it for two maybe three years, even way back before it was popular to do so, that in order for Tavon to be truly effective and wow us with his game, he needs to be part of the plan...not THE plan. I even went on to say that with him as the focal point we would never find success. We didnt, the stache is gone and flash foward to.... what we are seeing. Which is Tavon slowly becoming part of the plan. Fow all we know, by the time the season progresses and we start to see what the offense truly is, McVay will have found a way to make Tavon worth the 40m that everyone seems so worried about. I dont care if he wunderliches himself to learning a mere 2 plays a week. Eventually,something is gonna happen with this guy and you are going to see Watkins, Woods, Gurley, Goff, and everyone else rush over to congratualte him because they truly love the dude.

As willing as I was to go out on a limb and face the ridicule of this discussion forum for suggesting his prescense was ruining this teams chances, I am now willing to embrace him and admit that with these pieces we have, Tavons star can now shine if we let it.

Regardless Dog he is still worth those millions. What if others come into play and want a piece of that millions. Some people arent stupid. Kupp is probably wondering how is this cat worth this much. Internet is a mofo.

 

[…..]

Regardless Dog he is still worth those millions. What if others come into play and want a piece of that millions. Some people arent stupid. Kupp is probably wondering how is this cat worth this much. Internet is a mofo.

I'm not sure I follow you....because my entire post was about 2017, and no one can get into his pocket this year. If others come into play, then so be it. Those decision will be made......next year.

As for Kupp....I'm willing to bet Kupp is more in awe of this cats attributes than not in awe of them, because he sees him in practice everyday and knows more than us what he can do.

 

[SteezyEndo]

I'm not sure I follow you....because my entire post was about 2017

You don't have to, but TA isn't where he should be "pay wise.." Even from when he started. He showed glamor here and there...Cats now are over showing him ie. Kupp. Times evolve.

 

[…..]

You don't have to, but TA isn't where he should be "pay wise.." Even from when he started. He showed glamor here and there...Cats now are over showing him ie. Kupp. Times evolve.

Ok well...cool. You may be right and I'm leaning towards overpaid as well. In 2018 you'll still be talking about it and we may evolve beyond a roster spot for him, I dunno. But I will have fun this year. Dont let the time's pass you by. Enjoy the games. Its been years we've waitied for it to be fun, I'm going to enjoy it.

 

[shaunpinney]

I may have kicked the hornets nest with this thread - I didn't mean to. I just wanted everyone to stop going on about the money - because, lets be honest, if the Rams didn't think he was worth whatever he's being paid, they wouldn't be and he would have either been cut or restructured - McVay wanted hi in his scheme for a reason - just like the other WRs he's hand-picked.

So, I conclude with:

Is he over paid? Yes.
Are all NFL player overpaid? Yes.
Do I lose sleep because of it? No.

Lets enjoy the W's people - winning feels amazing, they are team wins and I applaud everyone from Goff to McQuaide - nobody seems to be a spare part in my mind

 

[TexasRam]

While Tavon is way overpaid this year let's look at the coming years.

He will count about 9.3 vs the cap for the next 5 years.

If he holds onto the dam ball and is an impact punt returner and effects the run game not only as a decoy but also with huge 8 YPC runs like we saw vs the Cowboys, and has huge TD runs impacting games during the year like the Niner game.

Then he is worth 9 million a year. We would be crying over spilled milk from 2017 and not realize we are getting a nice deal for 5 years after that.

And we have yet to see his full potential in this offense which is looking better each week.

 

[Mojo Ram]

 

[jrry32]

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.

But we're not talking about next year. We're talking about this year. We can afford him this year. He's getting paid regardless. I doubt anyone wants him back at $8 million next year.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

But we're not talking about next year. We're talking about this year. We can afford him this year. He's getting paid regardless. I doubt anyone wants him back at $8 million next year.

Exactly why I said I have backed off the trade Tavon talk was that he is producing in some way, and he currently fits under the cap.

 

[Merlin]

Lets enjoy the W's people - winning feels amazing, they are team wins and I applaud everyone from Goff to McQuaide - nobody seems to be a spare part in my mind

What's funny is I don't think anyone here isn't enjoying the wins Shaun. I've been real hard on Tavon and last Sunday I cheered my @$$ off for the dude when he pitched in with some good runs. So long as he's in horns I'm going to root for the dude.

It's just one of those deals where fans get different takes on players. But it doesn't have to be malicious. We just observe the value differently.

 

[Jorgeh0605]

Are people still talking about this? Look Tavon made the team and didn't get cut (I didn't think he would), and has made it 4 games into the season, so he's safe this year. For 2017, Tavon Austin is a Ram and the FO will eat his cap for the year.

Now next year is a different beast, anything can happen. Will Watkins resign? Will we draft a stud WR? Will Tavon turn into a superstar late in the season? Who knows. My guess is he won't be on the team next year, but plans can change. None of those discussions effect the right here right now though.

IMO you don't evaluate a players production during the season and bring up his salary cap. That is offseason talk. Salary cap goes away during those 16 games and everyone just plays football. Not $12M football, not $16M football, just football.

 

[lockdnram21]

Your right, I don't think the problem is only the fault of Tavon himself. He was put into a series of systems that history has shown had no idea to draft and develop an offensive player if their lives depended on it. If TA had this coaching staff from the jump, he may be seen in the same category as a many other undersized, but speedy, recievers in the league today: TY Hilton, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Brown even? We can only hope. But we can't keep paying Tavon like that if his roll is jet sweep guy.

Do you think Justin Davis could do the same production-wise, if given the opportunity? He seemed to flash this preseason.

I disagree

 

[lockdnram21]

Your right, I don't think the problem is only the fault of Tavon himself. He was put into a series of systems that history has shown had no idea to draft and develop an offensive player if their lives depended on it. If TA had this coaching staff from the jump, he may be seen in the same category as a many other undersized, but speedy, recievers in the league today: TY Hilton, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Brown even? We can only hope. But we can't keep paying Tavon like that if his roll is jet sweep guy.

Do you think Justin Davis could do the same production-wise, if given the opportunity? He seemed to flash this preseason.

I disagree that he would be like those people... No matter where he went he was just going to be a gadget.... He was going to be over drafted no matter if it was us or somebody else

 

[kurtfaulk]

well, in 2015 we all saw what a difference tavon made for gurley in the run game with his jet sweeps. 2016 they stopped and gurley found zero running room. this year they're back and gurley once again is running like the best rb in the league.

very simple observation and there are many more factors involved but it remains true, tavon as a decoy helps gurley immensely in the run game.

.