11
Austin, Tavon WR 5-8 176 26 5 West Virginia **Not nearly as good a route runner, but substantial weapon in the right offense**
10
Cooper, Pharoh WR 5-11 207 22 2 South Carolina **Close, but Spruce has him on route running and hands**
15
Marquez, Bradley WR 5-10 196 24 3 Texas Tech **Close, but Spruce has him, especially on hands**
19
McRoberts, Paul WR 6-2 200 24 1 Southeast Missouri State **still raw, so not yet**
3
North, Marquez WR 6-3 229 21 1 Tennessee **raw prospect, so no**
82
Shippen, Brandon WR 5-11 198 22 1 Temple **incomplete route tree**
86
Spruce, Nelson WR 6-1 205 24 1 Colorado (Standard for question)
13
Thomas, Mike WR 6-1 200 22 2 Southern Miss **if his hands hold up like they have so far, then he's a yes**
17
Woods, Robert WR 6-0 190 25 5 Southern California **pro route runner with substantial hands**
Rookies
xx Kupp, Cooper WR **Kupp as a rookie is the 2nd best route runner on the team and it's not close. Def better than Spruce. And his hands are better**
xx Reynolds, Josh WR **as a measurables guy, Reynolds has the tools and production. That said, he's not the route runner nor does he have the hands of Spruce**
So, based on the question, only TWO WRs have better route running and hands than Spruce; Woods and Kupp.
Does that mean that Spruce makes the team? Not necessarily. McVay is trying to put together a SET of weapons, which means he needs guys who can put pressure on the D in all 9 boxes. Which means he's going to need guys who can stretch the field as well as guys who can get open on short/intermediate routes.
And with McVay's emphasis on using the TE in the passing game, I think it's more likely that a large percentage of those short/intermediate passes will go to the TEs and not necessarily a bunch of WRs. The emphasis on the TE position will, in my early estimates, reduce the demand for multiple slot receivers (and it doesn't thus far look like Kupp is going to be a slot receiver much in this offense).
I still think that 6 WRs is the ceiling for number of WRs the Rams keep and much of that is the lack of viable TEs on the roster. If a solid TE vet shakes loose, don't be surprised if the Rams only keep 5 WRs and go with 4 TEs.
So, with 5 WRs, I see it being Austin, Woods, Kupp, Thomas, Marquez (for his outstanding ST play). If the Rams go 6, then it's a tremendous camp battle and there's no way to know because it's all those guys in a new system with two improved QBs throwing to them in a different camp setting... so no one knows who acclimates the fastest and creates that separation for the coaches.
Cooper, North and Spruce, especially all have very good things going in their favor. All I can say is that we'll see.
But wait. Someone's missing you say? Good eye. Josh Reynolds. If the 2nd year guys really start to step up, then I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the PS for a year while he got more solid in his technique.
If he makes the team, then a) either he's blowing up or McVay is keeping 6 WRs and b) it means that some of the guys just didn't jump up and grab the opportunity (or got injured. It happens).
