Why Brycen Hopkins can’t be overlooked

[Merlin]

Re: Hopkins we do know he didn't distinguish himself in practice. Because if that was not true he would have been more involved. No matter what else we discuss here I do think we can make that assumption.

I want a TE who can run option routes. When you find a guy who can option route a defender he's never really considered covered in a short yardage type area. Because if you have the instincts and ability to get on a guy's feet and make him choose (then you choose the other direction) you can do that over and over and over to guys.

Also the QB factors in here. They have to be on the same page and be able to anticipate the target or shit can go real wrong lol.

 

[OldSchool]

every opportunity except OTAs and preseason games

Didn’t stop Akers, Jefferson, Burgess or Fuller. Everybody was in the same situation but some made the most of it. Others like Hopkins failed to impress. Even Anchrum made a big enough impression to move up the depth chart.

 

[Merlin]

I would just like to add that hypothetically with less restrictive cap issues Everett is resigned here and a guy like Hopkins is probably not drafted in the first place. I feel like the angst over his production as a #2 TE is rather irrational on this board.

I suppose an argument could be made that if he was that good he would have supplanted Higbee at some point but Higbee got the extension 2 yrs ago and IMO has been pretty good in justifying that contract. You're not gonna demote him.

Idk.

Take a look at that game Wolford started Mojo. Everett has always sort of coasted because Goff doesn't like to throw contested passes and usually Everett has a guy on him. Plus Goff knows Everett is a low percentage option, where a lot of passes seem to go to die, when a QB gets that in his head it's hard to overcome lol. But Wolford didn't give a shit he kept targeting him and Everett couldn't handle it. He got exposed.

I keep pointing out the TE targets and usage when Wolford went in the game too. It demonstrates some potential for guys like Higs to have more value in this offense IMO. Check out these splits...

 

[LA_Rams_#29]

Didn’t stop Akers, Jefferson, Burgess or Fuller. Everybody was in the same situation but some made the most of it. Others like Hopkins failed to impress. Even Anchrum made a big enough impression to move up the depth chart.

none of those guys had 3 players ahead of them on the depth chart like Hopkins did.

It would have been foolish for McVay to jump an unproven hopkins ahead of ANY of the 3 TEs he had who were more experienced and more versed in the offense.

 

[OldSchool]

none of those guys had 3 players ahead of them on the depth chart like Hopkins did.

It would have been foolish for McVay to jump an unproven hopkins ahead of ANY of the 3 TEs he had who were more experienced and more versed in the offense.

Hendo and Brown both ahead of Akers. Jefferson was our fourth WR and shined. And Rapp was the starter with JJ but Burgess and Fuller took the job from Rapp. None of the TE ahead of Hopkins shined yet he couldn’t get on the field like other rookies.

 

[ramfan46]

He had no camp or preseason and you expect him to beat out two veterans, ok.

 

[dieterbrock]

none of those guys had 3 players ahead of them on the depth chart like Hopkins did.

It would have been foolish for McVay to jump an unproven hopkins ahead of ANY of the 3 TEs he had who were more experienced and more versed in the offense.

That's just silly. If you think Johnny Mundt is fairly ahead of Hopkins, that's just nuts. He wasnt even good enough in their eyes to place a tender on him.
I guess if they re-signed Everett, it would be acceptable for him to go another season without catching a pass?

 

[OldSchool]

He had no camp or preseason and you expect him to beat out two veterans, ok.

Other rookies got playing time and earned their way on the field. Shouldn’t we think they all can?

 

[blackbart]

Well, I'm kind of tired of repeating myself in this thread, but wanted to at least dispel this common misnomer. TE acclimate just as well as others, if one goes thru the last 5 years of drafts, looking at TE's drafted from 1st to 5th round, you wont see many who had 0 catches as a rookie. Plenty of rookie TE played well, success rate at least equal to WR.

How many in the plandemic year with 2 vets in front of them?

 

[blackbart]

Other rookies got playing time and earned their way on the field. Shouldn’t we think they all can?

I don’t think every situation is the same so no, I would think they all can. Was that supposed to be blue font???

 

[OldSchool]

I don’t think every situation is the same so no, I would think they all can. Was that supposed to be blue font???

Not at all, Hopkins couldn’t get on the field and people say it’s because of no preseason yet other rookies did. Just find it inconsistent to excuse a rookie for not pushing forward on the depth chart when others did in the same environment.

 

[Neil039]

Let’s see a real training camp and solutio base approach to any short comings. Rookie season scratch with Higbee and Everett playing in front of him.

I’ll worry if he’s healthy sitting week six with only 2 offensive snaps.

 

[NJRamsFan]

Why Bryce Hopkins can't be overlooked:

Because he's tall.

 

[So Ram]

Not at all, Hopkins couldn’t get on the field and people say it’s because of no preseason yet other rookies did. Just find it inconsistent to excuse a rookie for not pushing forward on the depth chart when others did in the same environment.

Obviously it is not the same from TE to say OLB or DB. The Rams offense is very complexed & The veterans that are ahead of Hopkins.Add Hopkins came out early as a Jr. Takes longer.
Mcvay talks about David Long is replacing Troy Hill.He is coming off his 2nd season. I think Hopkins is the next guy up.Blocking at TE is tough.RB is different as well.

 

[blackbart]

Not at all, Hopkins couldn’t get on the field and people say it’s because of no preseason yet other rookies did. Just find it inconsistent to excuse a rookie for not pushing forward on the depth chart when others did in the same environment.

Ok I get it.

And I was surprised to not see him but the Rams weren’t really in a situation down the stretch to give tryouts.

He’s got the pedigree and played at a school that is div 1 so I expect to see him jump now that the position is his to lose.

 

[CGI_Ram]

This thread had me back and forth.

I am in the camp that if Hopkins was about to break out, he would have received more looks.

At the same time, he wasn’t a practice squad stash. So the Rams saw a reason to do that.

If he steps up, that would be huge. I’d like the Rams to be excellent at TE.... go get studs here, Snead.

 

[dieterbrock]

How many in the plandemic year with 2 vets in front of them?

You realize the draft also happened during the pandemic? If anything, being a pandemic with limited training camp and no pre-season would have helped his cause, not hurt it. They had mostly non contact so his lack of blocking acumen wouldnt have been on blast, but his alleged route running and separation skills would have.
He had ZERO catches.
Only active in 5 games.
Only 2 offensive snaps.
This isnt weak production, this is a total void of production. For a guy who they drafted with the intention of getting involved.

 

[PARAM]

Stafford knows how to utilize his TEs. He had Pettigrew and Scheffler together and both put up big numbers. He had Ebron and finally Hockensen. Joseph Fauria, a #3 TE in 2013 had 17 catches and 7 TDs. He will use Higbee, Hopkins and Mundt, we can be sure of it.

 

[LA_Rams_#29]

That's just silly. If you think Johnny Mundt is fairly ahead of Hopkins, that's just nuts. He wasnt even good enough in their eyes to place a tender on him.
I guess if they re-signed Everett, it would be acceptable for him to go another season without catching a pass?

couldn't disagree more. It would have been stone crazy to put Hopkins over Mundt with no training cap.

The fact that we let Everett leave for 1 year 6 mil elsewhere tells you we have confidence in Hopkins......and Blanton too by the way.

Losing teams draft guys and put them in just because of where they were drafted. The picks that got on the field before Hopkins were in situations that warranted them an earlier opportunity.

 

[LA_Rams_#29]

Hendo and Brown both ahead of Akers. Jefferson was our fourth WR and shined. And Rapp was the starter with JJ but Burgess and Fuller took the job from Rapp. None of the TE ahead of Hopkins shined yet he couldn’t get on the field like other rookies.

The Cam Akers I saw earned the role of the lead back as the season progressed...playing a position where we used 3 RBs pretty regularly early in the season. Jefferson caught 19 passes this year...again playing a position where the Rams use 3 to 4 WRs during a game. Taylor Rapp starting this past season was contingent upon either him being able to handle free safety, or JJ moving to Free safety. Neither turned out to be optimal..... making Fuller the ONLY real Free Safety we had....so again...he had 1 guy to beat out...and that guy would have been playing out of position...and again...was hurt when preseason practices started. Burgess took a minute to get on the field..again..with only 1 person ahead of him on the depth chart.

none of those scenarios are comparable to Hopkins. None. I would even argue that Hopkins was probably our 5th TE last season, and if the Rams could have stashed him on the practice squad and used Blanton as our 4th TE...they would have done that... There was no reason to jump Hopkins ahead of anyone... no rush at all...particularly for a team that very rarely uses 3 TEs.... the 3rd TE on the Rams is a blocker...and Mundt would be a better blocker than Hopkins.

again...letting Everett leave for the price we left tells you the confidence we have in Hopkins.