The two biggest issues I've seen with the current batch of WRs is dropped passes and route running. I think it's good news that both qualities are coachable.
Drops According to [
www.sportingcharts.com] this is what the Rams WRs did last year:
Tavon Austin, 106 targets, 7 drops (6.2%)
Kenny Britt, 111 targets, 3 drops (2.7%)
Brian Quick, 77 targets, 1 drop (1.3%) <== surprised me: anyone have a link to a different number?
Mike Thomas, 9 targets, 1 drop (11.1%)
Bradley Marquez, 7 targets, 0 drops, (0.0%)
Pharoh Cooper, 20 targets, 0 drops, (0.0%)
The rest of the Rams WRs aren't listed, I presume because none of them had a pass thrown their way. So I have to rely on faulty memories of camp reports and preseason games to get a read on Spruce, McRoberts, and North ... and I don't remember a particular problem with drops with any of them. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
So it really boils down to Austin. Can the new coaching staff improve his drop total from 7 to let's say 4? (That's 3.8%) If so is the drop problems of the Rams WRs fixed? (The Rams have drop issues elsewhere, notably Kendrick and Higbee, both at 6.9% ... but they're not WRs.)
Route runningAustin runs sloppy routes. Doesn't matter: his contract says he stays.
Quick isn't the greatest route runner, either. If that's a big deal and it can't be corrected then just don't resign him.
Those are two of the Rams three starting WRs. So route running is gonna look lousy cuz there was only one WR out there who knew what he was doing (Britt). Replace Quick with Garcon and the route running looks a lot better. Maybe someone can teach Austin a couple routes over the summer, maybe the Rams put him in the backfield more in 2017 and have someone else man the slot once in a while.
The other 6 guys - Thomas, Marquez, Cooper, Spruce, McRoberts, North - which ones run poor routes?
AlbaNY_Ram
