Tavon Austin doesn't need much time to get ready to play.
The most important thing is that he is as healthy as possible meaning that his hamstring issue is fully healed because a re-tweak could cost half a season.
Austin is NOT a precise route runner and never will be. He does NOT possess the greatest hands and never will.
Austin is a Joker...a Wild Card. He can score from anywhere at any time in any number of situations.....most of them unscripted.
And... the Rams have paid WAY too much for that. But. that's beside the point for now.
The point is that Austin's entire game is based on God-given speed and instincts. Just somehow or another get him in open space and let nature take its course.
He knows the offense well enough. He just needs a few days of practice to run some plays and get back into the flow.
It's plenty good enough for him to play in preseason game 4 (probably can since McVay says there is some chance he might play in game 3).
Now as for his pay. Rams would have a horrendous cap hit to cut him now, so that's not happening.
As for those who think they will next year? Think again. They'd incur $5mil in dead cap while freeing up $3mil. Is Tavon Austin worth $3mil? You better believe it.
Forget the total dollars and just think about the cap because that's always the issue.
So if all he did for the Rams was return punts, be a part time slot guy, run 3 or 4 times out of the backfield as a RB, draw a CB deep 3 or 4 times a game on the outside, he's worth $3mil because he'll score us a half dozen TDs. All year every year you ask a HC of the opposing team and they all say they must pay special attention of Tavon Austin. Even as mostly a decoy, he's going to help open things up for others and the way McVay can use Watkins he'll open things up for Austin.
After the 2018 season? It's either a giant cut in pay or an outright release.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2017 04:50AM by RockRam.
