I appreciate the simple approach of looking at this.
Whether he justifies his salary or his draft position has nothing to do with his value to the team now. So I agree with you there. The salary issue will be revisited at the end of season when cuts are being considered.
On his value to the team, I have a decidedly different opinion.
But before I state it let’s go through your numbers 1-3.
1) I believe he could be a more effective WR than all but Watkins and likely Kupp. He brings different value to the table. That is, explosive, play making ability. That’s something that McVay has repeatedly emphasized that he values.
On your WR list, only Watkins and maybe Reynolds has that. I include Reynolds b/c he did that in college and has flashed that potential in PS.
Cooper and Thomas have shown nothing to indicate that they are special WRs. I am actually baffled why you continue to put them on a list as if they have proven anything.
Woods statistically hasn't achieved much more than what Austin has in the NFL as a WR. Which of course isn’t much. They are dead even in TDs over 4 seasons. Now the excuses I’ve heard you trot out for him are that he played for a terribly bad O coach with a subpar QB. Not a bad excuse but doesn’t that remind you of someone else?
Moreover, I’ve heard you give almost every offensive player on the Rams a pass for their lack of production b/c guess what? They played for a terribly bad O coach with subpar QBs. But for some reason Austin doesn’t get the benefit of this excuse. And yet he has still matched Woods in scoring production.
2) What has Cooper done as a PR? This looks like more projection over actual production.
3) TA is a more explosive runner than Gurley, Brown, and Davis. Look at his YPC. It’s very high. He’s a threat to break a big play every time he touches the ball and as such puts tremendous pressure on the D.
IMO, his biggest value is that he’s a multipurpose weapon; not just a player who fits in the individual categories as you broke them down. His value is that he can change the game in an instant at any one of those 3 positions. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole.
McVay has repeatedly said that playmakers put stress on a D. They have to plan for him. That has value.
With so many weapons, his touches may go down but his effectiveness should go up. By the end of the year, I expect him to be in the top 2-3 leaders on the team in TDs.
