Austin to play a big part in offense, but can he stay healthy?By RICH HAMMOND
IRVINE — Deep or short? Inside, outside or in the backfield? The specific role, and route tree, won’t really matter if Rams receiver Tavon Austin can’t stay on the field.
That’s been a challenge since the end of the 2016 season. Austin missed almost all of the on-field work during the Rams’ offseason program because of a wrist injury and this week, three days into training camp at UC Irvine, Austin injured his hamstring and missed practice again Friday.
Austin, a 5-foot-8 speedster, is a linchpin for this Rams’ offense. If he can thrive on outside deep routes, and if Coach Sean McVay can use Austin the way he used DeSean Jackson in Washington, the Rams’ options for getting the ball down field increase significantly. But first, Austin has to stay on the field.
“I know he’s frustrated right now, too, because he’s a guy who wants to be out here,” McVay said after Friday’s practice. “He’s a great competitor. He had an unfortunate injury that caused him to miss the majority of the offseason program, and now this. It’s a little bit of a setback, but the way we look at it is, a setback is a setup for a comeback.”
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