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Kind of Blue/Gold
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profootballtalk.nbcsports.com]
The Rams on Saturday gave receiver Tavon Austin a four-year extension with a new-money average of $10.5 million. The move has prompted some to question the decision, based on Austin’s performance during the first three years of his career.
On Sunday, coach Jeff Fisher explained that Austin’s compensation is aimed at not the past but the future.
“It’s our anticipation of what he’s going to do,” Fisher told reporters. “We’ve seen what he’s capable of and we’re hoping we’re going to get a lot more than what we’ve seen in the past. I know people are putting out numbers and things like that, but they forget three or four punt returns that were returned for touchdowns that were called back. He’s very, very talented with the ball in his hands. He is a problem to defend against and we hear that week after week after week. I was speaking with [Broncos defensive coorindator] Wade [Phillips] before the game and [he was saying], ‘This guy is really good.’ It was obvious, the way they defended us, they knew we weren’t going to give him the ball, so they just kind of disregarded where he was, but things change here in a couple weeks. I’m just really happy for Tavon. He’s a great team guy, full of energy and he’s got a God-given talent that’s going to carry us a long way.”
Regardless of any punt returns that were called back due to penalties, Austin’s numbers on offense have been limited by a lack of talent around him, specifically at the quarterback position. If the team had a true downfield passing threat, it would be easier to create opportunities to get Austin the ball in space at or near the line of scrimmage, allowing him to make people miss and gain lots of yards.
And so the ability to get a full return on the team’s investment in Austin won’t depend solely on how Austin plays, but how others play around him — starting with the quarterback position but also taking into consideration the offensive line, running back Todd Gurley, and a collection of fellow receivers whom Terrell Owens regards as no-names.