Rams ready to set Tavon Austin free on offenseBy Alden Gonzalez
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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- On Monday night, in the regular-season opener against the San Francisco 49ers from Santa Clara, California, the Los Angeles Rams will finally unveil their plans for Tavon Austin.
Austin basically touched the ball only one time during the preseason, but that is in no way indicative of the fourth-year receiver's current role within the offense. Quite the contrary. The Rams gave Austin a four-year, $42 million extension in large part because of how much more they believe he can contribute to an offense that is now headed by first-year offensive coordinator Rob Boras and new passing game coordinator Mike Groh.
He is expected to be targeted more frequently as a receiver while continuing to get looks out of the backfield and return punts.
"Tay is a special player," Boras said. "We see it in every avenue when he gets the ball, whether he’s a punt returner, whether he’s a receiver, whether we line him up in the backfield. He’s an explosive player. ... Bringing Mike Groh in has really helped, not only him technically but also schematically with us all on offense."
Austin has averaged 647 yards from scrimmage in three seasons, but he nearly doubled his 2014 production in 2015, a season that saw the 5-foot-8, 176-pound receiver total 473 receiving yards and 434 rushing yards. Only five other players -- Devonta Freeman, Charles Sims, Giovani Bernard, David Johnson and Mark Ingram -- amassed at least 400 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving in 2015, and they're all running backs.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher said in June that Austin can "maybe double" his catches from 2015, which would mean finishing with 104 -- a mark only seven receivers reached last season.
Austin didn't catch a single pass during the four-week preseason, but the Rams moved him around a whole lot.
"They definitely used me the right way in the preseason," Austin said. "Whatever happens Monday, that’s for the world to see. You know I’m not a selfish guy. I did some great things without the ball that opened up other people. That’s all it’s about -- the win."
