Obviously, the top 2 roster issues we face are 1) Aaron Donald and 2) the question of whether our OL is able and deep enough.
#3 is the Tavon issue. Your post in effect says that Tavon need to earn his keep. I speculate that your impulse to write about this grows out of an emerging realization that there is no real place for him on the roster. Obviously, I agree with that.
But I think it's gradually becoming evident that we simply do not need Tavon Austin. He isn't a true WR, and we have a lot of WRs now, some proven, some promising, and 1 a star. I don't see any sense in which the WR game is missing him as he nurses his hammy.
Worse, his roster spot may very well obstruct a young talent from developing at that position. 43 makes this point in a post in another thread. We see all these raves for young guys, and it's tight enough for a couple to make the team. With Tavon taking a WR slot, we may have to cut a guy who could grow with our offense.
What he DID do in the past was to run the ball in gadget plays that I don't think will at all feature in McVay's offense. Or, at least, they are not needed in his offense.
Which leaves kick returns, as you mention.
So, if he can't thrive as a pure kick returner, then what good does he do?
But if we want to cut him loose ... how? Take the huge cap hit? Trade him for virtually nothing to reduce the cap hit? If we keep him, what's the roster cost for doing that?
I think Tavon is, quite seriously, a roster headache for the FO right now.
Well, my views on Tavon are not so popular with many. But, I think your post is an example of the emerging reality--Tavon is a luxury we can't afford that doesn't fit with where we are going.
OK, folks ... fire away at me.
