Possible replacements for Wakins
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Thought this was an interesting take, at least it seems plausible to me.
[lasportshub.com]
Sammy Watkins led the Los Angeles Rams in touchdown receptions last season. Now, the Rams face the possibility of losing Watkins via free agency.
The Los Angeles Rams put the icing on the cake last off-season by acquiring Sammy Watkins. LA traded cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for Watkins and the Bills sixth-round pick. This move served as the final addition to an off-season that added offensive weapons Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and left tackle Andrew Whitworth, to name a few.
Watkins did not fail to deliver. Although Kupp led the team in receiving yards, Watkins caught a team-best eight touchdowns alongside 593 reception yards. His 15.2 yards per reception was the most among the Rams who had at least 20 receptions throughout the season.
Now, Watkins is an unrestricted free agent after just one year in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Rams could look to use the franchise tag on Watkins. However, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com, the Rams are leaning towards franchise tagging safety LaMarcus Joyner instead of Watkins; making Watkins free to walk if he so pleases.
The Los Angeles Rams could re-sign Watkins, but the ball is in his court. Watkins would have to accept the fact that he is merely a role player with all the weapons the Rams have. If he wants to be a number one receiver, he will not re-sign with LA.
Spotrac estimates his annual worth to be $5.9 million. That would make Watkins the fifth-highest paid Ram next season. However, instead of trying to pay Watkins what other teams would pay him to be a number one receiver, the Rams could simply replace him. Here are four options to replace Sammy Watkins.
Calvin Ridley
This is an idea that we flirted with in our “New first-round options after Marcus Peters trade” article that was published a few days ago. Of course, the Los Angeles Rams acquired cornerback Marcus Peters from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for draft picks, which will be revealed later.
Cornerback has been the biggest team need for the Los Angeles Rams and was set to be their most likely first-round pick. However, now, that need is much smaller and the Rams could simply draft the best available player in the draft.
That very well could be Calvin Ridley. Ridley is the best receiver in a pretty thin receiver class and may be the only receiver worth using a first-round pick. Of course, there will be multiple, but Ridley stands out as the most NFL ready.
Ridley could go as high as the top 15 or could fall as low as 30. Several different mock drafts have him landing in various spots in the first round. There is a good possibility that Ridley could still be on the board come the 23rd overall selection.
And if he does, the Los Angeles Rams may not be able to pass him up. Especially if the team does not acquire Watkins replacement before the draft. With no second-round pick and the details of the KC trade unknown, LA may be best suited to select Ridley in the first.
Calvin Ridley is the least likely to replace Watkins simply due to the nature of the draft. However, if he is the one to replace Sammy Watkins, Rams’ fans should be very satisfied.
Eric Decker
Eric Decker has been there and done that in his eight-year NFL career. Decker played on some great Denver Bronco teams and was a part of the 2013-2014 team that marched to Super Bowl XLVIII behind a 13-3 record.
This was the year when Peyton Manning was putting on a clinic and gave Bronco fans the best season of his long, Hall of Fame, career. Manning threw for a career-high 5477 yards with an NFL record 55 touchdown passes.
Decker was one of many tools at Manning’s disposal and was a big one at that. Decker caught 87 receptions for 1288 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Eric Decker has also played on some bad teams. Decker left Denver following the Super Bowl loss to join the New York Jets. After two pretty good years, Decker got hurt and missed nearly all of the 2016 season. Decker played just three games with 194 reception yards.
Last season, Decker had a nice bounce-back year on the Tennessee Titans. Decker caught 54 receptions for 563 yards with just one touchdown. The Titans were not very pass-heavy in 2017 and combined for just 14 total passing touchdowns, so Decker’s low touchdown count is not that concerning.
While Decker would not be a number one option in LA, he should be able to fill the hole that Sammy Watkins leaves behind. Most importantly, though, Decker brings playoff experience that is so valuable not only to Jared Goff but the entire young roster.
Paul Richardson
Instead of going the route of a grizzled veteran, the Los Angeles Rams can continue to pursue the youth movement and bring in another young receiver around Jared Goff. This time, it can be 25-year-old Seattle Seahawk Paul Richardson.
The writing is on the wall for a Seahawks downfall in the coming seasons. The Legion of Boom is not what is used to be and Russell Wilson can only carry the team so much behind a bad offensive line. Running the ball is not a strong suit for the Seahawks behind that offensive line, either.
Seattle is not a bad team, they simply are not the same dynasty in the making that they were five years ago. Richardson, who is entering his first free agent class, may realize this and hop ship to the new face of the NFC West; the young, explosive, Los Angeles Rams.
Richardson enjoyed a breakout season last year after not doing much his first three years in the league. He caught 44 receptions for 703 yards and six touchdowns. Richardson would be perfect on the Rams; he will not take the spotlight from anyone and will only bolster the deep receiving core.
Plus, Richardson will only be better with Goff slinging the ball and multiple other targets that the defense has to keep an eye on. With his career in mind, LA may be the best destination for the young receiver.
John Brown
John Brown has enjoyed a far better career thus far than anyone really anticipated. Nolan Nawrocki of NFL.com had Brown as an undrafted free agent heading into the 2014 NFL Draft. Brown was looked at as undersized receiver that really only benefitted from his great speed at the college level.
However, the Arizona Cardinals selected Brown with in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft and he immediately made an impact once joining the team.
In his first season, Brown played in all 16 games, making 48 receptions for 696 yards and five touchdowns. The next season, which was Brown’s best, he caught 65 receptions for 1003 yards and seven touchdowns.
Following an okay third-year, his fourth-year in the league was not as good. Last season Brown only made 21 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns; playing in just 10 games. Because of that, Brown’s market value is lower than it would have been a year ago today.
However, Brown is the perfect piece to add to the Los Angeles Rams receiving core, he very well may be the missing link. The gunslinging Jared Goff needs a deep vertical threat to throw to. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are good at doing that, but nobody is better than the lightning fast John Brown.
Brown could use his blistering speed to outrun safeties in spread packages and play a role similar to Tyrell Williams on the Los Angeles Chargers. Brown will not serve as a carbon copy replacement for Sammy Watkins, however, he will make the Los Angeles Rams offense scarier than it already is.
BeachBoy
[lasportshub.com]
Sammy Watkins led the Los Angeles Rams in touchdown receptions last season. Now, the Rams face the possibility of losing Watkins via free agency.
The Los Angeles Rams put the icing on the cake last off-season by acquiring Sammy Watkins. LA traded cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for Watkins and the Bills sixth-round pick. This move served as the final addition to an off-season that added offensive weapons Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and left tackle Andrew Whitworth, to name a few.
Watkins did not fail to deliver. Although Kupp led the team in receiving yards, Watkins caught a team-best eight touchdowns alongside 593 reception yards. His 15.2 yards per reception was the most among the Rams who had at least 20 receptions throughout the season.
Now, Watkins is an unrestricted free agent after just one year in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Rams could look to use the franchise tag on Watkins. However, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com, the Rams are leaning towards franchise tagging safety LaMarcus Joyner instead of Watkins; making Watkins free to walk if he so pleases.
The Los Angeles Rams could re-sign Watkins, but the ball is in his court. Watkins would have to accept the fact that he is merely a role player with all the weapons the Rams have. If he wants to be a number one receiver, he will not re-sign with LA.
Spotrac estimates his annual worth to be $5.9 million. That would make Watkins the fifth-highest paid Ram next season. However, instead of trying to pay Watkins what other teams would pay him to be a number one receiver, the Rams could simply replace him. Here are four options to replace Sammy Watkins.
Calvin Ridley
This is an idea that we flirted with in our “New first-round options after Marcus Peters trade” article that was published a few days ago. Of course, the Los Angeles Rams acquired cornerback Marcus Peters from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for draft picks, which will be revealed later.
Cornerback has been the biggest team need for the Los Angeles Rams and was set to be their most likely first-round pick. However, now, that need is much smaller and the Rams could simply draft the best available player in the draft.
That very well could be Calvin Ridley. Ridley is the best receiver in a pretty thin receiver class and may be the only receiver worth using a first-round pick. Of course, there will be multiple, but Ridley stands out as the most NFL ready.
Ridley could go as high as the top 15 or could fall as low as 30. Several different mock drafts have him landing in various spots in the first round. There is a good possibility that Ridley could still be on the board come the 23rd overall selection.
And if he does, the Los Angeles Rams may not be able to pass him up. Especially if the team does not acquire Watkins replacement before the draft. With no second-round pick and the details of the KC trade unknown, LA may be best suited to select Ridley in the first.
Calvin Ridley is the least likely to replace Watkins simply due to the nature of the draft. However, if he is the one to replace Sammy Watkins, Rams’ fans should be very satisfied.
Eric Decker
Eric Decker has been there and done that in his eight-year NFL career. Decker played on some great Denver Bronco teams and was a part of the 2013-2014 team that marched to Super Bowl XLVIII behind a 13-3 record.
This was the year when Peyton Manning was putting on a clinic and gave Bronco fans the best season of his long, Hall of Fame, career. Manning threw for a career-high 5477 yards with an NFL record 55 touchdown passes.
Decker was one of many tools at Manning’s disposal and was a big one at that. Decker caught 87 receptions for 1288 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Eric Decker has also played on some bad teams. Decker left Denver following the Super Bowl loss to join the New York Jets. After two pretty good years, Decker got hurt and missed nearly all of the 2016 season. Decker played just three games with 194 reception yards.
Last season, Decker had a nice bounce-back year on the Tennessee Titans. Decker caught 54 receptions for 563 yards with just one touchdown. The Titans were not very pass-heavy in 2017 and combined for just 14 total passing touchdowns, so Decker’s low touchdown count is not that concerning.
While Decker would not be a number one option in LA, he should be able to fill the hole that Sammy Watkins leaves behind. Most importantly, though, Decker brings playoff experience that is so valuable not only to Jared Goff but the entire young roster.
Paul Richardson
Instead of going the route of a grizzled veteran, the Los Angeles Rams can continue to pursue the youth movement and bring in another young receiver around Jared Goff. This time, it can be 25-year-old Seattle Seahawk Paul Richardson.
The writing is on the wall for a Seahawks downfall in the coming seasons. The Legion of Boom is not what is used to be and Russell Wilson can only carry the team so much behind a bad offensive line. Running the ball is not a strong suit for the Seahawks behind that offensive line, either.
Seattle is not a bad team, they simply are not the same dynasty in the making that they were five years ago. Richardson, who is entering his first free agent class, may realize this and hop ship to the new face of the NFC West; the young, explosive, Los Angeles Rams.
Richardson enjoyed a breakout season last year after not doing much his first three years in the league. He caught 44 receptions for 703 yards and six touchdowns. Richardson would be perfect on the Rams; he will not take the spotlight from anyone and will only bolster the deep receiving core.
Plus, Richardson will only be better with Goff slinging the ball and multiple other targets that the defense has to keep an eye on. With his career in mind, LA may be the best destination for the young receiver.
John Brown
John Brown has enjoyed a far better career thus far than anyone really anticipated. Nolan Nawrocki of NFL.com had Brown as an undrafted free agent heading into the 2014 NFL Draft. Brown was looked at as undersized receiver that really only benefitted from his great speed at the college level.
However, the Arizona Cardinals selected Brown with in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft and he immediately made an impact once joining the team.
In his first season, Brown played in all 16 games, making 48 receptions for 696 yards and five touchdowns. The next season, which was Brown’s best, he caught 65 receptions for 1003 yards and seven touchdowns.
Following an okay third-year, his fourth-year in the league was not as good. Last season Brown only made 21 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns; playing in just 10 games. Because of that, Brown’s market value is lower than it would have been a year ago today.
However, Brown is the perfect piece to add to the Los Angeles Rams receiving core, he very well may be the missing link. The gunslinging Jared Goff needs a deep vertical threat to throw to. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are good at doing that, but nobody is better than the lightning fast John Brown.
Brown could use his blistering speed to outrun safeties in spread packages and play a role similar to Tyrell Williams on the Los Angeles Chargers. Brown will not serve as a carbon copy replacement for Sammy Watkins, however, he will make the Los Angeles Rams offense scarier than it already is.
BeachBoy
