Changing the route on Rams receiver needs

by Ryan Van Bibber on Nov 17, 2009 9:24 AM CST in 2010 NFL Draft

Over at his NFC West blog, Mike Sando takes a quick look at the St. Louis Rams wide receivers, reviewing some of the surprises and struggles.

We started the season with some glaring question marks at that position, but hasn't been all bad for the Rams at WR this year. Laurent Robinson established a rythm with Marc Bulger right out of the gate. Donnie Avery struggled through the first half, dropping passes and looking unfit for a #1 WR type of role. You notice this week, his best of the season, the Rams used him down the field and played to his strengths. Keenan Burton started to come on recently too, playing hard and catching some balls over the middle. This week also featured the impressive debut of Brandon Gibson, and while it's hard to base an analysis off of one week, he looks to have been a real find.

Now, the rest of the receivers, uh, they leave a little to be desired. But what about next season? Through the first half of this year, finding a true blue #1 WR has been a need fans have agreed upon. For many, that position is in the conversation for a first round pick in the upcoming draft. And then we played the Saints.

In the game thread, someone mentioned that the Rams WR situation got a lot more interesting with Robinson, Avery and Gibson in mix next year. For Avery and Robinson, experience will no longer be lacking. Looking a group that starts with those three makes the debate about a first round WR much more interesting.

One thing to remember about that group. Avery and Robinson have had trouble staying healthy, and adding Burton into the mix as a 4th WR, you get a group that's sat out as many NFL games as they've played, or so it seems. In other words, don't get too comfortable with the idea that the Rams can sacrifice the chance to take a WR in the first round, especially if they end up winning a few more games and getting out of Suh territory.

The Rams still need a receiver next season. I can't concede that point. Gibson looks like a nice complement to Avery, but we still need some time to really get a sense of what we've got in him. The Rams have lots of needs to fill, but we've seen what happened through the first 8 games with the offense because of the WR issue (of course, some of that's on the QB too).

We do have a little more room to see what kind of player becomes available in the second or third rounds. Maybe someone like an Eric Decker or Golden Tate. Thoughts? Do we still need a solid #1 WR?

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Comments

Patience young paduwan

Rams need to wait until they see what they are ending the 09 season with. Then, they can approach the draft. After yesterday’s game, it does not appear we need a WR, but keep in mind the Saints were without 2 starting corners and a safety.

by 81 Witness on Nov 17, 2009 10:18 AM CST reply actions

Stop #1 wr talk

Im not feeling this “true” #1 wr talk. A true #1 is a WR who comes in and catches a lot of passes for a lot of yards. He doesnt have to be drafted in the first round. if Gibson gets close to 7 for 91 every game then there is your #1. Add Avery,Robinson, and Burton and we look great there. If Gibson is what I think he is, then its time to look at all the other spots where we really need help DT, DE, QB, and OLB. Situations change and strategies should adapt. We had no way of knowing that Gibson would work out (if he does)

by gomer7 on Nov 17, 2009 11:42 AM CST reply actions

Oh yea, and

Regardless of what strategies are correct, this organization WILL pick a front 7 defensive player or possibly a QB with our RD 1 pick.

by gomer7 on Nov 17, 2009 11:46 AM CST up reply actions

????

I’m sorry…….although Bulger looked more like your average QB last Sunday. One game after the last 30 does NOT erase the fact that we need a #1 Quarterback. Even if he performs up to par for the remainder of the year, I still believe we need a QB for the future. We will not win without one.

by ZamRam on Nov 17, 2009 12:38 PM CST via mobile reply actions

WR

if the Rams get another WR, it should be via free agency, not the draft. Rookie WR’s have a hard time contributing (usually) unless they’re on a decent team that doesn’t have a lot of expectations for them.

When I say free agency, I don’t mean a big #1 receiver like a Vincent Jackson (sorry, that’s never going to happen.) But we picked off Brandon GIbson from Philly. No one knew who he was, and look at how he played yesterday.

by jb22 on Nov 17, 2009 1:20 PM CST reply actions

WR/QB?? I think Def has to be first!!

(First time poster so take it easy on me… lol) But this is just a thought… or maybe a question, with our WR’s starting to seem like we have an abundance rather then a shortage going into next season. So my question is, Is no one interested in seeing what Null can do for us as a starter possibly this season, ( he did look good in pre-season) before we go after a highly touted so called #1 Qb in the draft, that could possibly end up being a high paid bust anyways…. I mean if we can continue to build the offesive line, that appears to be starting to mesh and has looked quite decent in the last two games, then I say why not give him a chance and see exactly what he’s got. Then we can then start out by locking down our Def and then solidify our O-line this off-season through the draft first off and then if needed you get a #1 QB the next season if Null doesn’t work out. (that being said maybe there are things I don’t know about Null, and of course Bulger actually did a fairly good job managing the game this past week as well… with exception to the last two minutes.)

by Slappsy on Nov 17, 2009 3:19 PM CST reply actions

I'll take it easy

I’m thinking id Null showed promise he’d have played by now. Seasons not over yet but he has a chance in practice like everyone else whom hasn’t broken the rotation yet. I think the coaching staff has paid as much attention to Null as they have other players, and haven’t seen what they need to see. I am biased here though, I admit. I never liked the pick in the first place. Any more time spent on his evauation is time wasted, IMHO.

by dbcouver on Nov 17, 2009 6:33 PM CST up reply actions

I don't think so

They’ve said he hasn’t had any first team snaps at all in practice, so I don’t think they really have taken much of a look at him. Regarding playing him by now, I think they have not even considered playing anyone except their top QB and best-chance-to-win guy. That’s not a knock on Null in that sense, you can’t infer anything about Null from it, just that they didn’t want to compromise their best chance to win.

Now, I’m hoping that will change as we wind down the season. But if they don’t make the decision to get him meaningful reps in practice with the 1st team O-line and WR’s, then we won’t see him in any games even if they’re blowouts. Its a damn shame too, because it turns into a completely wasted pick. Just a complete waste.

by CoachConnors on Nov 17, 2009 6:40 PM CST up reply actions

I thought I've read some comments

that the coaches like Null’s potential, but he still has a lot to learn. Playing at a small school didn’t give him the chance to learn like playing at a top tier school would have done. Whether he will ever make it, or even be given the chance to play, is just really hard to say at this point. It’s too bad, because it makes the decision on drafting a QB next year that much harder.

by andyrose on Nov 17, 2009 10:24 PM CST up reply actions

I'm sure that's (mostly) true

I read that too, and I’m sure he does have a lot to learn. But did they decide they couldn’t teach him, and that’s why he gets no reps with the first team? Obviously they knew he went to a small school before they drafted him. Seems as though they aren’t giving him any shot at all at developing. Its not something he can do without reps with the 1’s and they can’t make a good assessment of the kid if they don’t give him a chance to run the team, at least in practice.

by CoachConnors on Nov 17, 2009 10:59 PM CST up reply actions

The problem is.

he’s the 3rd QB. You don’t have the backup run the scout team, so he’s stuck with it.

It’s not easy to learn the system while always running other team’s systems in practice, but it’s not like it hasn’t been done before.

Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

by Tackle Box on Nov 18, 2009 7:17 AM CST up reply actions

I don't know why it has to be that way, coach can call any shot he wants

There’s no law that says he has the be the 3rd QB. There’s no law that says the third QB has to be the one running scout team. Coach can change that with one simple command.
It’s time to think outside the tackle box and give the kid a fair chance to show what he’s got, for his sake but more for the sake of team’s future draft. I’m not saying start him, I’m saying begin the process of seeing what he’s got under the right conditions for seeing what someone has.

by CoachConnors on Nov 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions

Dez Bryant please!

If Suh is off the board.

I’m not feeling good about any of the QBs in this draft. At least not enough to spend a #1 on them.

Of course, a lot of this depends on if we can fill any of these needs with all that salary cap space we’ve got to play with

by hisTALLness on Nov 17, 2009 10:27 PM CST reply actions

I think

Brooks Foster will be a surprise

by loyal2therams on Nov 17, 2009 11:27 PM CST reply actions

Think about the philosophy of Spags

He believes in a defensive philosophy, expect the Rams to go Defense 1st round.

And to hisTALLness, this years draft is going to be filled with talented QBs. I just hope for St. Louis’s sake that they don’t draft Tebow in the 1st round. lol

by lifeinthepit00 on Nov 18, 2009 12:40 AM CST reply actions

I think we're safe there

Anyone heard how Bradfords rehab is going? Has he started rehabbing yet? I’d like him to make it back into the picture.

by dbcouver on Nov 18, 2009 11:26 AM CST reply actions

not so sure on Bradford anymore

last year I would have said he was the best option no doubt. Everyone in the college football world was waiting to see how Bradford would deal with a less than adequate O-Line going into this season in order to see how he might handle pressure at the next level.

Needless to say, he hasn’t impressed.

by jb22 on Nov 18, 2009 11:13 PM CST up reply actions