Rams training camp: How many receivers will make the final cut?

by Ryan Van Bibber on Aug 10, 2010 3:23 PM CDT in St. Louis Rams training camp

When the St. Louis Rams announced their final roster last year the decision to include just 4 wide receivers raised some eyebrows. And, if you recall, they started the season with just three receivers dressed for the opener.

It is too soon to tell how many receivers the Rams will keep on the roster when final cuts are made early next month. Right now, conventional wisdom says that Spagnuolo and his offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will keep 5 or 6 receivers. That make sense for a couple reasons.

First, the Rams have a more well-rounded offense this season. Much of that has to do with Sam Bradford, and even A.J. Feeley to a lesser extent. With those two, it seems like they have QBs intimately familiar with their version of the West Coast offense; Feeley because he has the experience with it and Bradford because that the only pro system he knows.

Enter the shotgun. The Rams were terrible in the shotgun last year, but they still used it on 38 percent of their passing plays. The Eagles, Shurmur's previous stop, used it more than 48 percent of the time, third most of any team in the league last season. We have looked at the Rams' likelihood of using the shotgun with Bradford at the helm, and there is no reason to doubt that they won't use it more this season than last. Bradford is capable of making the quick, accurate throws essential to that approach, more so than the Bulger and Boller last season.

Another way of saying this is that they don't have to be as run-heavy as they were last year.

The question I'm getting at here is whether or not the Rams will start the season with more than 4 receivers on the roster. It's hard to tell right now, but given the changes to the offense it stands to reason that they will.

Another factor at play in the decision are the receivers themselves. Despite concerns about inexperience, the Rams have a more talented group this year than last. Leading the pack are Laurent Robinson and Donnie Avery. Making a strong case are Danny Amendola (who also should make it as a returner) and Keenan Burton. Brandon McRae and Jordan Kent have also shown up to play in camp this year. Mardy Gilyard looks like a rookie, but is showing the potential that made him a steal in the fourth round. A guy who hasn't been making a strong argument is Brandon Gibson, missing the scrimmage with an injury, and could be outside looking in when the final cuts come.

There's also the matter of injury history among this group, and I would think that fact alone would make the coaching staff reconsider before leaving just 4 receivers on the roster.

As for predicting which receivers make the final cut, it's pretty tough to say beyond the first four (Robinson, Avery, Amendola and Burton). Plenty of practice and playing time remains for the team and the puzzle should sort itself out between now and Sep. 12.

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True, way too early to predict who but..

My gut feel is either 6 WR & 3 TE or 5 WR & 4 TE (Onobun appears capable of “streching” the field). With SB throwing, we appear highly capable of geting those “streched” passes on target.

One other thing you did not mention is Null is also showing good signs in camp as far as understanding this offense so we appear to be going into the season with a “much” better compliment/depth at QB than last year.

Between those “on the bubble” WR’s, I think Foster, Curry, McRae and Gilyard would be the only ones that would “qualify” for the PS and I sincerely do not believe Gilyard will be exposed to the waiver wire in order to hit the PS IMO as he has too much potential in the return game for other teams to pass on.

Anyway, we got 4 more weeks to go and we still may add DX to the mix.

by RBramfan on Aug 10, 2010 3:49 PM CDT reply actions

I expect 6 wideouts.

Maybe one or two on the practice squad.

by Tevin T. Broner on Aug 10, 2010 3:50 PM CDT reply actions

Early returns

Firstly, the fact that the Rams have run out 4-wide formations in training camp and at the scrimmage definitely makes me think that 5 is the minimum number of WRs that will make the roster, and 6 is a very strong possibility.

Secondly, I’d say that in terms of pure performance in camp, you’ve got it backwards. Burton and Amendola are “leading the way,” while Robinson and Avery are holding their own. Both Burton and Amendola have been playing “hungry” every single day, and both have developed significant chemistry with Bradford.

I agree that Gilyard has shown flashes — he’s a brilliant talent, but hasn’t put it together yet. I think the light switch will go on for him soon, though. (Remember that he missed most of minicamp because of the NCAA’s ridiculous graduation rule.) And McRae has made some very positive things happen. Those are my top 6.

There’s also the X-factor of Danario Alexander. He’s not a candidate to make the opening day roster, but he should be signed by the Rams as a practice squad candidate and mid-season talent injection.

The most important thing about this second group of receivers, including Kent, Dominic Curry, Brooks Foster and Brandon Gibson (and possibly Alexander) is that they provide fungible depth at a position that has been ravaged by injuries the last two seasons. Unfortunately it’s not a question of “if” but “when” we lose Laurent Robinson for an extended period of time. Burton has a very checkered injury history as well. And Amendola plays as though his name was Archuleta.

The Rams are cultivating a stable of 8 or 9 young & hungry guys that can all step in and contribute without hamstringing the offense. While we may not have a big-name, go-to receiver, this depth will prove to be enviable among other NFL teams.

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by taiko on Aug 10, 2010 3:54 PM CDT reply actions

Brandon Gibson

seriously? He gets cut? After being one of the only guys that caught balls last year? That surprises me.

The Personal Finance Playbook.

by Toddius on Aug 10, 2010 4:34 PM CDT up reply actions

That was last year

This is 2010. I just don’t see how Gibson leapfrogs Laurent Robinson at this point. And Donnie still is the #2. With Amendola/Gilyard out of the slor, the fifth spot for me is the #3 wideout or the backup to Laurent. That’s between Keenan Burton and Gibson IMO with McRae pushing hard to jump Gibson. This is why we have a preseason.

You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.

by 3k on Aug 10, 2010 4:45 PM CDT up reply actions

I like Gibson a lot.

I’m rooting for him to remain a Ram, regardless of what happens in training camp. Remember, he couldn’t crack the Eagles’ starting corps of receivers last season either, but they held onto him dearly because he had untapped value. I think the same might be true this season.

<joke>
In other words, we should trade him for Will Witherspoon!
</joke>

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by taiko on Aug 10, 2010 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions