As the lockout is nearing an end and Training Camp is almost ready to begin I wanted to take a look at the most important position battle in Camp for the Rams, WR. We currently have 9 WRs, assuming we resign Clayton, who are all NFL quality talent, but we only have 6 spots this year based on the history of the team only keeping 6 WRs. That means we will have to cut three decent WRs, which sucks. I decided to make a scale of 1 to 10 of the safety of a player making the team. (10 being completely safe and 1 meaning cut for sure.) I'm also going to assume that everyone stays healthy during camp, which with the Ram's history is unlikely to happen, but it is too hard to predict injury. My rankings after the jump.
Danny Amendola- Safety Ranking 10
There is no way in hell this guy will be cut. He is the Ram's most dependable receiver. He has the best hands and he is tough as nails. He had 85 catches last year, the most by far on the team. I think this year he may get to the 100 catch milestone.
Danario Alexander- Safety Ranking 9
He is the most talented WR on the team, so I don't see us cutting him either. I just put it at nine because if somehow he just performs horribly he might not make it. I don't see a way he will perform that badly, and I'm expecting big things from the DX Missile this season.
Laurent Robinson- Safety Ranking 1
I don't see with how poorly he performed last year that we keep him. At times he disappeared in games and for the most part wasn't a factor. After showing promise with the team his first year, before his injury, he was expected to do well last year. He didn't and I think he is done as a Ram.
Mardy Gilyard- Safety Ranking 2
I think he's gone. He couldn't learn a simple playbook last season. If the Rams thought he was a good young receiver, then why did we draft two new rookies? The answer is the Gilyard played so poorly last year that the team has almost given up on him. The only way he stays is if he just comes to camp and lights it up. It is possible he is a talented player. He was an All-American, but unless he show significant improvement he is done in St. Louis.
Brandon Gibson- Safety Ranking 6
I actually hope we can keep Gibson. He showed good flashes last year, and he is only 23, but with the two rookies likely to make the team he is going to have a tough time making the team. One way I think he is certain to make the team is if the Rams decided not to resign Clayton, but reports make it sound that we will. He has a lot of potential and he's a guy I want the team to keep.
Donnie Avery- Safety Ranking 8
Before he ran sub 4.3 forties, I actually though he may be done. Now that he is running fast again he brings explosion that no one else on the team can. I'm hoping McDaniels can work his magic on Avery and he can have a breakout year that we all though he would have last year.
Mark Clayton- Safety Ranking 7
The question is not if he is good enough to make the team, because he surly is. The real question is will he be resigned. To me it's making more and more since that the Rams shouldn't resign him because we have other younger guys, but it's been reported that we will sign him as soon as possible. If we sign him he's on the team.
Austin Pettis- Safety Ranking 9
3rd round picks don't get cut right after they are drafted. We picked him to make the team and he will make the team. He will be a guy who can be a great red zone threat for the Rams and he has solid hands to go with good size. He should be a productive possession receiver for the Rams.
Greg Salas- Safety Ranking 9
It's also rare to cut a 4th round pick but not unheard of. He is very similar to Pettis in skill. Very productive in college with two year of 100+ catches. He should also be a productive WR for the Rams. I still question the pick of Salas. Yes he may have been the most talented player on the board, but will he help the team as much as another player could? That remains to be seen. That is also the reason I don't always agree with the best player available method. I prefer the method of which player will help the team the most. I think a RB, an OLB, or a S could have helped our team fill a major need more than Salas who really wasn't needed as we had many receivers, but he was the best player on the board so we took him.
In my opinion if we resign Clayton we will have Amendola, Clayton, Avery, Salas, Pettis, and DX. If the teams doesn't resign Clayton, which I'm starting to think the Rams should think hard about, switch out Gibson and Clayton.
Thanks for reading and GO RAMS!!