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Simple math tells you that a few players on the 53-man roster will not be suiting up for this week's game. The NFL allows 46 players to dress on game days, one of the lesser heralded rule changes from last year's new CBA. Simple arithmetic says seven players will not see the field as a result of that. One of those players not suiting up on Sunday could include rookie receiver Brian Quick, which some might consider a disappointment.
Z: Heard now from multiple people that Brian Quick will be inactive tomorrow @ DET. That would be beyond disappointing.
— Zach and The Coach (@ZachAndTheCoach) September 8, 2012
I'm not as hung up on the idea that Quick will be out. It is a little bit of an upset, if it does happen, but not out of ordinary.
Quick is making a big jump from Appalachian State to the NFL. He's learning a far more sophisticated route tree and he's competing for playing time against veterans. Steve Smith, who looks to be healthy, is an experienced possession receiver. Brandon Gibson has been working with Sam Bradford for three seasons now. I'm not saying that Gibson is necessary better, but this is not his first rodeo. Danny Amendola, well, that one speaks for itself.
After those three, the Rams only have two more receivers on the roster, at while Austin Pettis is suspended for the first two games. Chris Givens is by most accounts ahead of Quick in learning the offense and the route tree. He also runs one route that nobody else on the roster does, thanks to his speed: the go route.
The Rams' other rookie might be a decent enough matchup play against the Lions this week, putting his height and physical play against a weakened Detroit secondary. But Brian Scottenheimer also has his tight ends, and don't forget the running backs.
If the Rams opt to leave Quick on the bench, it would be a minor upset, especially after how much they talked him up after the draft. It would not be the end of the world and WAAAAY to soon to call him a bad pick or a bust or whatever. Remember, Robert Quinn sat at the start of the season last year, and that's a position with far less adjustment from raw skills to the on-field productivity than wide receiver. Quick is here for the long haul, but it could very well take him some time to learn the position, like it does most receivers.