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It's no secret that the Rams have struggled to find a #1 WR since parting ways with Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt in the 2007 and 2008 seasons respectively. Since those 2 Hall of Famers have left town, there has been an annual search for a replacement - and it hasn't been pretty.
In trying to replace them, Rams fans have seen the likes of Donnie Avery, Brandon Gibson, Danny Amendola, Danario Alexander, Mark Clayton, Austin Pettis, and Brandon Lloyd come and go. That's not including fringe players like Laurent Robinson, Mike Sims-Walker and Greg Salas either. Any time a Rams WR showed some potential as a player, fans fell in love (See Amendola, Danny and Alexander, Danario).
With that said, it's hard to fault fans for feeling jaded with 'potential' at the WR position. Yes, the group of WRs that Les Snead and Jeff Fisher have assembled have loads of that near-forbidden 'p' word. But to date, this group is known more for their civil rights demonstrations than their production on the field.
When I saw an ESPN article regarding Free Agent interest in former Colts WR - and future Hall of Famer - Reggie Wayne, the gears in my head immediately started turning. Could Wayne be the missing piece in the Rams WR puzzle?
Pros - Experience, Work Ethic, Mentor
It goes without saying that Reggie Wayne is an all-time great. He has stats to rival both aforementioned Rams WRs from the Greatest Show on Turf. His work ethic has a lot to do with that. He has shown that he has the ability to teach younger WRs as well, mentoring T.Y. Hilton to a looming huge payday.
Cons - Age, Injuries, Playing Time
It takes a lot of time to accumulate the stats that Wayne has over his career. Accolades aside, the 2015 season will be his 15th in the NFL and the wear and tear is showing on his body. Wayne hasn't played a full season since 2012 and has clearly lost a step since his ACL injury.
With Kenny Britt, Brian Quick, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, and the group of TEs the Rams have, signing Wayne would be a luxury. Wayne would be largely relegated to a mentor role if he was brought in, and there's no telling if that's something he's 100% comfortable with.
Likelihood of Signing Happening (2/10)
I have no doubt that Wayne would be an asset to the Rams for the 2015 season. They could easily cut Chris Givens loose and gain more in experience than they would lose in production. However, if I were in Wayne's shoes there are many more places that I would rather play than in St. Louis. This is nice to dream about, but it's a longshot to come to fruition.