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The Los Angeles Rams’ offseason wasn’t the most favorable for Paul McRoberts.
Via free agency and the draft, head coach Sean McVay and his new regime brought in three new wide receivers in addition to many of the same players that were on the team a year ago. McRoberts barely made the active roster last year when the wide receiver depth was worse. In 2016, McRoberts suited up just twice catching one pass for six yards.
The road ahead looks very tough.
Roster Battle
The Rams lost Kenny Britt and Brian Quick this offseason. Britt left to join the Cleveland Browns, while Brian Quick signed with the Washington Footballers. Veteran Roberts Woods, as well as rookies Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds, were brought in to replace the departing veterans.
The net gain of valuable receivers bodes poorly for the back end of the depth chart. Tavon Austin, Woods, Kupp, and Reynolds are bound to make the roster. Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas are the most likely to fill the fifth and sixth spots, leaving a scramble for a seventh spot that may not even be there.
McRoberts is on the outside looking in. McRoberts would have to beat out Nelson Spruce, who was rostered for much of last year, though he was seldom healthy enough to play.
Expectations
McRoberts has enticing size, that can’t be denied. At 6’3”, 195 pounds, he is a lanky wide receiving option who can reach the top shelf, if need be. McRoberts’ best chance of making the roster would be making enough acrobatic catches to prove he can be more valuable than a pure special teamer or a smaller wide receiver.
With the new staff being ushered in, McRoberts will have to be especially impressive. If the Jeff Fisher crew was still here, he’d have a repertoire built with them, but McVay has no ties to McRoberts, and will have the freedom to move offensive personnel as he pleases.
Chances of Making Final Roster (2/10)
At best, McRoberts will steal a practice squad spot and be called up to the active roster in the event of injury to a wide receiver on the active roster. There are too many new and/or prominent faces in the wide receiver room for there to be a spot for McRoberts.
McRoberts will probably find himself on the practice squad like he did a year ago.