Which Rams Receiver Will Be a Gem In 2011?

The St. Louis Rams had a wide receiver deficiency in 2011 to say the least.

Actually, they had arguable the worst group of receivers in the NFL if you look at statistics such as the team's very low yards per reception average of 9.9. Also, their number of receptions over 20 yards (36) was the third worst in the NFL, and their number of catches over 40 yards (four) was tied for second-to-last.

Mark Clayton emerged as the Rams top receiver for the first four games of 2010 before going down with a season-ending knee injury, and after Clayton was out Danny Amendola stepped up as the new primary target.

Although Amendola had an admirable season, finishing with 85 receptions and leading the NFL in all-purpose yards, he was still unable to get downfield on deep routes and he only averaged 8.1 yards per catch.

So with Clayton not fully recovered from his knee surgery, and with Amendola still incapable of providing a long ball threat, who will step up as the Rams top receiver in 2011?

Surely it has to be someone.

Rams Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels has created six 1,000 yard receivers over the last four seasons as either a coordinator or head coach— Randy Moss (2007, 2008), Wes Welker (2007, 2008), Brandon Marshall (2009) and Brandon Lloyd (2010).

So with McDaniels' ability to squeeze production out of his receivers, combined with stability at the quarterback position, it's likely that one of the Rams receivers will produce the numbers expected out of a No.1 wide receiver, despite the team's lack of overall talent at the position.

Which receiver will break the barrier and develop into the Rams first 1,000 yard receiver since Torry Holt in 2007? But more importantly, who has what it takes to be Sam Bradford's "go to guy"?


Mike Sims-Walker

At 6'2" and 212 pounds with 4.3 second 40-yard-dash speed, recently acquired free agent Mike Sims-Walker dominates the other Rams receivers in the physical tools department.

He has been closer to 1,000 yards than any other receiver currently on the team as a result of his 869 yard season in 2009, and he's clearly the most dangerous end-zone target with seven touchdowns in each of his last two seasons, which is a significant upgrade considering all of the Rams wide receivers combined for only 10 total touchdowns in 2010.

The only thing really standing in the way of Sims-Walker becoming the top receiver is injuries, but his injury rap sheet is over exaggerated— he missed seven games as a rookie in 2008 due to a knee injury, but has only missed three games in the last two seasons combined.

The only other factor working against Sims-Walker is a possible lack of chemistry between him and Bradford due to the lockout, but that's something that will go away with time. Bradford developed familiarity with Clayton and Amendola rather quickly as a rookie last year.

Brandon Gibson

Although Sims-Walker has a lot more name recognition, that doesn't change the fact that Brandon Gibson is currently sitting at the top of the depth chart as the team's No.1 wide receiver.

Some fans may balk at the idea of Gibson becoming the lead receiver, which is understandable given his mediocrity throughout the first two seasons of his career in 2009 and 2010. However, it takes time for receivers to develop and find their groove, so don't count Gibson out just because of past performances.

Here is a list of well-known receivers and the number of seasons it took for them the reach 1,000 yards for the first time:

Miles Austin (Four Seasons)
Marvin Harrison (Four Seasons)
Reggie Wayne (Four Seasons)
Wes Welker (Five Seasons)
Vincent Jackson (Four Seasons)
Terrell Owens (Three Seasons)
Roddy White (Three Seasons)
Greg Jennings (Three Seasons)
Steve Smith (Three Seasons) *Carolina Panthers
Donald Driver (Four Seasons)
Santonio Holmes (Four Seasons)
Brandon Lloyd (Eight Seasons)

The point being that it's fairly rare for a receiver to enter the NFL and become a 1,000 yard guy within his first two years, especially a sixth-round draft pick like Brandon Gibson.

As you can see from the list, a lot of receivers turn the corner during their third NFL season. That doesn't mean that Gibson is guaranteed to play at a high level, but it's ridiculous to completely judge his ability after only two years in the league.

If the preseason is any indication, then Gibson could have a big year.

Danny Amendola

Danny Amendola is frequently referred to as a "poor man's Wes Welker", but is that really the case? Why is Amendola not every bit the player that Welker is? After all, when you break it down, the two are practically identical.

Here's is a little bio comparison on the two:

Wes Welker (5'9, 185 pounds)  Danny Amendola (5'11", 188 pounds)

Welker's College: Texas Tech
Amendola's College: Texas Tech

Welker's College Stats: 259 receptions, 3069 yards, 21 touchdowns
Amendola's College Stats: 204 receptions, 2246 yards, 15 touchdowns

Welker's First Two Seasons of NFL Action: 29 receptions 434 yards, 67 receptions 687 yards
Amendola's First Two Seasons of NFL Action: 43 receptions 326 yards, 85 receptions 689 yards

In Welker's third season of NFL action he went on to catch 112 balls for 1,175 yards under Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels. Amendola is about the enter his third NFL season... under coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Yes, there is a big difference between the Patriots supporting cast and the Rams, but if those coincidences don't convince you that it's at least possible for Amendola to become the same level of receiver as Welker, then nothing will.

Amendola is Bradford's favorite target, which is why he had 85 catches last year. Except this year opposing defenses won't have the luxury of closing in on him due to the presence of Mike Sims-Walker and Lance Kendricks.

Conclusion


Between the Rams top three wide receivers (Mike Sims-Walker, Brandon Gibson and Danny Amendola), each of them are generating signs in their own unique way that they are about to break loose.

So given the maturity of the team, along with a respectable coordinator in Josh McDaniels, a solid offensive line, a decent run game, as well as a capable quarterback in Sam Bradford, it's not really a question of "if" one of the receiver will have a breakout year, it's more a question of "who".

And with the potential of each receiver clear as day, it's anybody's guess in the end.

Rams Vs. Titans: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The St. Louis Rams had a solid preseason opener a week ago against the Indianapolis Colts. The Rams walked away with a convincing 33-10 victory.

Brandon Gibson hauls in an 83-yard touchdown reception against
the Titans last night on the very first offensive play of the night. 

This week, however, the Rams still won the game against the Tennessee Titans with a score of 17-16, but this week’s victory was not nearly as convincing.

There were obviously some positives, as they won the game, but the negatives were plentiful in the first half and difficult to ignore. So without further ado, here is the 2011 premiere of “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly”…



The Good

The 83-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sam Bradford to receiver Brandon Gibson on the first offensive play of the night was seemingly a good omen, perhaps even a sign that the Rams would repeat last week’s routing of the Colts, but it turned out to be their only points in the entire first half.

Despite the touchdown pass being the only points of the half, Bradford played well the entire time. He was 8-for-15 with 138 yards and a touchdown. He also had an interception, although it came off of a pass that hit receiver Mike Sims-Walker perfectly in the hands but was deflected off of the gloves and into the hands of a defender.

The only other positive was the backup players.

Second-string quarterback A.J. Feeley looked sharp and alert for the most part. He hit Donnie Avery for a touchdown in the third-quarter, and Avery looked surprisingly fast and healthy coming off his ACL tear from 2010.

Third-string quarterback Thad Lewis drops back
 for a pass in last night's game against the Titans.

Third-string quarterback Thad Lewis was phenomenal during his playing time in the fourth-quarter. He completed 80% of his passes (8-for-10) for 74 yards, had a ten yard scramble, and he even led the Rams downfield for the final drive of the game, which resulted in a game-winning field-goal by kicker Josh Brown in the final seconds of the game.

The Bad

There are plenty of things from the game that are considered “Bad”, the only question is where to start.
The Rams were out rushed by the Titans 198 yards to only 44. Star running back Steven Jackson had only 10 yards on six carries, which equals out to a 1.7 yards per carry average.

But it wasn’t just the running backs. The receivers greatly struggled to get separation, with Gibson’s touchdown being the main exception. In fact, tight end Fendi Onobun and wide receiver Greg Salas led the team in receptions with only three each, and only five of fourteen receivers had more than one catch.

On defense, the team made some solid third-down stops that forced field-goals instead of touchdowns, but the effort of the unit as a whole was lackluster at best.

The Rams run game last night can be summed up with this picture.

The starters allowed over 80 rushing yards in the first-quarter alone. And although the pass defense was better, they were still flawed. They gave up 24 and 29 yard receptions, respectively, and allowed starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to go 7-for-9 on his passes.

Overall, the defense looked unfocused and they were lacking intensity. Linebackers were not staying home and they were blowing assignments, while the defensive line failed to apply consistent pressure.

The Ugly

The ugliest aspect of the game for the Rams came at the line of scrimmage. Both lines underachieved, but it was particularly the offensive line that stood out in a bad way.

Bradford was feeling pressure all night and, as mentioned earlier, the run game was non-existent.

But the most infuriating was the play of Hank Fraley, who started at left-guard in place of the injured Jacob Bell, as well as Adam Goldberg, who eventually replaced Rodger Saffold at left-tackle late in the half.

The offensive line allowed almost instant penetration as a whole, but the 33-year-old Fraley was particularly ineffective, and the Titans defensive line turned Goldberg into a ragdoll.

What is absolutely dumbfounding is that the coaching staff left Bradford in the game with Goldberg and Fraley guarding his blindside. On Bradford’s last play of the game he was taken down by a defensive tackle and was hesitant to get up.

It’s hard to justify risking your franchise quarterback just to build the self-esteem of two guys who barely belong in the NFL. If you want to give Bradford second-string blocking then put the second-string quarterback in the game.

Conclusion

It was a win, but it wasn’t easy to watch either.

There is a reason they have the preseason. It gives teams a chance to try a variety of players in different situations, and it also gives them a chance to identify clear problems before the season begins.

The game was not ideal, but it’s good for the team and the coaching staff that they were able to expose some team weaknesses before Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, so that way they can go to practice this week and work on ironing out the kinks.

Next week the Rams will travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs for the third preseason game and the annual Missouri Governor’s Cup. The game is on Friday, August 26th and it will kick off at 7:00 PM CDT.

Sneak Peak at the Rams Wide Receiver Position in 2011

The signing of Mike Sims-Walker has not only excited a fanbase that was desperate for news of a big signing, but it also shakes up the wide receiver position for the Rams in 2011.

The Rams were very desperate at the position during the 2010 season after their top two receivers (Mark Clayton, Donnie Avery) were sidelined with season-ending knee injuries.

Some assumed that the Rams would instantly improve at the position after the return of Clayton and Avery, as well as the addition of their third and fourth round draft picks Austin Pettis (Boise St.) and Greg Salas (Hawaii).

However, no one can predict if Clayton and Avery will be able to play at the same level that they were at prior to their injuries and rookies are just too unpredictable, especially mid-round draft pick rookies.

Also, Clayton is a free-agent and has not been re-signed as of yet, although the Rams are reportedly negotiating a deal with him.

But with the addition of Sims-Walker, along with the other receivers, the Rams have an intense training camp battle in the makings, possibly one of the most intense camp battles in the NFL.

Danny Amendola, No.1 Slot Receiver

Amendola was the top receiver for the Rams in 2010 with 85 receptions and 689 yards and the chemistry between him and Sam Bradford was undeniable.

With the injuries to Donnie Avery and Mark Clayton, Amendola was the only quality receiver remaining on the team. Some of the other receivers had good games occasionally, but lacked consistency.

But Amendola’s quality was not enough— team’s were able to stick double coverage on him and he did not have the size to make a difference downfield on deep routes, although he was stellar on short and intermediate routes.

Amendola will return in 2011 in a Wes Welker type role under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense, which is certainly a role he can excel at. He’ll be an important weapon in the 2011 offense.

Mike Sims-Walker, No.1 Wide Out

The Rams could possibly catch a break with the development of young receivers Brandon Gibson and Danario Alexander, but until they show that they can consistently perform, then Sims-Walker will instantly be the most talented receiver on the team, especially on the outside.

Sims-Walker only has only played three seasons in his career, with 2009 being the only season that really stands out, but that was enough to show that he is a talented receiver.

Remember, in Jacksonville he had an average quarterback throwing to him in David Garrard. There also were not any other receivers to take the attention away from him. Mike Thomas and tight end Marcedes Lewis did not burst onto the scenes until last year.

Sims-Walker will provide a level of talent at the positiono that the Rams have not seen in recent years. Also, at the age of 26, it’s possible that he has not peaked yet, meaning he could potentially be talented enough to be a No.1 wide receiver.

Donnie Avery, No.2 Slot Receiver

Donnie Avery is not a pure slot receiver like Amendola, as we’ve seen him run plenty of routes on the outside in the past.

It’s unclear how McDaniels will choose to utilize Avery, or if he has recovered all of his speed after rehabbing his knee injury from 2010, but his quickness would be beneficial in the slot against slow linebackers.

But even though his role is not cemented as of yet, it will be interesting to see if he can live up to his second-round draft status and have a break out year.

Avery has not had a chance to play with a quarterback like Sam Bradford, so we’ll see if Marc Bulger and the terrible Rams offense were holding him back all along.

Brandon Gibson, No.2 Wide Out

You can make an argument for Danario Alexander, or perhaps the two rookie receivers Pettis and Salas, but the Rams will likely stick to the more experienced Brandon Gibson until someone else dethrones him by earning playing time.

Of course it’s also possible that Gibson will surprise us all, because after all he was the second leading wide receiver with 620 yards and 53 catches.

Actually, he already is surprising people—there hasn’t been enough time for Sims-Walker to get settled in, but as of now, Gibson is supposedly the unquestioned top receiver so far in training camp.  

While his stats were not too impressive, it’s also easy to forget that he lacked playing time in the beginning of the season, and it was also only his second season after entering the NFL as an undrafted free-agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009.

He’ll get competition, but for now, it’s his job to lose.

Backup Receivers

Danario Alexander

There’s a chance that second-year player Danario Alexander could earn himself a starting job in 2011, but he still has a few hills to climb before that will happen.

Alexander impressed fans during his NFL debut last October against the San Diego Chargers in St. Louis—he had four catches for 72 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception. He also had a 45-yard catches against the Denver Broncos in Week 11, as well as a 46-yard catch during Week 16 against the San Francisco 49er’s.

His 6’5” 220 pound frame could be put to great use by Sam Bradford and the offense, but he needs to do something well other than the long ball.

For the most part, Alexander was not a major threat to opposing teams because the long ball was the only route he was able to run.

If Alexander wants to be a starter, then he needs to become a weapon on short and intermediate routes, as well as the long routes.

Alexander also has a lengthy history with knee injuries, which is another factor working against him. It’s something the coaching staff will carefully watch.  

Austin Pettis

Pettis was the Rams third round pick last April and he’ll bring a fairly wide skill set to the group if development pans out.

The Rams struggled with dropped passes in 2010, so that is something they wanted to fix. Forget speed, size and other traits, the Rams just wanted to find someone capable of hanging on to the ball no matter what, because they are confident that Bradford can hit his targets.

That’s exactly what Pettis was drafted for—his sure hands. Although, he also brings decent size at 6'3" and 209 pounds.

Pettis was also drafted because he at the tools to play each wide receiver position, which greatly increases the chance of him earning playing time.

Expect him to see the field in 2011 and expect his playing to increase towards the end of the season, but don’t expect any major contributions, at least not yet.

Greg Salas

Salas and Pettis are very similar prospects who were drafted for almost the exact same reasons.

Like Pettis, Salas has decent size at 6’1” and 210 pounds, but he lacks dangerous speed. However, he has dependable hands and is capable of playing each wide receiver position.

It’s clear that the Rams drafted guys like Pettis and Salas because they feel they don’t need an elite receiver to excel.

They feel that they can get by with just surrounding Bradford with multiple targets that are reliable, but not overwhelming, which is basically the same strategy that has been used recently by the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots.

Mardy Gilyard

Despite being only a fourth round pick in 2010, fans still had a lot of high expectations for Mardy Gilyard last season, especially since he was such an electric player in college at Cincinnati.

However, Gilyard barely saw the field last year after he struggled to learn the playbook and he only recorded six catches for a modest 63 yards all season long.

Gilyard has mostly been an afterthought, but recent training camp reports have suggested that he’s showing up ready to play, so there’s a chance that he can turn it around.

However, it’s still early in training camp, so there’s time for things to change. Also, there’s a lot of competition at the position this year, so nothing is going to be guaranteed for Gilyard, no matter how regenerated he is.

Gilyard is ineligible for the practice squad, so it's do-or-die time for him this preseason. 

Dominique Curry

Dominique Curry joined the Rams in 2010 as an undrafted rookie with promising potential.

His size (6’2” 224 pounds) and strength makes the coaching staff hopeful that he’ll be able to contribute at some point in his career.

Actually, he was already contributing as a rookie, just not as a receiver—he was a valuable asset on special teams throughout the preseason and for part of the regular season.

His season was cut short after Week 3 in 2010 due to a torn ACL , which is particularly unfortunate because the Rams had multiple wide receivers go down with injuries in 2010, so he would have been given a chance to show off his skills as a receiver.

The Rams will try to make room on the roster for Curry, they would love to have him on special teams if nothing else, but the most likely scenario is a trip to the practice squad.     

Where do the Rams stand now?

Having possibly the best QB and defense in the NFC West gives the Rams an advantage.

The Rams are only half a game out of first place with a 4-4 record. It took a little luck today, with Arizona losing a close one to Tampa Bay 38-35; and the first place Seattle Seahawks got blown out by the Oakland Raiders 33-3. Here are the standings:
Seattle Seahawks       4-3 .571
St. Louis Rams          4-4 .500
Arizona Cardinals      3-4 .429
San Francisco 49ers  2-6 .250

Technically the Rams could be in first place a week from now. All it would take is a little luck in the form of Arizona losing to Minnesota (in Minnesota), and Seattle losing to the New York Giants (in Seattle). If that happens, then the Rams and Seahawks would have equal records at 4-4, but the Rams would own the tiebreaker (due to their 20-3 victory over Seattle back in week 4).

If the Rams do exit their bye week in first place, then they will certainly be in a good position to win the NFC West. Why wouldn't they be? They have the best quarterback in the division, as well as the best defense, and those are two major factors when it comes to winning a division.

There are only two crystal clear obstacles that stand in the Rams' way. The first obstacle being their receiving core. The season ending injuries to Donnie Avery and Mark Clayton have left the undersized Danny Amendola as only receiver with any value. Danario Alexander gave fans a glimpse of hope, but he is out 2-4 weeks with another knee injury. So other than Amendola, one of the other receivers (Brandon Gibson, Laurent Robinson, Mardy Gilyard) needs to step it up. Also, if tight-ends Mike Hoomanawanui and Daniel Fells can elevate their game, then it would certainly help the Rams overcome their woes at receiver.

The other clear obstacle is the Rams inability to win on the road. The road games against Arizona, Oakland, and Tampa Bay, were all close games that could have gone either way. Even so, the Rams have yet to finish the job on the road. Five of their eight remaining games are on the road, including a tough three game road trip that will take them to Atlanta, Denver, and New Orleans.

When return from their bye-week on the road against San Francisco. If they Rams are serious about making a run at the West, then it would be very helpful if they won that game. Their ability to win on the road should improve after they get that first road victory out of the way. They need to establish an ability to play on the road BEFORE that tough three game trip, not during it.

If the Rams win just two of their away games, then they will be in good shape. If that happens, they should be able to earn an 8-8 record pretty easily, and that record could be enough to win the division. If they can't find a way to win on the road, then their best case scenario is a 7-9 season.

It is going to be a close race in the NFC West. The loss to Tampa was huge, because if they would've won, then they would have some room for error. Since they lost that game, they can't really afford to lose any home games, because now you have to assume that they will lose the majority of their remaining road games.

One thing is for sure, which is that the Rams have showed major improvements over their 2009 campaign. If the Rams do fall short of the playoffs in 2010, then it shouldn't matter. No one was expecting a Super Bowl trophy this season, so the major improvements should be appreciated no matter what the outcome. It is hard to not be anxious for 2011 and beyond, but all I know is that it's good to still be excited about football in November for a again.

Rookie receivers will try to step up

With the unfortunate injury to the Rams' wide-receiver Mark Clayton, there are some shoes to fill at receiver. Clayton, a former 1st round pick for the Baltimore Ravens, was acquired by the Rams just before the start of the season. Clayton was meant to be the replacement for the injured Donnie Avery. Clayton was a more than suitable replacement, racking up 306 yards and 2 touchdowns throughout the first four games. However, last week against the Detroit Lions, Clayton left the game with a serious knee injury, and he will not return for the rest of the 2010 season.

Avery started the season as the number one receiver, then Clayton took over, so now the Rams will be looking for their third "number one" receiver only five games into the season. Danny Amendola figures to be the most talented receiver at this point, but he fits well in the slot, and doesn't have to size to line up on the outside.

Brandon Gibson is the receiver that needs to step up. At 6'0" and 210 lbs, Gibson has the size to play on the outside. He also has the potential to be a decent red-zone threat (although his height is not as ideal as his weight).

Other than Gibson, and Amendola, the Rams will be focusing on their rookie receivers. Mardy Gilyard, the Rams' 4th round draft pick in 2010, has seen some playing time at kick-returner, but he does not have much playing time at receiver. Gilyard has only five catches on the season, for 42 yards. Gilyard has the moves to become a big play threat, but he has not been able to turn his potential into game-day production as of yet.

The more interesting option, as far as rookie receivers, is Denario Alexander. Alexander is an undrafted free-agent out of Mizzou; it is widely believed that Alexander would of received a late 1st-4th round draft grade, had it not been for his troubling history with knee injuries. In 2009, Alexander led the NCAA in receptions (113), as well as receiving yards (1781), and he also had 14 touchdowns. He has ideal speed (4.4 40-yard dash) and size (6'5" 215 lbs) to be a solid down-field threat, as well as a big red-zone threat.

Alexander was activated from the Rams' practice squad, to the 53-man roster. The promotion took place on Monday, as a result of Clayton's injury. Head-coach Steve Spagnuolo said that the Rams' trainers are comfortable with Alexander's knee, and believe he is ready to see action. According to Alexander, his knee feels better than it did during last season at Mizzou.