Finding A 3rd Year “Breakout” WR Has Been Difficult for the Rams

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RamBill

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Finding That Third Year “Breakout” Receiver Has Been Difficult For the St. Louis Rams

By Brandon Bate @NoPlanB_ on Jul 3, 2015, 9:08a 17

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/7...erformance-torry-holt-tavon-austin-nick-foles

Torry Holt did it. Vincent Jackson did it. What third year Rams’ receiver can eclipse 1,000 yards?

You’ve probably heard it before..."Player X is due to have a breakout, Vincent Jackson-like, third year as a receiver in the NFL." Jackson, drafted by the Chargers in 2005, only played half the season in his rookie year, but eclipsed 1,000 yards [with 7 touchdowns] in his third full season in the league. And he’s proven the ability to maintain similar, if not better, stats since [with the exception of an injured year in 2010, and a quiet 2014 season].

If you’re a St. Louis Rams’ fan, you’ve probably also heard "_____ hasn’t been done since Torry Holt." And whether it’s receptions, yards, or touchdowns, it's all true. Holt, like Jackson, wasted no time establishing himself as a legitimate threat in the league. He amassed nearly 800 yards in his rookie year [1999], and surpassed 1,000 yards in just his second year.

Both had stellar seasons in their third year in the NFL, and continued to do so for the remainder of their careers. But replicating that kind of production - and finding that potential breakout candidate/consistent deep threat - has been a struggle for the Rams ever since...

- The Rams have drafted 19 wide receivers since 1999. Eight of them either weren’t in the league three years later, or didn’t tally a single reception in their third year.

- Only three of the 19 have surpassed 500 yards. Only one, Holt, has eclipsed 1,000.

- They've drafted eleven receivers between 2005 and 2012. They combined [third year only] for 85 receptions, 1,098 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Four of the eleven [excluding Avery; injury] didn’t catch a football in their third year. Two of them, Gilyard and Salas, had already found new homes before the onset of their third season.

- This year’s eligible third year breakout candidates consist of the Mountaineer duo, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. Austin has 71 catches for 660 yards and four touchdowns in his first two seasons. Bailey, who missed two games in 2014, has tallied 47 catches, 661 yards, and one touchdown heading into his third season. Brian Quick, who draws the VJAX reference more than most, is also in consideration having missed nine games last season due to injury.

If you didn’t catch it in this morning’s Random Ramsdom, NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks has pegged Tavon Austin [along with Nick Foles] as one of the league's potential "Heavyweight Hookup" duos for the 2015 season.

Can Austin have that oft-referenced third year breakout season? Or did Brooks pick the wrong receiver? Will any Rams’ receiver be able compile stats similar to that of Holt and Jackson in their third year?
 

blackbart

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Really tough when you have scrubs playing QB
 

RamzFanz

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Holt / Quick / Britt will be the passing story of the season for the Rams. I expect Austin to have his best season by far, and move the chains regularly, but still be eclipsed by Britt and Quick. Foles loves to heave the football downfield.

Bailey is my dark horse.
 

iced

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Really tough when you have scrubs playing QB

part of it's the qb, part the o-line, part the receivers themselves..whether its drops, inability to separate, to bad play calling or bad throws.

I really don't put a whole lot of onus on the QB.. the studs are capable of putting up numbers regardless of who is at QB - From Holt/Bruce with Frerrotte to Josh Gordon with 3 different QBs to Desean Jackson in the mess that is Washington.. there are examples of receivers succeeding despite the QB (sometimes this is covered up by good coordinators, a'la Norv Turner & Josh Gordon's studly season)
 

brokeu91

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Brian Quick looked like he was that third round receiver that was going to break out until he got hurt. Hopefully Austin and Bailey will be that this year
 

den-the-coach

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StedmanFlexArticle.jpg
 

-X-

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Here's a novel idea.
Draft one that's seen a playbook before.

huh.gif
 

Mojo Ram

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Quick will be a legit WR(maybe even a stud) as long as he recovers fully from the shoulder. He was well on his way last season.

Britt could start on any number of teams as the #2 and IMO he hasn't yet reached his ceiling(as long as his body holds up).

Bailey is ready to break out, just needs to get more PT.

Tavon....nevermind. We've got an excllent PR.
 

RamzFanz

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Quick will be a legit WR(maybe even a stud) as long as he recovers fully from the shoulder. He was well on his way last season.

Britt could start on any number of teams as the #2 and IMO he hasn't yet reached his ceiling(as long as his body holds up).

Bailey is ready to break out, just needs to get more PT.

Tavon....nevermind. We've got an excllent PR.

I agree but I'm willing to bet my mountain of ROD$ that Tavon will top 700 yards and 7 TDs. I am still under the impression they simply didn't target him like they could have last season. 44 attempts? That just doesn't compute. Maybe it's his fault somehow, but I don't see it.
 

FrankenRam

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Holt / Quick / Britt will be the passing story of the season for the Rams. I expect Austin to have his best season by far, and move the chains regularly, but still be eclipsed by Britt and Quick. Foles loves to heave the football downfield.

Bailey is my dark horse.

Holt?!?!?! Has there been some news I missed?? 'Big Game' is coming out of retirement??? :D
 

blackbart

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part of it's the qb, part the o-line, part the receivers themselves..whether its drops, inability to separate, to bad play calling or bad throws.

I really don't put a whole lot of onus on the QB.. the studs are capable of putting up numbers regardless of who is at QB - From Holt/Bruce with Frerrotte to Josh Gordon with 3 different QBs to Desean Jackson in the mess that is Washington.. there are examples of receivers succeeding despite the QB (sometimes this is covered up by good coordinators, a'la Norv Turner & Josh Gordon's studly season)

It takes both guys and Quick was having that kind of break out year last season in spite of the guys throwing the ball. But when the WR is running free in the secondary and the QB doesn't attempt the throw because of his own weakness or he does make a throw and it is 5 yards away from the WR that cannot be on the WR.

The talent pool has been so poor for the last decade some of those guys did have break out years, they just were never going to be good enough to produce. That is obvious by their lack of production even after leaving the Rams.

I would love to see TA have a huge year but I've always considered him a slot guy/punt returner. He will never be a big production guy on the outside.

Maybe Bailey will have a good year, sounds like Quick could be on a good recovery path, and I expect Britt to have another decent year. None of those guys is going to catch 100 passes or put up 1200 yards. But I'm ok with team production vs individual numbers.
 

Amitar

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Bailey by a long shot.
No one believes in this guy yet he consistently gets the job down.
See my sig
 

DaveFan'51

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I agree but I'm willing to bet my mountain of ROD$ that Tavon will top 700 yards and 7 TDs. I am still under the impression they simply didn't target him like they could have last season. 44 attempts? That just doesn't compute. Maybe it's his fault somehow, but I don't see it.
I'll be looking to fallow-suit on that bet on Tavon! I think Cig's will slip him in their on some medium and deep crossing routes!
 

Robocop

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part of it's the qb, part the o-line, part the receivers themselves..whether its drops, inability to separate, to bad play calling or bad throws.

I really don't put a whole lot of onus on the QB.. the studs are capable of putting up numbers regardless of who is at QB - From Holt/Bruce with Frerrotte to Josh Gordon with 3 different QBs to Desean Jackson in the mess that is Washington.. there are examples of receivers succeeding despite the QB (sometimes this is covered up by good coordinators, a'la Norv Turner & Josh Gordon's studly season)
ehh i can't remember the exact number but i read an article that put up some numbers about how many times Britt was open or targeted downfield last season and the number of accurately thrown balls to him. wasn't pretty wanna say it was around 50% or less. Also gotta think about the 6 games the Rams gotta play in division against all top 10 defenses every year when the Rams had the worst line in the league, not even an average QB and a moron for an OC. that with all those other variables mentioned makes it a tougher case for the Rams IMO. also these are all young receivers except Britt and Cook and its hard to hone your skills and get better when you've had scrubs throwing to you the last 26 games or something. Quick was breaking out, Bailey needs more opportunities and Tavon needs utilized better.
 

iced

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ehh i can't remember the exact number but i read an article that put up some numbers about how many times Britt was open or targeted downfield last season and the number of accurately thrown balls to him. wasn't pretty wanna say it was around 50% or less. Also gotta think about the 6 games the Rams gotta play in division against all top 10 defenses every year when the Rams had the worst line in the league, not even an average QB and a moron for an OC. that with all those other variables mentioned makes it a tougher case for the Rams IMO. also these are all young receivers except Britt and Cook and its hard to hone your skills and get better when you've had scrubs throwing to you the last 26 games or something. Quick was breaking out, Bailey needs more opportunities and Tavon needs utilized better.

Britt was also one of the highest drops too - as well as Cook

Quick - now he was a beast, love that dude
 

RamWoodie

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here's the truth of the matter...

We fans want it right now. We have these unrealistic expectations! Myself included! The point being we want Superbowl wins RIGHT NOW...but the reality is it doesn't happen that way.

The Rams have a very decent WR corps right now...but it takes WORK to become great!

The fact is we have a QB that we have no idea how he will blend with that WR corps...so it's a "wait and see thing".

All we can do is trust in the coaching staff and watch for the end result. What's wrong with that though? I bet over half the teams have the same predicament.