Which WR excites you the most for the Rams?

[Karate61]

A legit X is the hardest receiver to find. Rams have found two elite slot receivers outside the first round during McVay's tenure. So it's easy to look at Lemon and say "oh yes this is his type." But the Rams don't need a slot receiver. What they need is an X receiver.

How often are they up here at 13. It just doesn't make sense that Lemon's the dude they have circled on the draft board. And that's outside of him creepin hard at the podium or the rumored bombings that occurred in some of the team interviews.

If they take him I'm fine with it. I'm a USC fan, I know what Lemon's capable of. But for this year's run I'd rather have MacDonald then Rodriguez to make this defense super elite. Or many other combinations than starting with a slot at 13. It wouldn't be a terrible pick or anything, but I don't think it's ideal at all.

Thoughts on Chris Brazzell II. Maybe a good compliment to Puka when Puka is lined up in the slot?

 

[RamFan503]

I heard he ran over your mother, sorry for your loss

She probably did something equally as bad to his family

How about we stick to talking football and knock this shit off.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Not particularly fast but shifty like a RB. I see some similarities between Lemon and Amon StBrown with YAC.

Lemon is plenty fast high 4.4's are no joke.
I watched a ton of this guy and he never came off bad anytime I saw him interviewed.
Interviews may not be his stong suit but doubt Stafford cares about that.

 

[Merlin]

I don't subscribe to this logic. McVay is an innovative offensive mind. He knows how to get the most out of players. All this talk about "we need an X" or "we need size" is antiquated thinking. We need production. That's what we're purchasing: cheap production. Give me a slot who is good for 100 catches, 1300 yards, and 10 TDs over a big, outside WR who can't put up those numbers.

What we do need to make sure is that our WRs complement each other. Puka is a zone killer, so we need a guy who can beat M2M. Beyond that, take the best player. Also, I hope you're not suggesting Puka is a slot WR when you say the "Rams found two elite slot receives outside the first round." Puka can certainly play the slot, but he's by no means limited to it.

Regardless, I trust McVay to make the call on the WR. Lemon is a fit. Tyson is a fit. Cooper is a fit. Others are fits. Give me production. That's what I care about.

EDIT: And while I'm at it, if we're looking to add some speed to the room, I like Eric Rivers in the mid rounds.

I don't consider it antiquated thinking to prefer a piece be added among the wideout group that fits perfectly in that outside hash role.

Again Lemon's a good prospect. He's very much what McVay loves in his slot role dudes. But he's smaller than Puka and Kupp. He's got more speed, which is nice, but someone in our 3 wide grouping needs to line up on the LOS and be able to release out there and cook a DB. If they were to draft Lemon what I'd imagine it would look like is Puka stays in the slot and they start Lemon out at Z which gets him that release. And Adams ends up in that X role for 2026 for the most part.

But Tyson, Tate, etc work better because now Stafford's got that additional high point option in the redzone, which is so important with all these defenses playing that bend but don't break approach. Or that big target down the sideline in 4 minute, in which Stafford is magnified in what he does well. It matters. Or it can matter if they add that.

Nobody is questioning McVay here. You're not the only one who trusts McVay to make the right call. If he takes Lemon I'll certainly get behind it. But as we're talking preferences in a draft it just doesn't make sense to me to assume automatically that Lemon is the guy McVay's after simply because he fits McVay's slot role. We'll see what happens of course but while we wait I think it's a conversation worth having.

 

[Merlin]

Thoughts on Chris Brazzell II. Maybe a good compliment to Puka when Puka is lined up in the slot?

I don't like Tennessee wideouts. They're usually raw as hell because they're not taught to be route technicians. That said I don't study their playbook or watch their wideouts get coached, so if McVay drafts Brazzell I'll stfu and hope he develops.

But I'd say he's like some other wideouts in this draft, in that I don't think he's an ideal fit.

 

[HitStick]

I don't subscribe to this logic. McVay is an innovative offensive mind. He knows how to get the most out of players. All this talk about "we need an X" or "we need size" is antiquated thinking. We need production. That's what we're purchasing: cheap production. Give me a slot who is good for 100 catches, 1300 yards, and 10 TDs over a big, outside WR who can't put up those numbers.

What we do need to make sure is that our WRs complement each other. Puka is a zone killer, so we need a guy who can beat M2M. Beyond that, take the best player. Also, I hope you're not suggesting Puka is a slot WR when you say the "Rams found two elite slot receives outside the first round." Puka can certainly play the slot, but he's by no means limited to it.

Regardless, I trust McVay to make the call on the WR. Lemon is a fit. Tyson is a fit. Cooper is a fit. Others are fits. Give me production. That's what I care about.

EDIT: And while I'm at it, if we're looking to add some speed to the room, I like Eric Rivers in the mid rounds.

I just don’t understand the “size” argument.

Isaac Bruce: 6’0 188
Torry Holt: 6’0 190
Az Hakim: 5’10 185
Marshall (because he did run routes): 5’10 200

It’s not about the size, its about ability and how they’re used.

 

[WestCoastRam]

If they were to draft Lemon what I'd imagine it would look like is Puka stays in the slot and they start Lemon out at Z which gets him that release. And Adams ends up in that X role for 2026 for the most part.

This isn't the 1970s nor Aaron Rodgers offense, Puka plays slot and Z (and I believe there were a handful of X snaps last year). Players in this offense don't just play one role, sure, some guys will play the majority of their snaps in certain spots but our motion alone (or the motion in any modern offense) means the WR has to be able to play multiple positions.

Puka has split plenty of time between slot and Z and to sit him at just one spot would be to hamstring what makes him a great offensive player. Why would we do that? Why would we not use motion? (Just watch Puka run an out and up from the Z spot, it's a thing of beauty)

Lemon will play slot and Z and hell maybe even on the line for like 5 snaps. I'm the one on here who argues that we certainly need specific skill sets that typically come at these receiver spots and to think of Z, slot and X as separate positions but that should not negate the flexibility of guys to play multiple spots and what it can do for the offense.

Hell, we line up the TE at X in this offense at times and I expect Fergy to get even more snaps there next season.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-y98Qsfd4E

(Great out and up from the Z at 3min mark)


Look at his varied alignments in this highlight reel, tons of slot production but a lot of production at other spots too. I want Puka to continue to play EVERYWHERE on the field. And since we run a varied offense and use motion, he has to.

Edit: not to mention when we split out the TE out wide, there will be spots for both Puka and Lemon in the slot.

 

[jrry32]

I don't consider it antiquated thinking to prefer a piece be added among the wideout group that fits perfectly in that outside hash role.

Again Lemon's a good prospect. He's very much what McVay loves in his slot role dudes. But he's smaller than Puka and Kupp. He's got more speed, which is nice, but someone in our 3 wide grouping needs to line up on the LOS and be able to release out there and cook a DB. If they were to draft Lemon what I'd imagine it would look like is Puka stays in the slot and they start Lemon out at Z which gets him that release. And Adams ends up in that X role for 2026 for the most part.

But Tyson, Tate, etc work better because now Stafford's got that additional high point option in the redzone, which is so important with all these defenses playing that bend but don't break approach. Or that big target down the sideline in 4 minute, in which Stafford is magnified in what he does well. It matters. Or it can matter if they add that.

Nobody is questioning McVay here. You're not the only one who trusts McVay to make the right call. If he takes Lemon I'll certainly get behind it. But as we're talking preferences in a draft it just doesn't make sense to me to assume automatically that Lemon is the guy McVay's after simply because he fits McVay's slot role. We'll see what happens of course but while we wait I think it's a conversation worth having.

Again, McVay moves guys around. Puka play both outside and in the slot. If they draft Lemon, I'm sure he'll move around too. My preference is Tyson. I have no idea who McVay prefers. I could see him liking Lemon. I could see him liking somebody else. Where I disagree is with the notion (one I consider antiquated) that if we're drafting a WR in the top 15, he has to be an X. I want production.

I just don’t understand the “size” argument.

Isaac Bruce: 6’0 188
Torry Holt: 6’0 190
Az Hakim: 5’10 185
Marshall (because he did run routes): 5’10 200

It’s not about the size, its about ability and how they’re used.

Or the 2018 Rams with Brandin Cooks, Bobby Trees, and Cooper Kupp.

 

[fanotodd]

Based on how the Rams have drafted the position in the past and our current WR room, I wouldn’t be surprised if they wait on the position and take a shot at someone who might not play right away or get limited snaps. Maybe bring him on to replace DA next season while learning behind him and Puka.

There are a couple on the PS who looked pretty good in preseason last year.

 

[duanevalle22]

I just don’t understand the “size” argument.

Isaac Bruce: 6’0 188
Torry Holt: 6’0 190
Az Hakim: 5’10 185
Marshall (because he did run routes): 5’10 200

It’s not about the size, its about ability and how they’re used.

That was average height back then.... Hell, I was 6-2 180-190 lbs when I played football in high school and in college in the very early 80's and was considered above average.

Puka is 6-2 200 lbs and he gets dinged up more often then I would like see, because he gets focused on by two / three defenders

I have never bought into the "it’s not about the size" argument...especially in football and basketball.... Try telling that to a 6-0 200 lbs DB trying to cover a 6-5 230 lbs WR one-on-one for 60 minutes..... I'm sure you'll get a different answer.

To me it's like that argument "it's not if you win or lose it's how you play the game" BS.... I always laughed at that one.

 

[PhillyRam]

That was average height back then.... Hell, I was 6-2 180-190 lbs when I played football in high school and in college in the very early 80's and was considered above average.

Puka is 6-2 200 lbs and he gets dinged up more often then I would like see, because he gets focused on by two / three defenders

I have never bought into the "it’s not about the size" argument...especially in football and basketball.... Try telling that to a 6-0 200 lbs DB trying to cover a 6-5 230 lbs WR one-on-one for 60 minutes..... I'm sure you'll get a different answer.

To me it's like that argument "it's not if you win or lose it's how you play the game" BS.... I always laughed at that one.

JSN is 6-0 195 lbs. I would say since DBs cant touch WRs, size is less of an issue nowadays.

 

[duanevalle22]

JSN is 6-0 195 lbs. I would say since DBs cant touch WRs, size is less of an issue nowadays.

I disagree

DB's still need to tackle them. And deal with 50/50 balls. And since Stafford has a tendency to throw the ball a bit high and make the WR's stretch for the ball, the extra WR length plays well into Stanford's throwing tendencies.

 

[dieterbrock]

JSN 6'0
Chase 6'0
St Brown 6'0
Olave 6'0
Flowers 5'9
AJ Brown 6'1
5 of the top 10 WR 6'0 or under, 6th at 6'1
Another "great fact"

 

[Merlin]

Plenty of 6'0" and below wideouts end up not being great as well.

Smith made his adjustment with mostly slot usage, they didn't stick him out there day one on the outside. As it pertains to the Rams the opportunities that you end up sharing with Lemon in the slot will take from Puka. Year one with a wideout that better fits that X role has potential to make this offense stronger in ways the slot addition doesn't.

But I'm starting to sound like the maniac shouting in the wilderness on this one. And I've managed to position myself where I'm looking like I'm working a bit too hard against the idea of Lemon. Where again to me it's just a matter of efficiency in terms of selectively adding to the offense if you're going to not take a defender up high. So we'll see what they do.

 

[dieterbrock]

Plenty of 6'0" and below wideouts end up not being great as well.

As do plenty of 6'2 and taller ones

 

[El Chapo Jr]

As do plenty of 6'2 and taller ones

Where does Tutu stand though? Under 6 or over because of the stacks of cash he stood on that we wasted on him?

 

[PhillyRam]

Where does Tutu stand though? Under 6 or over because of the stacks of cash he stood on that we wasted on him?

There's that dead horse again

 

[OldSchool]

Where does Tutu stand though? Under 6 or over because of the stacks of cash he stood on that we wasted on him?

Usually he stands on his tippy toes.

 

[Coliseum Ram]

Dont know if this is thread worthy but interesting exercise IMO:

Gun to your head, the Rams, assuming they WILL make a pick at 13, as of March 18th, your LIFE depends on it, the pick will be....?

I have WR Makai Lemon.

 

[DzRams]

Plenty of 6'0" and below wideouts end up not being great as well.

Smith made his adjustment with mostly slot usage, they didn't stick him out there day one on the outside. As it pertains to the Rams the opportunities that you end up sharing with Lemon in the slot will take from Puka. Year one with a wideout that better fits that X role has potential to make this offense stronger in ways the slot addition doesn't.

But I'm starting to sound like the maniac shouting in the wilderness on this one. And I've managed to position myself where I'm looking like I'm working a bit too hard against the idea of Lemon. Where again to me it's just a matter of efficiency in terms of selectively adding to the offense if you're going to not take a defender up high. So we'll see what they do.

I agree with you that I would like an X over a slot WR. So, I don't see you as a maniac shouting in the wilderness. I would add, though, that it's been pointed out that Puka is highly efficient at Z and in the slot and so is Lemon. For that reason, it's taking things a bit too far IMO to say that Lemon would take from Puka.

With or without Lemon, McVay is not going to play Puka 100% in the slot.