LA Rams Offseason: Does Sean McVay need a “tall” wide receiver?

In December, CBS Sports activities’ Jared Dubin highlighted some of the top slot receivers within the NFL who had been nonetheless enjoying on their rookie offers in 2020. Amongst them was LA’s Cooper Kupp, who was probably the most focused participant on a 16-person checklist that additionally included JuJu Smith-Schuster, Deebo Samuel, Chris Godwin, Brandon Aiyuk, Curtis Samuel, and CeeDee Lamb.

Kupp is tied with Lamb because the tallest on checklist at a top of 6’2, adopted by Smith-Schuster and Godwin at 6’1, then Aiyuk at 6’, and eventually each Samuels at 5’11.

Dubin describes how the evolution of soccer has helped the three shortest guys in that small group I simply highlighted, plus 6’1 2020 rookie Laviska Shenault, thrive in a contemporary passing offense that’s primarily asking working backs to line up as slot receivers.

These guys are mainly vast receiver/working again hybrids whose coaches attempt to get them the ball nonetheless, at any time when, wherever they will. Deebo Samuel had a sport the place he had a unfavourable common depth of goal. Aiyuk’s first two profession touchdowns had been runs. Curtis Samuel has seven video games with a number of catches and a number of rush makes an attempt. Shenault has three of these. The best way this final group breaks tackles permits for them for use in all kinds of how, which forces defenses into all types of uncomfortable positions.

Most followers are additionally conscious at this level that backs are recurrently lining up as receivers and diversifying their expertise as weapons, that includes gamers like Alvin Kamara, J.D. McKissic, Nyheim Hines, Christian McCaffrey, James White, and Austin Ekeler recurrently catching passes.

It makes the job of discovering defensive gamers who can cowl the slot an advanced tug-of-war for strategical benefits.

Along with the benefit of getting pseudo working backs as receivers, Dubin breaks down what makes guys just like the 6’2 Kupp and 6’1 Godwin so invaluable within the slot.

Godwin strains up inside extra as a proactive tactic, with the Bucs preferring to make use of him there so he can acquire a bodily benefit over the smaller cornerbacks who are inclined to play inside. Kupp advantages from the free releases lining up off the road of scrimmage affords to fit receivers (he’s not notably quick), however he’s additionally arguably the very best blocking vast receiver within the league proper now, and aligning near the formation permits him higher participation within the run sport.

Final season, the Rams featured Kupp, 6’ Robert Woods, and 6’3 Josh Reynolds as their high three wideouts. Second spherical decide Van Jefferson measured in at 6’1, 200 lbs, and whereas he didn’t take part within the mix or run a 40-yard sprint, it was speculated that he may have run within the low 4.4-range and been one of many quickest gamers within the 2020 draft.

The opposite two receivers on the roster final season had been 6’1 Trishton Jackson and 5’10 Nsimba Webster.

There’s been hypothesis that LA wants a “speedy” receiver subsequent season, however Jefferson might be one of many quickest gamers on the workforce and the one anticipated loss from the group is Reynolds, who completed with 85 targets in 18 video games, together with playoffs. Reynolds additionally had a mean depth of goal of 10.4 yards, highest on the workforce. Jefferson was second at 10.2, whereas Woods was at 6.7 and Kupp at 6.0.

However there are causes to imagine these averages received’t stick.

In 2019, Woods had an ADOT of 8.4 and Kupp was at 7.2. In 2018, when the workforce was its most profitable, Woods was at 11.4 and Kupp was at 8.4. With the changeover at quarterback from Jared Goff to Matthew Stafford, we are able to safely speculate that LA’s deep passing will a minimum of enhance from the passer’s perspective:

Per NFLSIS Data Hub, Stafford had 62 deep makes an attempt and ranked fifth in ranking, whereas Goff solely had 42 makes an attempt (third-lowest price of any quarterback with a minimum of 400 complete makes an attempt) and ranked sixteenth.

With Reynolds getting into free company and looking out unlikely to re-sign, two inquiries to ponder are “Do the Rams want a deep risk?” and “Do the Rams want top on the place?”

I feel the primary query has already been addressed and could possibly be answered with low-cost, low-risk strikes at receiver whereas specializing in the highest three gamers who’re below contract: Kupp, Woods, and Jefferson. The workforce can be believed to assume extremely of Jackson. However with Kupp now the tallest receiver on LA’s roster at 6’2, is it nonetheless anticipated that NFL offenses want “tall” receivers?

Maybe not more than cornerbacks and it’s changing into evident that top isn’t practically as massive of a priority with that place as pace and the flexibility to sort out distinctive and bodily runners like Deebo and Curtis Samuel.

Or shifty, clever, quick receivers like Woods.

And this man…

As a matter of truth, exterior of DK Metcalf, Seattle’s 6’4, 230 lb receiver who can also be the Seahawks’ quickest participant — a minimum of in the one sense that issues — the NFC West doesn’t actually characteristic any tall receivers of notice.

It’s truly changing into more and more tougher to seek out them anyplace within the league.

DeAndre Hopkins is 6’1. So is Justin Jefferson, Davante Adams, and Calvin Ridley, and people 4 gamers, together with Hopkins, ranked Third-Sixth in receiving yards in 2020. Stefon Diggs, the NFL’s main receiver final season, is 6’ even. So is Terry McLaurin and A.J. Brown. Receivers below 6’ embody Tyreek Hill, Brandin Cooks, Tyler Lockett, and Diontae Johnson.

Buffalo’s Cole Beasley, a second-team all-pro final season, is 5’8.

The one vast receivers who’re above 6’1 and totaled a minimum of 1,000 yards final season had been Metcalf, Allen Robinson (6’2), Robby Anderson (6’3), and Mike Evans (6’5). A number of extra simply missed the 1,000-yard cutoff, together with Keenan Allen (6’2), Corey Davis (6’3), Marvin Jones (6’2), and Kupp.

Although LA may lose their tallest wideout, it doesn’t appear to be a selected “want” for any workforce. The Kansas City Chiefs do most of their passing work by a 5’10 receiver and a good finish. Aaron Rodgers compelled greater than twice as many targets to Adams as some other participant, together with the 6’4 Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Bucs do have Evans, but in addition closely featured Antonio Brown and Scotty Miller, each below 6’.

The highest receivers getting into the draft are JaMarr Chase (6’1), DeVonta Smith (6’1), and Jaylen Waddle (5’10). Different sub-6’ receivers who could go in the first two days are Kadarius Toney (5’11), Rondale Moore (5’9) and Tutu Atwell (5’9). The one “tall” receiver who could be projected that top is LSU’s Terrace Marshall (6’4), a possible late first spherical decide. It was solely again in 2019 that Marshall was teamed up in a trio with Chase and Justin Jefferson, which can be when he was the quantity three participant on his workforce as an alternative of the primary.

It doesn’t essentially maintain true as of late that the tallest receiver is the primary receiver. It appears to be tougher to seek out and the actual search won’t be for the precise receivers anymore, however the precise cornerbacks, safeties, and linebackers who can assist cowl these more and more harmful weapons.