After the conclusion of the NFL Draft and most free agents finding homes with new teams, the Rams have seemed to come out of it with an improved offense. Yes, they lost Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks but have filled their absence with capable players who can make a big impact.
Back Field
When Gurley was healthy, he was arguably the best running back in the NFL. Keyword there being WHEN. Gurley’s health has deteriorated over the past couple of seasons with his knee injury and has affected his level of play. That injury had also affected the offense as a whole that depended on him to carry the run game. He blocked Darrell Henderson from being able to get more carries and show us the level of talent he truly has. This year he figures to do just that while sharing the workload with incoming rookie Cam Akers. The former Seminole will be able to immediately contribute to the team after rushing for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons behind some terrible O-lines. Those two are more than capable of outperforming Gurley’s past production and reigniting the team’s run game.
Receiving Corps
The Brandin Cooks trade hurt many fans who were sad to see him go. Brandin Cooks was a great deep threat and excelled during his time with the Rams, even with a down year this past season. LA still has two 1,000 yard receivers in Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. Those two can again see those numbers again they are able to stay healthy enough. Josh Reynolds figures to take a step forward and play a bigger role in the offset this season after showing promising results last year. If he can’t produce than the team has second-round pick Van Jefferson and his polished route-running. We also can’t forget about Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee who are some of the most underrated tight ends in the game. They also have TE Bryce Hopkins who the Rams feel can contribute out of the slot.
Offensive line
Yes, this is about the Rams offense improving but many Rams fans were furious and confused on why the Rams didn’t upgrade their line vis the draft so let’s address it. The Rams have depth at the position there’s no denying that, but it’s the talent that is lacking. Andrew Whitworth who is 38 years old and Rob Havenstein seem the most likely to have a spot, while everyone else will be shuffled around. The awfulness of the line could be attributed to the injuries and limited playing time that players such as Havenstein or Evans. The team feels that the groups can improve this year and with the way they played last year, it has to get better.
Conclusion
The Rams have added some exciting pieces to their offense and are trusting in returning players to perform this year. While the team didn’t meet expectations last year after making into the playoffs the previous two years, it showed signs of life late in the season. Their 12-personnel scheme and exciting weapons are set to hopefully improve the team’s look and open more opportunities for the offense to grow.
Do you think we improved?
