St. Louis Rams to give Tavon Austin bigger offensive role than seen in preseason
By Bryan Rose
The St. Louis Rams kept things pretty quiet for rookie Tavon Austin during the preseason and understandably so.
One of the most athletically gifted prospects the game has seen in years, Austin brings with him game changing ability but it wasn’t shown much at all during the preseason as the Rams wanted to keep their cards close to their chest.
But now with the preseason complete and the Rams set to open their year tomorrow afternoon, the St. Louis Dispatch is reporting that the Rams plan to feature their talented rookie quiet often:
"Most of the buzz generated about this year’s club revolves around this unit, particularly first-round draft pick Tavon Austin. With the exception of his 81-yard punt return against Denver, Austin showed little in the way of dazzling plays during the preseason. But it’s there, and Austin will be given more opportunities to show it now that the real games are here."
It’s still likely that Austin will be well behind Chris Givens in targets this year, but unlike Givens, Austin will also lineup in the backfield occasionally, allowing him just that many more touches.