NFL: RG3, 5 players sure to disappoint in 2014
By Bryce Olin
4. Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams
Last season, Tavon Austin had only 40 receptions for 418 yards. Granted, he was a rookie, but he was also the eighth overall pick in the draft and was supposed to be a boost for the Rams’ offense.
| Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Lng | Y/G |
| 2013 | 13 | 40 | 418 | 10.5 | 4 | 81 | 32.2 |
| Career | 13 | 40 | 418 | 10.5 | 4 | 81 | 32.2 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/19/2014.
Austin told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he had problem with the playbook last season, and that was the cause for his struggles. While that might give some Rams’ fans the comfort and hope to believe Austin is ready to carry the offense this season, the Rams have a quarterback issue and a division issue.
Sam Bradford looked good against the Packers in the preseason, throwing for 101 yards, a touchdown, and completed 9-of-12 passing attempts. The more fans read into Bradford being good and Austin making an impact, the more they will be shocked once the real season starts.
The Rams play against San Francisco, Seattle, and Arizona, three of the top-7 NFL defenses in 2013, SIX TIMES during the regular season. Maybe those defenses won’t be as good, but they’ll still be in the top-10 defenses in 2014.
Austin has all the qualities you’d want in a slot player. He’s quick, fast, and is great in space. The problem remains: if the Rams don’t figure out how to get Austin the ball in space where he can make plays, then he’s not a threat to the defense and he’s not even worth having on the field.
The hype around Austin was crazy coming out of West Virginia. He might have landed in the worst possible situation with a quarterback who can’t stay on the field and a team with no other offensive weapons. Austin would be a great fit in another offense, where he doesn’t have to be the number one option. Unfortunately, that offense isn’t in St. Louis.