Five 2014 NFL rookies who will take a big step in 2015

May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Teddy Bridgewater (Louisville) poses for photos with his jersey after being selected as the number thirty-two overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Minnesota Vikings at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dec 21, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (90) defends against St. Louis Rams tackle Greg Robinson (79) during the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. New York defeated St. Louis 37-27. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

Greg Robinson, OT, St. Louis Rams

Last season played out pretty much as some folks predicted for Greg Robinson, with the added bonus of a ton of injuries on the St. Louis Rams offensive line.

Robinson struggled as a pass blocker, which made sense as he was a very good run blocker with work to do in pass protection. Unfortunately, the rest of the line around him was hammered by injuries and so instead of continuing to work at guard, with an experienced left tackle to help him out, Robinson was thrown right into the deep end at left tackle.

You can’t put a guy who needs to improve his pass rushing at left tackle and expect good ply—especially in the NFC and specifically the NFC West, which has some outstanding defenses. His cause also wasn’t helped by the constant issues at quarterback again in 2014.

This year things will be different. With an offseason of preparation for taking over left tackle permanently, Robinson should have improved his pass-blocking immensely. The rest of the offensive line has new faces or will see younger players gain more time as older (and injury prone) veterans departed. The one big returning name is Roger Saffold, who didn’t look good last season but also had a shoulder injury which hampered his play.

He’s healthy now and that should help him play better, as well as assist Robinson when the second-year player needs it.

Having Nick Foles under center should help a lot as well. Foles is able to get rid of the ball quickly, far more than Austin Davis or Shaun Hill were, and that leaves Robinson out on the edge for less time and therefore takes some pressure off him.

Robinson’s play suffered just as much from factors around him as it did from his own issues and inexperience. This year, with what should be a more stable offensive line, a more reliable quarterback and a year under his belt, Robinson should take a big step forward.

Next: Dominique Easley, DT, New England Patriots

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