Analyzing departures for Los Angeles Rams on offense from 2017 NFL offseason

As training camp is just over a week away, it seems wise to remind us of who is not suiting up for the Rams this year, and who they replaced them with.  Today we look at the offense.

NFL teams change year to year. Even dynasty squads lose players and gain new ones through free agency and the draft. However, when you are in a rebuild like the Los Angeles Rams, complete with a new coaching staff, the change can happen quickly.

Approximately 25 percent of the Rams roster turned over last year. This is a hard number to be exact on, because the roster changes week to week, especially at the bottom end, as players are called up from the practice squad. (Note: this is not counting practice squad players from last season in this formula). We know who the new rookies and free agents are, but let’s remind ourselves of who we lost, and the impact it might have:

Must Read: The Pros and Cons of the Rams Adding Kirk Cousins

Kenny Britt

Kenny Britt (signed four year, $32.5M contract with the Cleveland Browns) was the first 1,000-yard receiver last season for the Rams since Torry Holt in 2007, and he always seemed to be the type of receiver that always seemed like he was one step away from a home run and one drop away from a blooper reel. The reality was somewhere in between. You can’t argue with his production, but you can say that he doesn’t necessarily seem like a “Sean McVay guy” and his price tag was going to be such that he was not a serious option for the Rams. Los Angeles replaced him with Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and Josh Reynolds.

Brian Quick

Brian Quick (signed one year, $775,000 deal with Washington Redskins): joined the Rams in 2012 after being selected in the second round (in addition to a boatload of picks after the Robert Griffin III deal they made in the first round). They had all of Thursday night to decide who to take atop the second round at wide receiver. Alshon Jeffrey, Stephen Hill, and Lavonte David were high on my list. But instead, the Rams went with Quick, who at 6’4” showed some promise. However, when he was having his best season (2014), he injured his shoulder and was out for the year. He never really came back to form, and it was time to move on. Los Angeles brought in a new slew of young receivers who hope they can do what Quick couldn’t.

Greg Robinson

Greg Robinson (traded to Detroit Lions for a sixth-round pick rounder) was a freak of an athlete taken second overall by the Rams in 2014 who never panned out. Los Angeles brought in Andrew Whitworth to do what Robinson could not do, which is sure up the left tackle position. There is not much to say about this other than it was a move that needed to happen and fans wish him nothing but the best in Detroit.

Tim Barnes

Live Feed

Betsided

Tim Barnes (released, signed with San Francisco 49ers) is a blue-collar player out of Missouri who took over for an injured Scott Wells in 2012. A good hustle teammate, but the Rams needed to upgrade.

Demetrius Rhaney (released, signed with Jacksonville Jaguars) is a former seventh-round pick who never panned out. Los Angeles seems to think they have better options in John Sullivan and Austin Blythe, and I agree. It will be interesting to see if Rhaney and Barnes make their respective squads.

Lance Kendricks

Lance Kendricks (released, signed a two-year, $4M contract with Green Bay Packers): is an All-American tight end out of Wisconsin who flashed some speed and was picked the only year Josh McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the Rams. He was a moderate safety blanket for Sam Bradford/Nick Foles/Case Keenum/Jared Goff, but as All or Nothing showed, he was most famous last year for a dropped touchdown. In other words, it was time to move on.

Case Keenum

Case Keenum (free agent, signed with Minnesota Vikings): has officially joined the list of Rams castoff quarterbacks, which include Sam Bradford, Shawn Hill, and now Keenum. A star in college, Keenum was a blue-collar player in the NFL who would show flashes but was part of the reason the Rams’ offense was so bad last year. He has probably earned a spot as one of the 32 backups for the next four to five years, which is not a bad gig.

Related Story: The Case For Jared Goff

Benny Cunningham

Benny Cunningham (free agent, signed with Chicago Bears) has always been a fun player to watch. As the third down back, Los Angeles got to make the most of a favorable cap situation for several years. In the end, though, he was part of the old regime and not someone the team wanted to commit to. The Rams signed running back Lance Dunbar to take over the third-down back duties in free agency.

Chase Reynolds

Chase Reynolds (free agent, unsigned) was mostly a special teamer, and another guy who had value for the old regime, but was easy to see as a castoff. Maybe he will find a spot as a special teamer by the time training camp officially gets underway.