Why The Rams Need Brian Quick More Than Ever

August 18, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver

(83) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. The play was reviewed and ruled no touchdown. The Rams won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

In the wake of not only passing on a wide receiver in the 2014 NFL Draft, but also the recent suspension of the up and coming wide-out Stedman Bailey, the Rams are now forced to sit back and look at their receiving core. Young, raw talent is the first thing that pops into one’s head when reviewing the Rams overall depth chart, but that is the most evident when you get to the Rams receivers. One of those raw receivers is third-year man, Brian Quick.

Drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft, the Rams had the hopes that Quick would turn into the next “true, number one” receiver that they desperately needed. Well, two full seasons into his career, and the Rams are still looking for his breakout year, and 2014 needs to be the time it finally happens.

Quick certainly has the potential to do so, he has the size (6’3″ 218 lbs) and athleticism that is the starting point to all good receivers. The only problem is, he is inconsistent with his route running and catching ability. Quick can have a game, like the one against Minnesota his rookie year, when he would jump almost completely over a defender to make a circus catch for a touchdown, or have a game where he drops 4 passes, like the one against Carolina last season. Now, it is understandable for a young receiver to have his good days and his bad days, but after two seasons, it should start become more constant.

With the Rams bringing in veteran Kenny Britt on this past offseason, the Rams receiving corps became a little more respectable, so respectable that General Manager Les Snead told the media that there was no need to draft a wide receiver early in the draft (and they ended up not taking one at all), but after the recent 4-game suspension to the aforementioned Bailey, the Rams need all hands on deck. Bailey showed that he can be a reliable pass catcher towards the end of the 2013 season and looked to have a big year in 2014, but that has stalled. It is time for Quick to finally grab the bull by the horns and step up.

Not only do the Rams, as a whole, need Quick to come into the spotlight, but so does quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford is seemingly walking into his “make or break” season in St. Louis, but he cannot do it all on his own. With no true number one on the roster, the Rams are going to have to utilize a receiver-by-committee for at least going into camp. Tavon Austin is a true slot receiver and Chris Givens is a true deep threat, but, from there, it is just a smorgasbord of uncertainty. While Kenny Britt is a solid pickup, he has not played to his upmost potential; being plagued by injury, and having his fair share of run-ins with law enforcement. Austin Pettis is a playmaker, but he, like Quick, has some consistency issues. And now to Quick. Of those three guys, The Rams must have one that comes out and outshines the rest. One of them needs to be the number one guy on the outside.

Now, the Rams certainly would like to have all three shine, but let’s be realistic: when was the last time things seemed to go the way the Rams hoped they would. Of the three, Quick seems to be the guy who still has a lot to prove, and he has the ability to do so, but it needs to happen and it needs to happen fast. The Rams cannot afford to have yet another season of poor, inconstant play out of the Appalachian State product. The Rams need someone to step up out of the shadows, and that person needs to be Brian Quick.