Los Angeles Rams’ Brian Quick to be lost in free agency?

At the very top of round two of the 2012 NFL draft, the Rams drafted wide receiver Brian Quick from Appalachian State. A big man from a small college, Quick was brought in to be a legitimate number one target for Sam Bradford. Unfortunately, like so many other receivers that have worn the blue and gold over the last ten years, Quick has not produced what the Rams had hoped he would.

Not that Quick has been without signs of promise. In 2014 with Austin Davis under centre, Quick was on course for by far his best season before a shoulder injury in week 7 against Kansas City put him on injured reserve for the rest of the campaign. In less than seven games, Quick put up 375 yards and 3 touchdowns. These were both career highs, despite playing in double-digit numbers of games in each of his other three seasons.

The question for the Los Angeles Rams is, does less than half a good season justify keeping Quick around? The Rams are still looking for a 1000-yard receiver and Quick has yet to reach that figure for his career total since being drafted, never mind in a single season.

As things stand, Brian Quick is set to be one of several members of the Los Angeles Rams who will become an unrestricted free agent. The front office do not have masses of time remaining to decide whether they will bring Quick back or let him hit the open market.

Given the levels of production the Rams have seen from Quick in his four years, he is unlikely to be gunning for mega bucks in free agency. Accordingly, he would probably not do too much damage in terms of the salary cap if the Rams did decide to bring him back. According to Spotrac.com, the Los Angeles Rams are currently in not too bad a spot compared to many other teams in terms of cap space going into 2016. However, that’s not to say that bringing back what should be a cheap option and use that free cap room to bring in a top tier free agent or two elsewhere should not be ruled out as an option.

Any decision on Quick’s future will also depend on whether the Rams have their eyes set on potential targets to bring in during free agency. With the introduction of new receivers coach Mike Groh from Chicago, one potential high profile target may be the Bears’ Alshon Jeffery. 2016 will see a number of receivers scheduled to hit free agency – with varying degrees of probability that the Rams may be interested. If Fisher and Snead were targeting one of the big names, it could mean the end for Quick.

Ultimately, whether or not Brian Quick remains with the Los Angeles Rams going into 2016 will be a matter of whether the front office feels he has run out of chances. Everyone is willing to give a rookie receiver a little patience and understanding in terms of giving them time to adjust to the speed of the NFL, particularly coming into an offense without an established quarterback. However, after four years it is not unfair to say that Quick has underperformed. We will find out soon if the 2015 season was Brian Quick’s last with the Rams.