Coach Fisher Excited about Tavon Austin in 2016

Under the leadership of Jeff Fisher, the Los Angeles Rams have managed to construct a strong defense that includes one of the most feared defensive lines in the entire NFL.  Unfortunately, the lack of any real progress on the offensive side of the ball has ultimately limited just how much mileage the team can get out of that defense.

Jeff Fisher has never been known as an offensive-minded coach.  He would prefer the offense prioritize controlling the clock and field position.  It is fair to say that he is very conservative on the offensive side of the ball.  What is not fair, however, is to say that he and the organization have not taken some real risks in recent years to try to improve the offense.

These risks have resulted in the Rams acquiring their feature running back in Todd Gurley and what they hope will be their franchise quarterback in Jared Goff.

Despite these acquisitions, there are still serious questions about the pass-catchers on the current roster.  The offense can only be expected to improve so much if Goff can’t find targets that consistently get open.  If there is no threat from the passing game, it will only be a matter of time before Gurley finds less and less daylight when running the ball.

Many have questions whether the Rams even have a legitimate number one threat on the team. Every receiver on the roster has struggled with consistency over the years.  Might some of these consistency issues be a result of the poor quarterback play?  Definitely.  But as poor as the production out of the quarterback has been, the receivers have not always done much to make life easier for any of the signal-callers that lined up behind center.

While there have been calls for the Rams to continue that search for a true number one receiver, might that player already be on the roster?  If you were to ask Jeff Fisher, it would be clear he believes the Rams need search no longer.

In an interview posted to the Rams’ official website, Jeff Fisher expressed confidence that another draft-day gamble the team took when they moved up to grab Tavon Austin may finally be about to pay off in a big way.  Fisher sees Austin as having the potential to double his production from last season.  Doing so would put Austin in that rare 100-reception club.

The thought of this has to be very exciting to any Rams fan.  But is this a realistic goal for Austin in 2016?  Austin increased his production across the board in his third NFL season.  He flashed even more of that big-play ability that had fans so excited on draft day.  But the Rams have seen only one receiver top the 60-catch marker in the last six years (Danny Amendola surpassed this mark twice).

Is it realistic to expect that a team that has consistently possessed one of the least productive passing attacks in the entire NFL to suddenly add a 100-plus, pass-catching weapon to the mix?  Even if Jared Goff lives up to his lofty expectations, it is not likely that Austin will see such a huge jump in production.

All that being said, this is no reason to lose enthusiasm for the upcoming season.  Austin may not have the kind of breakout season hinted by Coach Fisher.  But the addition of Goff, the growth of Austin and Gurley, combined with the new receiving weapons added in the draft point to noticeable improvement on the offensive side of the ball in 2016.