Tavon Austin’s receiving numbers for Rams in 2017 so far are embarrassing

With all of the money he’s making from the Los Angeles Rams, it’s beyond frustrating to see Tavon Austin’s lack of involvement in the passing game.

After only winning four games all of last season, the Los Angeles Rams have every reason in the world to be thrilled at the moment by sitting with a 5-2 record heading into their bye week, already topping their win total from a year ago. What Sean McVay has been able to accomplish in such a short period of time has truly been amazing, and while there have been numerous players who have stepped it up big time, the Rams would still love to see more from Tavon Austin on offense.

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Prior to last season, Los Angeles made the surprise move of rewarding Austin with a four-year, $42 million extension he clearly didn’t deserve, but after the wideout earned 10 trips in the end zone in 2015, the organization seemed convinced he would be worth it. Instead, Austin was a complete bust last season after only finishing with 509 receiving yards (sadly, a career high), which is terrible for a player who is supposed to be a No. 1 wideout.

To top it off, Austin has taken a major step back this year when it comes to his impact in the passing game since he’s only caught seven passes for 34 yards in seven games. Even if McVay hasn’t been using him as much since he’s proving to be more valuable in the ground game (135 rushing yards with a touchdown), it’s still frustrating to see these kind of numbers on Austin’s end when looking at the kind of money he’s making from the Rams, money that clearly deserves to be used on other players.

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When looking at these disappointing numbers, it’s no wonder Austin has seen his name thrown around in trade talks dating back to the offseason, although it’s tough to imagine a team wanting to bring the former first-round pick on board with that kind of contract. On a positive note, at least Los Angeles is in a better position this season than a year ago at receiver since Austin isn’t considered the top target while other players such as Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp continue to step it up on a weekly basis.