Is Rams receiver Robert Woods the best addition of 2017?

When they look back at how the Los Angeles Rams turned it around so quickly in 2017, one name that will be near the top of the list of key reasons and contributors is wide receiver, Robert Woods.

When the 2017 free agent signing period began, the Los Angeles Rams had a lot on the shopping list. With a new head coach, uncertainty in what second year quarterback Jared Goff might or might not be, and holes up and down the offensive line, what an opening day roster might look like was a crap shoot.

After posting another sub .500 record in 2016, first year head coach Sean McVay went to work and remade an offense that was a BFF with last place NFL statistical categories.

They are BFF’s no more.

And as promising as former Buffalo Bills receiver Sammy Watkins was, he wasn’t the best the Rams got from the AFC also-ran.

That would be Robert Woods.

Woods has been a solid addition to the Rams offense and an increasing security blanket for Goff. His emergence has overshadowed an already significant rookie season for Cooper Kupp, completely overshadowed Watkins, and has been a nice 1-2 punch with would be MVP Todd Gurley.

Mostly, and what many if not most will point to, is how productive he and Goff have become when it looked like “Goff to Kupp” would be the go-to call during the Rams season. When Woods became injured, a three game stint that forced McVay to adjust his game plan to compensate for his absence, LA expanded its playmaking.

Bottom line, everyone got better, and fast.

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When the postmortem is completed on the 2017 Los Angeles Rams, the list of those who were key players in turning it around from 4-12, to either 11-4 or 12-4 for the regular season will be notable.

Count on Woods to be near the top of that list.