5 breakout offensive stars for LA Rams Coach O’Connell

WR Reynolds

Wide receiver Josh Reynolds is believed to be the receiver who will fill former Rams receiver Brandin Cooks‘s ability to stretch the field. He can’t. In fact, the 2019 version of the Rams offense proved that the long ball to Cooks was not nearly as effective as the team needed. The time necessary for the play to develop simply didn’t happen, so Cooks was often found chasing down overthrown balls.  So Josh Reynolds will not try to replace Cooks on the offense.  He is a quick and agile wide receiver who will keep defenses honest, all the while quietly amassing a career season for the Rams.  He will simply do his own thing.

So far, his own thing has been serving in a patient fourth wide receiver option for the Rams offense. When WR Cooper Kupp was injured in 2018, it was Reynolds who stepped onto the field as an outside wide receiver role, allowing Robert Wood to slid into a slot receiver role.

Josh Reynolds will be asked to exercise that same versatility for the Rams offense in 2020. While his catch rate needs to improve in 2020, the team will give him routes with a higher catch rate. In short, the Rams organization needs Reynolds to succeed in 2020. If he plays well and stays, the Rams have a future veteran receiver. If he plays well but leaves? The LA Rams will be awarded a compensatory pick from the NFL.