5 LA Rams players who could be 2020 surprise starters

Kick returner

Have I saved the best for last? Time will tell. But if my suspicions are correct,  new special team coordinator John Bonamego lobbied long and hard for the LA Rams to sign Brandon Polk. We know already that the Rams were in regular conversations with the young man up to and after the 2020 NFL Draft. And we also already know that the Rams had already discussed both a punt returner and kick returner roles.

Lobbying that hard for a player who ultimately fell out of the 2020 NFL Draft can tell a lot about the Rams plans for their return game. Either the Rams coaching staff and personnel department are completely off-base, or they know something that the rest of the NFL missed. Let’s presume that with the Rams track record of finding hidden gems in the past, that it’s the Rams who are truly the sharp ones here.

Eat my dust, Brandin Cooks

The LA Rams had to part ways with speedster veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks this offseason. While the Rams landed a 2020 second-round pick for Cooks and a 2022 fifth-round pick in the exchange, did anyone truly believe that the Rams would find a faster player?  Well surprise, they did exactly that. His 4.28-second 40-yard dash time is better than the 4.33-second time held by Cooks.  But speed alone is not enough.  Polk discovered that during his time at Penn State University, where he languished with light usage and few opportunities. It was not until he transferred to James Madison University that he was truly unlocked as a dangerous offensive weapon.

Once he set up shop at JMU, he put up 1,179 yards and 11 touchdowns. So talent is not enough, it also takes the right scheme, coaching staff, teammates, and mindset to succeed at the game of football. Those pieces are already in place with the LA Rams. The Rams have plenty of experience and respect for a receiver who can pop the lid off the back of the defense, and Polk will no doubt get his chances to show his stuff for the Rams offense.  With any luck, QB Jared Goff can get the ball to him in stride.  But Polk’s immediate contribution is that return game that truly needs help. The Rams lobbied to sign him for months prior to the 2020 NFL Draft.