5 LA Rams at perilous risk of losing starting job in training camp

Wide receiver

Wide receiver Josh Reynolds has waited a long time for his shot, and it has finally arrived. Unfortunately, so has a rookie wide receiver, Van Jefferson.  While Jefferson is getting a ton of reps on the first-string and second-string,  Reynolds takes his practice snaps when he can get them. The reality of the 2020 season is that Josh Reynolds in not simply trying to retain his place in the Rams pecking order, but he’s working on proving his value for a new 2021 NFL contract.

The LA Rams have a bit of a logjam at the wide receiver position this year. But the team is keeping an eye on the 2021 group as well.  As of today, neither Josh Reynolds nor Cooper Kupp is part of that group, yet. So that complicates matters a bit.

Play for today, hope for tomorrow

Reynolds is a home-run receiver. He is the guy you get the ball to and hope he can break one for a score. He takes the lid off the defense’s secondary. He struggles with catching the ball, having a career average of just over 50 percent.  He’ll need to be far better this season to stay on the field.  Even if he does do a better job, he’ll feel the heat of Jefferson breathing down his neck.

Jefferson plays a different type of receiver game. Which style will the Rams feature on each play? With the Rams struggling last year to protect Goff for the deep passing plays, that will be a huge question mark this year. How long will Reynolds be able to keep his job?  Today’s scrimmage will likely decide that.