Predictions for LA Rams 8 top free agents this year

Free Agent V – Wide receiver Josh Reynolds

Background– Wide receiver Josh Reynolds had great promise and potential. Unfortunately, it didn’t come together for him until the final year of his contract. But 2020 was his career-best in many ways.

Strengths – Reyolds came into his own as the ‘third receiver’ on the Rams offense. In his fourth NFL season, he finally learned how to leverage his 6-foot-3 196-pound frame to create an open target for his quarterback. The result was nearly doubling his catches and yardage. That fourth season will certainly place Reynolds on some NFL teams’ shopping list. He is a big, tall, speedy, and finally productive receiver.

Weaknesses – Reynolds certainly took his time to get productive, and in many ways, that journey is still ongoing. He had over half of his career touchdowns in 2018 (5). Since then, he has been more adept at moving the chains than putting up points. And despite a good 2020 season, his career catch rate is a modest 56.2 percent. He was expected to be a deep threat receiver but never delivered in that role.

Estimated market value – Reynolds remains a young, big, and fast receiving-target who has playoff experience. That itself starts the bidding at $5-6 million per season. His flash of solid potential could bump that to $7 million per year for a team in real need of an experienced receiver.

Estimated team action – The LA Rams extended both Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods in 2020 and drafted Van Jefferson in the 2020 NFL Draft. But the final nail in the coffin was likely when the team kept undrafted free agent Trishton Jackson. Jackson is slightly shorter, but his speed and skillsets are an almost mirror image for Reynolds, but at a fraction of the price.

Most likely team to sign him – It’s impossible to avoid linking any offensive free agent player from the Rams to the Detroit Lions. It’s too obvious. But keep a sharp eye on the San Francisco 49ers, who would have a tremendous set of receivers by adding Reynolds. But the Baltimore Ravens desperately need a big wide receiver as well. And the New York Jets may be in the market as well.