LA Rams: 3 ways WR Ben Skowronek contributes to offense instantly
By Bret Stuter
Sure handed
Successful offenses mix a complementary blend of receiver talents, which gives the play-calling various options throughout the course of a football game. In 2020, the LA Rams receivers seemed to all play a very similar style. While it’s tough to find many faults with the play of veteran receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, the Rams offense felt like it needed other types of targets at times. Of course, when your uncle is former Rams quarterback Trent Green, that can open a door or two
Skowronek has strong muscular paws that squeeze on the football like a vise. He may not be fast, but he’s furious. Rather than an arsenal of speed or separation skills, this guy offers the finesse of a quarterhorse. When the Rams offense runs up against a rather physical secondary, he is the guy you will applaud quickly, because he can be one tough sonofagun when the ball is in the air.
The guy is a ferocious receiver and loves to rip the ball out of defenders’ hands. He loves to pit his ability against that of a defender because he more often than not wins. Those are excellent qualities, and certainly seem to be areas not currently possessed by the team’s previous receiving corps.
Skowronek won’t endanger any of the Rams’ top three receivers. But he may be a guy that head coach Sean McVay slips onto the field for specific down and distances, or perhaps in the red zone. We know that veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford loves to thread the needle on his passes. It could be that due to Stafford, Skowronek will see passes thrown his way.