3 draft picks the LA Rams gave up on far too soon
By Bret Stuter
II: With the 117th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft . . .
the LA Rams selected 6-foot-3 194-pound WR Josh Reynolds. For his four seasons with the team, the team tried to use his size and speed to push him downfield to test the back end of opposing secondaries. Unfortunately, the combination of QB Jared Goff throwing deep to Josh Reynolds never really clicked, and the team allowed Reynolds to sign with a new NFL team after his contract had expired.
Isn't it ironic that the LA Rams are rumored to be seeking a tall wide receiver, one 6-foot-3 or taller, to add to this offense in 2024?
While Josh Reynolds has yet to hit his 1000 receiving yards in a season, he has been a solid option for the Detroit Lions offense. He reunited with his former Rams quarterback, Jared Goff, and helped to focus the Lions offense almost instantly. In four seasons with the Rams, Reynolds put up over 1450 yards, nine touchdowns, and a catch rate of 56.2 percent.
In three seasons in the Lions offense, he put up 1393 yards, 10 touchdowns, and improved his catch rate to 61 percent. He even improved his route depth, increasing his yards per target from 7.2 yards per target with the Rams to 8.8 yards per target in the Lions offense.
I find it curious that the LA Rams did not sign Josh Reynolds to a two-year deal for $6 million, allowing the Denver Broncos to do so this offseason. I believe that Reynolds could prove to be a key contributor in the Rams 2024 season if given the chance.