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The offense for the St. Louis Rams sure is shaping up nicely, but will the third-year wide receiver Tavon Austin have anything to do with it? It will be all or nothing for Austin as he heads into training camp for this upcoming season. As the No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Rams had high expectations for the wide receiver, but he struggled during his rookie season. With only 40 receptions for 418 yards and hauling in four receiving touchdowns, Austin was not living up to the hype. In his second year, there was no improvement as he had only 31 receptions for 242 yards and no receiving touchdowns. Austin was primarily used as a kick and punt returner in his first two seasons, but he has yet to live up to his first-round stock.
With those stats, it’s easy to wonder what went wrong for Austin. There is always another side to the story. The Rams rarely got Austin into space and previous offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer had to create crazy wildcat plays for the speedy receiver. Some would work, but most would result in loss of yards. Now with new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr and new quarterback Nick Foles, Austin has no excuse for another disappointing year.
The only thing that will hold Austin back in training camp is ball security. In his first two seasons, he accumulated nine fumbles on offense and special teams. Austin must work to fix this problem quickly in training camp to build up the trust of Cignetti Jr. Austin will have to prove himself in order to get his name called on Sunday, as no offensive coordinator will start a receiver with ball security problems.
Austin has all the makings of a top speedy receiver in the NFL. With his returning vision skills and quick agility, Austin can finally play an important role in the Rams’ offense. This could be Austin’s breakout season, but his journey to the top begins in training camp.
Alex Alarcon is a St. Louis Rams beat Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexAlarcon49, and “Like” him on Facebook.
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