St. Louis Rams Most Glaring Need: Wide Receiver

It has been a long time since the St. Louis Rams have been this thin at wide receiver.  One would probably need go back to the 1991-93 era when Henry Ellard and Flipper Willie Anderson were the rather unimpressive combination.

Ellard and Anderson, for example, combined for a total of four touchdowns in the 1991 season.

Torry Holt, whose three touchdowns put him one short of the 1991 receivers, did not have his contract renewed this season.  So the Rams wide receiver core looks to be in an equally troubled position.

Donny Avery will most likely have to bear the load for the team.  It was hoped in some corners that the team would address this deficiency in the draft, but they didn't.

Fifth round selection Brooks Foster from North Carolina may turn out to be a good choice in later years.  Right now he is a work in progress.

Of the Rams current receivers only one has played more than two seasons, Laurent Robinson.  Most of the players were not regulars and were hardly counted on for consistent play.

With no veteran presence it could make for a difficult time.

I would expect the Rams know all of this.  They have concentrated on the basics, at offensive line and defense so far in free agency and the draft so this is still a work in progress.

I would suspect that the coaching staff are looking long term and so bringing in an instant fix makes no sense at this point.

But do not be surprised that Avery and whomever becomes his partner on the other side will not be a focal point for the offence.

In my judgement the Rams felt they had bigger problems. 

They are probably right.

Yet with such a glaring weakness it is apparent that the team will struggle on offense. 

If teams can focus on stuffing the run they will force the Rams to pass the ball.  With no threats outside of Avery it will be very predictable.

Certainly walk on players and late rounders can have success.  The names of Tony Romo, Willie Parker, and Wes Welker are recent late round or undrafted players who later found success.

But in the immediate future the team will once again struggle.  It could be a very long season for the team and the fans.

So prepare for the new era.  The first in a number of years where the Rams will be forced to depend often on the three yards and a cloud of dust method of moving the ball.

It will have to work if the Rams are to avoid having another abysmal season like last year. 

The only question is will the fans be patient enough to watch this team once again fall back against strengthened opposition?

Long term plans may be realistic, but after a number of years out of the playoffs the fans may not be happy to wait.