Countdown to Camp is a series breaking down the Rams roster by position group heading into training camp. The eighth installment examines the wide receivers.
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What's next for an offense that reached heights including a wide receiver winning the NFL's fourth receiving triple crown since 1970 and a quarterback tying his career-high in passing touchdowns?
Part of the answer lies in the quarterback – Matthew Stafford – taking more ownership of the offense, as he said was his goal for his second season with the Rams. The other part of the answer lies in the pass-catchers, especially the wide receivers like Cooper Kupp and free agency acquisition Allen Robinson II.
As Los Angeles' offense looks to evolve in 2022, both of them – plus returnees like Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek and Tutu Atwell – will play a pivotal role in taking that step forward.
Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen said during minicamp that Robinson is capable of doing a lot of the same things Kupp can, in terms of the routes they ask Kupp to run. Robinson himself has made it clear he's more than just a contested catch specialist. Having two players capable of doing that, and essentially being able to line them up in different spots, can help create various mismatches against opposing secondaries.
Jefferson emerged as a capable big-play threat in the passing game, and Skowronek gained valuable playing time when the wide receiver room was hit hard due to injuries. However, the most intriguing young receiver is arguably Atwell, who began putting in work earlier this offseason to ensure Year 2 goes better than Year 1. If that work pays off, it would give the Rams another deep threat in the passing game.
Put it all together, and the possibilities are intriguing for the Rams wide receivers in 2022.