Tavon Austin signs 4 year 42 million extension

[Ramfan128]

Meh, he's no Tyler Lockett.....

You're right, he's better.

Again, imagine if he had a top 5 QB and played in a good offense. We'd be talking a very different story here.

at what exactly? he's not a better return guy or a better receiver.

Ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas. Lockett, again this year, will have more return yards, TD's, receptions and receiving yards.[/quote]



Craziest thing about fans of good teams - like the Seahawks - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated production because of better players/schemes/coaches are truly that good. If they were all really that good, the Seahawks would never lose a game. Some of those guys (in this case the WRs), aren't bad players, but they certainly are made to look better by Wilson and the offense they play in. A luxury the Rams WRs obviously don't have.

It's the Wes Welker effect. He was average in Miami. Patriots signed him away and amazingly enough, he broke NFL records....which never would have happened without Brady as his QB.

Lockett did not have more TDs last year. He didn't have more combined yards from scrimmage. And having more return yards isn't relevant.

This despite the fact that Lockett plays in a vastly superior offense. If anything that tells us that Austin isn't just better than Lockett, he's A LOT better. But they are both young and neither have reached their potential yet.

 

[theENGLISHseahawk]

Austin is a lot more valuable to an offense than Doug Baldwin.

Tavon hasn't developed much as a WR, but he's also had 47 subpar QBs throwing to him in his first three years. Imagine him with a QB like Wilson.

This was a good deal for the Rams.

And what would Doug Baldwin's numbers be if he was in a pass-centric offense like Pittsburgh or New England instead of a run-first offense that doesn't feature any one target?

Baldwin is frankly one of the most underrated players in the league. It's to his financial detriment that he landed in Seattle and not one of the more WR-friendly offenses in the league.

As for the deal itself -- the Rams seem to have paid him because he's the best they've got -- not because he actually warrants the deal. That coaching staff has made an absolute dogs dinner of putting together a functioning offense.

 

[Ramfan128]

Austin reminds me a bit of Darren Sproles, though not as good. I'm not sure what Sproles is being paid, but I'd imagine it's significantly less than Austin. And even if Austin where to get to that level, it still would feel like an overpay.

Deandre Hopkins must be fuming.

Hopkins will get paid.

Tavon's season last year was better than anything Sproles has done, and that's playing with awful QBs. Sproles always had the luxury of being the 3rd/4th/5th option in a great offense.

Errr, Sproles has had at least 2-3 seasons better than Austin's 2015 season. 650+ yards, 7 TD's, 75+ receptions.

Austin's best year was last year, and only had 52 catches, 473 yards and 5 TD's.

I get what the Rams are doing, but make no mistake, this contract is 100% about potential if Goff pans out........and 0% about past production. Cause Austin hasn't done anything in 3 years to warrant this much guaranteed money.

Technically in terms of yards and TDs, Sproles had one year better than Austins...but Tavon is still young and has played in a terrible offense, while Sproles played in elite offenses almost his entire career.

If you look at Tavon as a WR, of course this looks bad. He's a hybrid WR/RB, and there really isn't a good comparison for him right now in the NFL. I'm confident that if we had a competent offense with a competent QB, he would look like a star. You see those flashes when you watch him play.

 

[chris98251]

Austin reminds me a bit of Darren Sproles, though not as good. I'm not sure what Sproles is being paid, but I'd imagine it's significantly less than Austin. And even if Austin where to get to that level, it still would feel like an overpay.

Deandre Hopkins must be fuming.

Hopkins will get paid.

Tavon's season last year was better than anything Sproles has done, and that's playing with awful QBs. Sproles always had the luxury of being the 3rd/4th/5th option in a great offense.

Errr, Sproles has had at least 2-3 seasons better than Austin's 2015 season. 650+ yards, 7 TD's, 75+ receptions.

Austin's best year was last year, and only had 52 catches, 473 yards and 5 TD's.

I get what the Rams are doing, but make no mistake, this contract is 100% about potential if Goff pans out........and 0% about past production. Cause Austin hasn't done anything in 3 years to warrant this much guaranteed money.

Technically in terms of yards and TDs, Sproles had one year better than Austins...but Tavon is still young and has played in a terrible offense, while Sproles played in elite offenses almost his entire career.

If you look at Tavon as a WR, of course this looks bad. He's a hybrid WR/RB, and there really isn't a good comparison for him right now in the NFL. I'm confident that if we had a competent offense with a competent QB, he would look like a star. You see those flashes when you watch him play.

Golden Tate ? Did well here, doing well in Detroit but must just be a system guy I guess.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

If you look at Tavon as a WR, of course this looks bad. He's a hybrid WR/RB, and there really isn't a good comparison for him right now in the NFL. I'm confident that if we had a competent offense with a competent QB, he would look like a star. You see those flashes when you watch him play.

Percy Harvin is the closest comparison, and like Harvin teams (including us) have been blinded by the potential of what a player like Harvin or Austin can do for an offense.

Again, this is why Austin got paid. It sure wasn't for his mediocre stats.

IMO this was a desperation move on the Rams part, other than Gurley they are utterly and completely devoid of talent on offense. They had no choice but to pay Austin to keep that potential.

 

[McGruff]

Meh, he's no Tyler Lockett.....

You're right, he's better.

Again, imagine if he had a top 5 QB and played in a good offense. We'd be talking a very different story here.[/quote]

:roll: :34853_doh: :177692:

 

[Chukarhawk]

Meh, he's no Tyler Lockett.....

You're right, he's better.

Again, imagine if he had a top 5 QB and played in a good offense. We'd be talking a very different story here.

at what exactly? he's not a better return guy or a better receiver.

Ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas. Lockett, again this year, will have more return yards, TD's, receptions and receiving yards.

Craziest thing about fans of good teams - like the Seahawks - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated production because of better players/schemes/coaches are truly that good. If they were all really that good, the Seahawks would never lose a game. Some of those guys (in this case the WRs), aren't bad players, but they certainly are made to look better by Wilson and the offense they play in. A luxury the Rams WRs obviously don't have.

It's the Wes Welker effect. He was average in Miami. Patriots signed him away and amazingly enough, he broke NFL records....which never would have happened without Brady as his QB.

Lockett did not have more TDs last year. He didn't have more combined yards from scrimmage. And having more return yards isn't relevant.

This despite the fact that Lockett plays in a vastly superior offense. If anything that tells us that Austin isn't just better than Lockett, he's A LOT better. But they are both young and neither have reached their potential yet.[/quote]


You just said Austin was an elite returner, how is that not relevant? In Lockett's rookie year he already beat Austin's numbers for receiving yards, YPC, and TD receptions in a run first offense.

 

[McGruff]

Meh, he's no Tyler Lockett.....

You're right, he's better.

Again, imagine if he had a top 5 QB and played in a good offense. We'd be talking a very different story here.

at what exactly? he's not a better return guy or a better receiver.

Ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas. Lockett, again this year, will have more return yards, TD's, receptions and receiving yards.

Craziest thing about fans of good teams - like the Seahawks - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated production because of better players/schemes/coaches are truly that good. If they were all really that good, the Seahawks would never lose a game. Some of those guys (in this case the WRs), aren't bad players, but they certainly are made to look better by Wilson and the offense they play in. A luxury the Rams WRs obviously don't have.

It's the Wes Welker effect. He was average in Miami. Patriots signed him away and amazingly enough, he broke NFL records....which never would have happened without Brady as his QB.

Lockett did not have more TDs last year. He didn't have more combined yards from scrimmage. And having more return yards isn't relevant.

This despite the fact that Lockett plays in a vastly superior offense. If anything that tells us that Austin isn't just better than Lockett, he's A LOT better. But they are both young and neither have reached their potential yet.[/quote]

Wes Welker in Miami without Brady and before rule changes favoring passing offenses . . . 3rd year in the league
2006 - 67 receptions for 687 yards and 1 TD, 1064 KR Yards, 378 PR yards for 2129 all purpose yards

Tavon Austin's 3rd and best year in the league
2015 52 receptions for 473 yards and 5 TD's, 434 rushing yards, 16 KR yards, 268 punt return yards and 1 TD for 1191 all purposes yards and 6 TD's.

If Welker was average, what does that make Austin?

 

[McGruff]

Bottom line. Nobody, and I mean nobody, game plans around Tavon Austin. He doesn't scare anyone. When we play the Rams, no one is worrying about 'what are we going to do about Tavon Austin?"

He was overrated and overdrafted when he came into the league, and he has done NOTHING to change that.

 

[Largent80]

:lol: @ Rams again.

 

[Jase]

Craziest thing about fans of good teams - like the Seahawks - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated production because of better players/schemes/coaches are truly that good.

Craziest thing about fans of bad teams - like the Rams - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated pocketbooks because of desperation and terrible GM'ing are truly better than they really are.

 

[Bryce84]

Has he done enough so far to warrant the contract? No. He has shown a lot of improvement since being drafted though, and this could look like a very good deal for the Rams by the end of it, in my opinion. I am not a Jeff Fisher apologist, but as he said, this contract is based on what they expect Tavon to do, not what he has done. It's a bit different scenario than most NFL contracts, and for that reason to the vast majority it looks like a terrible deal. Personally, I'm bumping up Tavon a little in fantasy this year due to this contract, the Rams must view him as a cornerstone to their offense and plan to use him a lot to give him this kind of money.

As far as the whole Tavon vs Doug or Tavon vs Lockett debate - that's a rather silly one. They're different players asked to do different things (especially Doug). I think it's safe to say Doug is a lot more polished as a player. I'd like to think Lockett is too, but we're only in year 2 with him so I'm gonna pump the brakes on expecting him to be Antonio Brown or something. The Rams are starting to get pieces in place for that offense to look NFL-caliber, let's see where Tavon ends up in a few years before laughing at this deal.

 

[Seahwkgal]

Meh, he's no Tyler Lockett.....

You're right, he's better.

Again, imagine if he had a top 5 QB and played in a good offense. We'd be talking a very different story here.[/quote]
What does a QB have to do with return ability again? Who was all-pro as a rookie? Lockett is better, and much cheaper for now.

 

[Coug_Hawk08]

If they spent a first rounder, this would be as embarrassing as our Harvin deal. Gadget player hugely overpaid.

 

[RedAlice]

Craziest thing about fans of good teams - like the Seahawks - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated production because of better players/schemes/coaches are truly that good.

Craziest thing about fans of bad teams - like the Rams - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated pocketbooks because of desperation and terrible GM'ing are truly better than they really are.

Hardly.

I feel pretty accurate.

In a kinda but not really related way - I'm curious to see how Cook does w Rodgers this season.

 

[hawknation2016]

Meh, he's no Tyler Lockett.....

You're right, he's better.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

 

[hawknation2016]

All-Pro Tyler Lockett would be the Rams' best WR since Torry Holt.

Lockett had the 3rd highest receiving DVOA in the NFL, as a rookie. Austin was ranked . . . 86th. Lockett's route running is another level, and his hands are way better.

Austin is a poor man's version of Lockett on a rich man's salary.

 

[RedAlice]

All-Pro Tyler Lockett would be the Rams' best WR since Torry Holt.

Lockett had the 3rd highest receiving DVOA in the NFL, as a rookie. Austin was ranked . . . 86th. Lockett's route running is another level, and his hands are way better.

Austin is a poor man's version of Lockett on a rich man's salary.

I'd love to have Lockett.

Rams WR is a huge glaring weakness, and even more so a weakness of Fisher's creation since he has been in control of it for 4 years. I don't generally jump on the hate Fisher ride, but for this in particular, I completely fault him.

As was so elegantly stated above by Bryce84, Austin is being paid for his expected deliverables. If he delivers, all is fine. If he doesn't, well now.

As a Rams fan who absolutely loves my team, I am all in on seeing Austin deliver.

A bit off topic - but Spruce is one to watch. Not mentioned much, but he has a thing about catching the ball and not dropping it.

 

[Ramfan128]

All-Pro Tyler Lockett would be the Rams' best WR since Torry Holt.

Lockett had the 3rd highest receiving DVOA in the NFL, as a rookie. Austin was ranked . . . 86th. Lockett's route running is another level, and his hands are way better.

Austin is a poor man's version of Lockett on a rich man's salary.

You are way overrating Lockett here. Having an elite QB and playing in a better offense in general will make you look much better.

Also, he's an all pro return man - not WR

 

[Ramfan128]

Craziest thing about fans of good teams - like the Seahawks - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated production because of better players/schemes/coaches are truly that good.

Craziest thing about fans of bad teams - like the Rams - is that it seems like most of you guys truly believe your average players that have inflated pocketbooks because of desperation and terrible GM'ing are truly better than they really are.

Lol nice...original. I like it.

But you're wrong. I'm VERY critical of the Rams. But on bad teams their exists players that would be better in a different situation - to me that's Austin.

There are also players that are elite despite their situation - that's Todd Gurley.

And there are players that are overrated by our fans - that's players like Kenny Britt, Trumaine Johnson, EJ Gaines, etc.


I shouldn't have made a general sweeping statement like that, but the homerism here sometimes is outrageous.