The Rams worked hard to give quarterback Sam Bradford better options to throw to this offseason.
They moved up in the draft to select wide receiver Tavon Austin, but the passing game isn’t going to be heavily slanted toward the eighth overall pick. Nor will it be centered primarily on tight end Jared Cook, who signed a five-year deal with the team as a free agent. Those marquee additions will be part of a balanced attack that utilizes all the skill position players at similar levels. Or so goes the plan laid out by Rams COO Kevin Demoff during an online chat with fans.
“The goal this year is for Sam to be able to throw to the “open” player, and I expect that we will get meaningful contributions from all 5 WR’s, the 2 TE’s and the running backs,” Demoff said, via Turf Show Times. “I think you could see this offense resemble an offense like the Saints where you have 4 or 5 players catch 40-50 balls but nobody who catches 70 or 80. I’m not saying that we are the Saints offense, we need to improve to become that, but more that style where anybody can be a threat on any play. I think that is where we are evolving, letting the down, distance, scheme and coverage dictate who becomes the targeted player.”
Making those decisions is not the only way that the team will be leaning on their quarterback more heavily in the coming season. Demoff said the team was more effective offensively last season when they would go into hurry up mode and said he felt they had the personnel to make spread formations work more often this year because of the mismatches they can create on offense. The quarterback needs to be even more in control of the offense on the field when the pace picks up, as Brees has shown in New Orleans, which adds even more to Bradford’s responsibilities.
The Rams have been clear all offseason they believe Bradford is up to any task they have in mind for him. If they’re right, the NFC West will be all the more interesting for it.