The Rams do a great job of landing big-name players, like Odell Beckham Jr. Now, they have to figure out how to use him.
Beckham’s former teammate in Cleveland, John Johnson III, played for the Rams through 2020. He had some thoughts on the subject of where OBJ fits.
“I just feel like they had a good thing going, like a complete offense,” Johnson said, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Being in L.A., I know for a fact that the offense runs through Cooper Kupp. Even in the run game, the pass game, the screen game. It kind of runs through Cooper Kupp. Obviously, Odell’s a big name. He’s gonna want that attention as well. It’ll be interesting. Coach [Sean] McVay, he’s one of the best doing it. I know he’ll find a way to get it done. But right off the bat, I’m like, I wouldn’t really want to go there if I were him. But we’ll see how it goes.”
Beyond Kupp, the Rams have Robert Woods and Van Jefferson. They recently cut DeSean Jackson because (drum roll) he thought he wasn’t getting the ball enough.
OBJ basically replaces Jackson. And now, McVay will have to get Beckham sufficiently involved so that he doesn’t think he made a mistake.
Given the extent to which he apparently agonized over the decision, he’s destined to have doubts. Unless the Rams immediately put him in the Jefferson role or even the Woods role. And given the confidence level that NFL players need in order to thrive, Beckham may think he can eventually assume the Kupp role.
However it goes, it will indeed be interesting. It feels like there’s no middle ground. The Rams either explode offensively, or a rift arises in the receiver room that creates dissension and jealously and complaints and resentment, and it all falls apart.
And remember this -- it’s all happening after a game in which the Titans systematically dismantled the L.A. offense by getting to quarterback Matthew Stafford before he could get rid of the ball. If that continues, it won’t matter where or how OBJ fits into the receiving hierarchy.