The Los Angeles Rams have not played many of their rookies this season. Their first-round pick has been the emergency quarterback every week and Keagen Trost is a key depth player on the offensive line, but was only just taken off of injured reserve in Week 6. Undrafted free agent Wesley Bailey has been the team's most productive rookie.
It's no surprise that the Rams have brought their rookies along slowly. That's typically how the Rams have handled rookies under Sean McVay outside of a few exceptions. With that said, if last week showed anything, it's that the rookies may be ready to contribute.
Against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Rams were without tight end Colby Parkinson. While the offense started with 11 personnel, they adjusted to more 13 personnel in the second half, which meant more snaps for Max Klare . Klare finished the game with 25 snaps, 20 of which came after halftime.
For the first 7.5 games, the Rams had deemed Klare not ready. However, Klare was the 12th-best run-blocking tight end in Week 8 and showed that he should have gotten snaps earlier.
With some of the Rams' issues at wide receiver, it's fair to wonder whether CJ Daniels is next to see an opportunity. Daniels was a standout in training camp and the preseason. However, he had been inactive for the first six weeks and has played just five snaps combined on offense over the last two games.
Still, on Monday, head coach Sean McVay hinted that Daniels could see more opportunities. "There's a guy in CJ Daniels that's really done a hell of a job that you're going to see get more opportunities moving forward," McVay said.
Daniels would fit exactly what the Rams need at wide receiver with Davante Adams out. It's unrealistic to expect him to replace Adams or solve all of the Rams' problems in the passing game. However, it could be worth giving him a run in the offense, especially if the Rams don't plan on trading for a wide receiver .
He has more size than Konata Mumpfield and Tutu Atwell and can play that "X" wide receiver role. Unlike Atwell, Daniels can win over the middle, and unlike Mumpfield, he provides a bigger target outside the numbers.
Those are things that Daniels showed throughout the offseason and then carried that into the preseason. Daniels had 0.36 targets per route run in the preseason, ranking 15th among wide receivers. He also used his size as he was credited with contested catches on three opportunities.
The Rams have had problems with their wide receiver depth, and it's time for them to try something else. Mumpfield is averaging -0.32 EPA per target and has a targeted success rate of 38.1 percent. It simply has not been good enough at that spot.
At some point, the Rams need to find out whether Daniels can translate what he showed throughout the offseason into regular-season success. While they may have waited too long to get Klare involved when the opportunity came up, they shouldn't make the same mistake with Daniels. The Rams have struggled to find consistent production from their depth receivers, and Daniels brings a different skill set to the offense. If Daniels can prove to be a reliable contributor,it would go a long way toward improving the passing game.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/onsi as Sean McVay Hints at Bigger Role for Rams Rookie CJ Daniels .
