LA Rams: 3 players crucial to Jared Goff’s success in 2020
By Ryan Heckman
3. Wide Receiver Van Jefferson
Last season, Goff threw just 22 touchdowns, which was down from the 32 he threw in 2018. We’ve already established the fact that Gurley’s dip was a major blow to the offense, but Goff also needs that reliable third receiver, which they are hoping comes in the form of a rookie.
Back in 2018 when the Rams saw their height of recent success, the team had a pair of 1,200-yard receivers in Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods. Behind those two, the offense had their third and fourth receivers nearly combine for 1,000 yards in Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds.
In total, the offense had over 3,300 receiving yards from just four wide receivers.
Clearly, it took a village in 2018 for Goff to succeed. The way Sean McVay used so many different players was a masterful work of art. For that reason, rookie Van Jefferson is going to need to find his place real quick.
Obviously, Reynolds is still there. But, the Rams spent a second rounder on Jefferson, so they clearly expect him to come in and play a big role right away — a role that could eventually replace Kupp, should he exit via free agency next year. But, that’s a topic for another day.
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Jefferson, for the time being, should be expected to take on the role of Cooks right away. Though a rookie, he will likely be expected to fill the third receiving spot immediately. If he is able to secure some trust with Goff from the get-go, he’ll fit right in and Goff should see another strong year in terms of overall yardage and, hopefully, an uptick in passing touchdowns.