The Los Angeles Rams made a splash in free agency with the addition of veteran wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
In Jackson, head coach Sean McVay got a speedster that is capable of stretching the field and keeping the defense honest over the top. Even he was admittedly excited to play his part as a decoy in the passing game.
Unfortunately, Jackson’s role has not yielded much production through the first two games of the 2021 NFL season. This has forced McVay to explore ways to get him more involved.
McVay blamed himself for Jackson’s minor role in the offense thus far and is adamant about making sure it changes, via Cameron DaSilva of USA Today:
“I have to figure out a better way to get him involved. He’s too good of a player,” McVay said Monday. “We brought him here to impact and influence the game and that’s something that’s going to be reflected moving forward. Really, there’s nothing that DeSean didn’t do. I’ve got to figure out a better way of getting him involved in a rotation, so that he can affect and influence the outcome of the game and that’s what you’ll see moving forward.”
The homecoming for Jackson was supposed to be magnified by his ability to bring an explosive element to the offense. However, he hauled in just two receptions for 21 yards in the season opener before going without a catch in Week 2.
If McVay is going to utilize the skill set of quarterback Matthew Stafford to its full potential, he will need to find ways to solidify Jackson as an immediate threat on the outside. OF course, it remains to be seen exactly how he plans to get him more involved.
Outside of their attempt to get Jackson in some open space versus the Chicago Bears, he is still trying to find a way onto the pecking order for Stafford. Not to mention, Stafford has clearly grown quite comfortable with wide receiver Cooper Kupp as his go-to option.
Jackson expressed optimism this offseason that he would be the one to build a deep connection with his quarterback on the field. Even if the game script has not yet called for heavy dosage of him, McVay is clearly looking to help him get more comfortable in their scheme.
The Rams are going to need their firepower to be on full display when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium in Week 3.
