With the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp in full swing, the Los Angles Rams were finally able to get a firsthand look at the new pieces to this revamped offense.
Of course, among the most notable have been that of quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Following their blockbuster acquisition of Stafford, the Rams made it clear that they wanted to bring back an explosive element to the offense that it had been lacking in recent years.
They made it come to fruition by bringing in one of the NFL’s best deep threats in Jackson during free agency. Given his skill set and ties to L.A., the decision to join a couple of offensive juggernauts in Stafford and head coach Sean McVay was an easy one to make.
It appears not much needed to be explained to Jackson regarding his role in the offense. The veteran speedster says he and Stafford will stick with what got them here in the first place, via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times:
“You continue to be great and just throw the ball, and I’m going to continue to be great and just run past everybody and use my speed,” Jackson said, chuckling, during a videoconference with reporters. “I think that’s the good niche about us, we’re just going to be dialed in and just continuously just learn the plays — and once the season starts, we’ll be in rare … form.”
Like Stafford, Jackson made the deep ball his own art form throughout a stellar career. Even if the simplistic approach is all that is necessary, they will still have the benefit of a full offseason to get on the same page now that teams are no longer limited by the restrictions of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Rams’ passing attack is already headed by an elite route-running combo in Robert Woods and Cooper. Meanwhile, the emergence of Van Jefferson should help provide some quality depth in the receiving corps.
However, the onus will fall on Jackson and rookie wide receiver Tutu Atwell to help stretch the field for the rest of the offense. McVay has even praised the similarities between the pair when it comes to both their speed and ability to track the ball downfield.
Woods acknowledged that the surplus of talented weapons is necessary for teams hoping to contend for a Super Bowl. Fortunately, Jackson’s comments show he is well aware that players like himself and Atwell do not need very many touches in order to make a significant impact on the game.
