Tag: ben skowronek

Making the case for (and against) Ben Skowronek as the Rams’ No. 3 receiver

Ben Skowronek is competing for the WR3 role with the Rams, but should he be their top choice?

Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson will get the bulk of the targets on offense for the Rams this season, but Los Angeles could still use a No. 3 receiver – particularly with Sean McVay’s heavy usage of 11 personnel. The Rams have plenty of candidates competing for that role, including Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowronek, Puka Nacua and others.

We already made the case for and against Atwell as the No. 3 receiver, and now we’re doing the way with Skowronek. He might be considered the front-runner for the job heading into training camp if he’s healthy, given his experience and toughness.

This could be Rams’ first year without a traditional WR trio under Sean McVay

The Rams have typically relied on 3 WRs to play most of the snaps, but that could change in 2023

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Since Sean McVay became the head coach of the Rams, Los Angeles has had a pretty clear-cut setup atop the depth chart at wide receiver. The Rams use a ton of 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) on offense, more so than any other team since 2017, and they don’t often rotate their top three receivers unless it’s out of necessity due to injury.

In 2017, it was Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins. In 2018 and 2019, they had Kupp, Woods and Brandin Cooks. Josh Reynolds was thrust into the No. 3 spot in 2020 alongside Kupp and Woods, a role Van Jefferson took on in 2021 after Reynolds left. And finally, last year, it was supposed to be Kupp, Allen Robinson and Jefferson as the top three before Jefferson got hurt and Ben Skowronek stepped up.

This year, the Rams won’t have a wide receiver trio in the traditional sense, the first time in the McVay era. We know Kupp will be the top target, with Jefferson almost certainly starting with him as the No. 2 receiver. Right now, there’s no clear indication who the No. 3 wideout will be, which is why training camp is going to be so important at that position.

There’s so much competition alongside Kupp and Jefferson that even the Rams don’t know who will be the third starter. Skowronek, Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua are the top contenders to start next to Kupp and Jefferson, with Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson and Lance McCutcheon also in the mix.

What makes this battle so interesting is the variety of players Los Angeles has at wide receiver. Skowronek is never going to wow anyone with his athleticism or speed, but he’s physical enough to line up as a fullback or tight end. Atwell might be the fastest player on the team and is a legitimate vertical threat. Nacua is a rookie but he can turn short receptions into big gains with his elusiveness and he’s very comfortable taking handoffs as a runner the way Woods often did.

The Rams can (and will) be more situational with their wide receivers this year compared to past seasons when they trotted out the same three wideouts on the majority of their offensive snaps.

Need a good blocker in the slot? Call Skowronek’s name. Need to make a big play down the field? Atwell’s the guy. Third-and-short? Nacua could end up being their chain-mover on that crucial down.

The Rams probably won’t rotate their third receiver snaps evenly between several different players, but they’re likely to get all of them involved one way or another. That hasn’t been McVay’s approach in recent years but it might just be his best plan of attack on offense.

McVay has complimented Atwell several times already this offseason and he’s done the same with Nacua, a fast-learning rookie who’s impressed his coaches and teammates already. Skowronek has been injured but he’s expected to be back for training camp.

Wide receiver trios are fun and the Rams have had some of the best in the NFL under McVay, but their depth at the position will help bring some variety to the offense and keep everyone fresh throughout the season.

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PFF ranks Rams’ receiving corps as the 14th-best in the NFL

PFF’s Trevor Sikkema ranked every receiving corps in the NFL and the Rams came in at No. 14, largely due to Cooper Kupp.

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Cooper Kupp remains one of the premier wide receivers in the NFL, which is why it’s tough to rank the Los Angeles Rams too low when speaking about receiving corps. In a recent article, the Rams’ receiving corps was ranked as the 14th-best in the NFL by PFF’s Trevor Sikkema.

Here is what Sikkema said about the Rams’ receiving group ahead of the 2023 campaign:

It was pretty tough to place the Rams on this list. If you replace Cooper Kupp with even an above-average wide receiver, this is probably a bottom-five group in the league. But like the Justin Jefferson effect with Minnesota, Kupp is one year removed from one of the most insanely productive seasons we’ve seen, earning a 93.1 receiving grade with over 2,400 receiving yards on their Super Bowl run.

Van Jefferson is a solid player, and Tyler Higbee has been an underrated tight end with over 500 yards in each of his last four seasons.

Kupp does the heavy lifting here, but with him healthy, it’s hard to put this group much lower.

When healthy, Kupp is one of the best wideouts in the NFL. While the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year missed eight games in 2022, he was on pace for 142 receptions, 1,534 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns on 185 targets.

Besides Kupp, the Rams have a handful of unproven or inexperienced pass-catchers. Van Jefferson and Tyler Higbee are solid players, but Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowronek, rookie Puka Nacua, Tyler Johnson, and Demarcus Robinson are all competing for roles in the offense.

The good news for the Rams is that Kupp appears to be trending upward in his recovery after undergoing ankle surgery in the offseason. Despite turning 30 years old recently, Kupp is the primary reason why many still believe the Rams have a receiving corps that is in the top half of the league.

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NFL Draft: Rise of the power slot

The Minnesota Vikings need a wide receiver in the NFL Draft and @TheKevinFielder believes that could by taking a power slot.

The Minnesota Vikings face a predicament on offense that will only be figured out with time.

With just 15 months on the job, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell are attempting to build their brand of offense but the opportunities to do so have been limited.

This free agency has signaled a significant step in that direction, though. After releasing wide receiver Adam Thielen and signing tight end Josh Oliver, it seems like the Vikings will shift to more two tight end sets. This is a far cry from how the offense operated last season.

While such a move should help boost the Vikings’ chances on the ground, significant work has to be done. The Vikings won’t live in 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends) all game and will have to run the ball out of 11 personnel eventually.

Currently, the Vikings are operating incompletely in this sense, and it seems like they’ll continue to struggle on the ground when they head into 11 personnel.

There is a solution, however, and it involves embracing a shift in football: power slots.

Ben Skowronek, Brian Allen out for season with calf injuries

Sean McVay said both Brian Allen and Ben Skowronek are out for the year with calf injuries.

The Los Angeles Rams have lost two more starters for the rest of the season. Sean McVay told reporters on Tuesday that Ben Skowronek and Brian Allen both suffered a strained calf in Monday night’s loss to the Packers and they’ll miss the final three weeks of the season.

Allen was injured on the second play and missed the rest of the game, while Skowronek left the game for a brief time in the first half before returning later on. Skowronek ends the best season of his career with 39 catches for 376 yards, and although he didn’t catch a touchdown pass, he did score once on the ground.

Allen played just seven games this year, missing time due to a knee injury and now the calf strain. He’ll likely be replaced by Coleman Shelton at center, which will thrust Oday Aboushi into the starting lineup.

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Baker Mayfield on Ben Skowronek’s clutch catch: ‘That’s a guy I’m gonna trust’

After seeing Ben Skowronek come down with a clutch contested catch, Baker Mayfield feels confident throwing his way

Ben Skowronek had played 30 regular-season and postseason games in his career prior to last week’s win over the Raiders, but he never put up numbers like the ones he had against Las Vegas. And oddly enough, he was playing with a quarterback who had never thrown him a pass in a game before.

With Baker Mayfield under center, Skowronek caught a career-high seven passes for 89 yards – one more catch and 23 more yards than he’s had in any other game. The biggest play of the night came when Skowronek made a leaping grab over a Raiders defender for a gain of 32 yards on the Rams’ game-winning drive, giving them a fighting chance late in the fourth quarter.

Mayfield spoke to Peter King about the whirlwind that was his first 48 hours with the Rams, and he pointed to Skowronek’s catch as a defining play – and also one that gives him confidence throwing No. 18’s way.

“Those are the moments in a two-minute drill, somebody’s gotta make a play,” Mayfield said. “Catching it right on top of the DB’s head, with the safety bearing down on him? That’s a guy I’m gonna trust, a lot.”

Mayfield and Skowronek will have a full week to practice together this time around as they prepare to face the Packers on Monday night. That will hopefully lead to some greater chemistry, building on what they’ve already developed in their short time together as teammates.

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Amid the Mayfield Mayhem, Ben Skowronek was Rams’ unsung hero vs. Raiders

Baker Mayfield is deservedly getting all the glory for Thursday’s win, but Ben Skowronek was an unsung hero for the Rams

Baker Mayfield is being paraded as the hero of Thursday night’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders after he led the Los Angeles Rams to a dramatic come-from-behind victory just two days after being claimed by them. And he deserves every bit of praise he receives in the aftermath of the game because it truly was one of the most shocking wins of the season.

But he didn’t do it alone, something he said multiple times Thursday night. Tutu Atwell played a solid game, Bobby Wagner was everywhere and Ernest Jones’ interception before halftime was huge. The real unsung hero of the night, however, was Ben Skowronek.

A receiver who’s been the subject of criticism from fans in his first two seasons for being limited, Skowronek had the best game of his career just two days after meeting his new quarterback, Mayfield. He finished with a career-high seven catches for 89 yards, none bigger than a 32-yard highlight-reel grab over a defender on the Rams’ game-winning drive.

It moved the Rams from their own 28-yard line to the Raiders’ 40-yard line with just over a minute to play, giving them a fighting chance. It was unquestionably the best catch of Skowronek’s young career and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Two plays later, he caught an 8-yard pass on second-and-1 to move the chains and keep the drive progressing in the right direction. After a spike, Mayfield hit Van Jefferson for the game-winning touchdown on the very next play.

Earlier in the fourth quarter on the Rams’ first touchdown drive, Skowronek made another key grab, a 14-yarder on second-and-10 to get the Rams to the Raiders’ 48-yard line. They eventually found the end zone to make it 16-10, but had Skowronek not made that catch, it’s possible the drive would’ve stalled on third-and-10.

His catch on third-and-13 in the first half could’ve proved to be a huge play in the game, too, had Cam Akers not fumbled on the next snap.

It’s odd to say, but the Rams don’t win that game without Mayfield and Skowronek – something that would be hard to believe if someone said it before the season began. So for as much praise as Mayfield deserves, Skowronek should be recognized for his play, too.

Should Notre Dame pursue Texas quarterback in portal?

Should Notre Dame be looking to the Longhorn state for help at quarterback next year? Thanks to @jhickey24 & @longhornswire for the scouting report!

College football’s postseason and offseason are so different now than they were just a few short years ago. One reason is the transfer portal. Welcome to recruiting on steroids that moves at the pace of a Formula 1 car instead of a big semi. Thanks to the portal, teams can freely recruit players from other schools to fill positions of need.

Notre Dame hasn’t had a huge number of players enter via the portal, but some select difference-makers certainly have. [autotag]Ben Skowronek[/autotag] led the team in receiving yards in 2020 after transferring from Northwestern. [autotag]Jack Coan[/autotag] went 11-1 as the starting quarterback in the 2021 regular season after being passed over at Wisconsin due to injury. And this season another former Northwestern star, safety [autotag]Brandon Joseph[/autotag], made the biggest impact as a transfer.

We don’t expect Notre Dame to be bring in loads of new faces as did USC, LSU and others did via the portal last offseason, but we do expect them to search for a veteran quarterback. [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag]’s limited ceiling, [autotag]Tyler Buchner[/autotag]’s never-ending injury concerns and the lack of experience on the rest of the depth chart tells you exactly why it makes sense.  

So with that in mind, we’re taking a look at potential quarterbacks for Notre Dame to land via the portal. What is their backstory? Why are they leaving their schools? What is their potential as collegiate starter in 2022? We’re seeking out the help of our experts with connections to other programs in doing so.

Texas quarterback [autotag]Hudson Card[/autotag] announced Tuesday that he’ll enter the portal. Could the former Longhorns starter be a fit for Notre Dame? Here’s how our colleague, Joey Hickey at Longhorns Wire breaks down Card.

Should Chicago’s college football team try poaching another from Chicago’s Big Ten team?

Should Chicago’s college football team try to poach another from Chicago’s Big Ten team?

Notre Dame doesn’t use the transfer portal like Lincoln Riley and USC, as the Trojans have become college football’s version of shopping on Black Friday.  The end result may be great but the process in getting there makes you want to vomit.

Notre Dame has been known to pick their spots in the portal, however.  We’ve been tracking all the quarterbacks who enter the portal for obvious reasons, but a compelling non-quarterback entered Tuesday.  It’s especially compelling for Notre Dame because it’s a program just down the road that the Irish have poached a couple of talents from in recent years.

Malik Washington was Northwestern’s leading receiver this past season and entered the portal Tuesday.  He’s listed at 5-9, 180 pounds and although nobody would describe him as a burner, he consistently makes plays on the ball.  It should also be noted that perhaps no Power Five team has had less production from their quarterbacks in the past two seasons.

Washington hauled in 65 receptions for 694 yards (10.7 avg) this year, the sixth-highest total in the entire Big Ten.  He did find the end zone just once but then again, Northwestern threw for just 10 touchdowns all year.

Notre Dame had massive receiver issues this season as a sophomore [autotag]Lorenzo Styles[/autotag] was the only one to amass 300 yards.  If it wasn’t [autotag]Michael Mayer[/autotag] chances are it wasn’t getting done in the passing game and the group of receivers would certainly use some help and experience.

Wide receivers coach [autotag]Chansi Stuckey[/autotag] has the cavalry coming but counting on several underclassmen is a risk I certainly wouldn’t prefer taking.  Growth and development will help Styles, [autotag]Deion Colzie[/autotag], [autotag]Tobias Merriweather[/autotag], and the incoming freshman group, but it would certainly be nice to have some proven veteran experience as well and Washington would accomplish that.

And heck, [autotag]Ara Parseghian[/autotag], [autotag]Ben Skowronek[/autotag], and [autotag]Brandon Joseph[/autotag] all worked out alright so why not do it again?

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Fantasy football: Should you start any Rams WRs with Cooper Kupp out?

With Cooper Kupp out, someone needs to step up for the Rams. Can you trust any of their receivers in fantasy?

The Rams won’t have Cooper Kupp for the next four weeks after he suffered an ankle injury on Sunday, which will land him on injured reserve. He’s been their best offensive player and really the only one who’s produced consistently this year, so this is a massive loss for the Rams.

It’s also a significant blow for anyone who has Kupp in fantasy. Just as the Rams won’t be able to replace him, no fantasy owner will be able to fill the void of Kupp.

And when looking at the Rams’ roster, it’s hard to see any receiver who will become a fantasy star in the next month. Here’s a run down of three Rams receivers who are at least somewhat fantasy-relevant.