Los Angeles Rams: 3 Reasons team needs to sign Eric Decker
The Los Angeles Rams need a player like Eric Decker on their roster, therefore let's take a look at 3 reasons why LA should sign the seven year veteran.
The Los Angeles Rams are a team that needs to find any way they can to get better this season, especially on the offensive side of the football. After drafting Jared Goff with the first overall pick in 2016, the Rams struggled to do anything on offense last season. In all my years of watching football, they might have had the sorriest offense I have ever seen.
That being said, Eric Decker being released by the New York Jets could be the best thing to happen to Los Angeles in a long time.
The Rams have tried to address their need at wide receiver this offseason, but none of those guys would provide the help that Decker could bring. The seven year veteran knows what it takes to succeed in this league and could help Los Angeles immediately.
Time will tell if Decker's talents are wanted on the west coast, but Rams fans should be making their case known for the former Jet on all levels.
He quietly been one of the most dangerous receivers in all of the NFL and would easily be the best wide-out on the Rams' roster. That being said, let's take a look at three reasons why the Rams must sign him.
Sep 15, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) catches a pass in front of Buffalo Bills defensive back Nickell Robey (21) during the second half at New Era Field. The Jets beat the Bills 37-31. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
3. Decker would bring depth to an average receiving corps
Sean McVay is doing what he can to give Jared Goff all the tools for him to be successful. That being said, the former first overall pick needs a plethora of talented receivers around him to be the best he can be and signing Eric Decker would go a long way in accomplishing that.
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Los Angeles already has tried to address their lack of depth at receiver, but I still don't believe that Robert Woods or Tavon Austin is the best answer. While they are very talented, Goff could still use a guy of Deckers' abilities.
You always gamble that Decker may not play 16 games per year, but he's better than anyone LA has on their roster as a receiver right now. That's definitely a gamble that LA should be willing to take. Seriously though, what do they have to lose at this point?
There's a reason why this guy can been a fantasy football stud over the past five years. His teams may not always be the best, but he sure does give defensive coordinators fits.
That being said, if Sean McVay wants to give Goff every chance to be a successful NFL quarterback, he needs to find a way to bring in Decker. At 6-3, Eric Decker would automatically be one of the biggest receivers on the team and would provide a large red zone target and, in turn, would make life easier on Jared Goff.
Sep 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) celebrates scoring a touchdown with wide receiver Chris Owusu (17) during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
2. Eric Decker's success in the NFL
Let's be honest here, please tell me if there's another receiver on the Rams' roster that has been as successful as Eric Decker over the past seven years. According to Pro Football Focus, Decker has 52 total receiving touchdowns and 5,253 receiving yards since 2010. Not to mention, he has had double-digit touchdowns in three of his seven years in the league.
Point being, if Los Angeles wants to get back to playing meaningful football games in December, they need have players that know how to compete at a high-level on their team.
Eric Decker has been around this league long enough to know what it takes to win important games. Also, the Rams don't have a ton of experience on their roster. That kind of thing is extremely important in close games, especially in the NFL where every little inch matters.
There needs to be a veteran leader on this Los Angeles Rams offense and Decker could just be that guy. Not to mention, I believe that he would quickly become a fan favorite out on the west coast.
Jan 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brian Quick (83) walk to the field prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
1. Decker would open up the Rams rushing attack
If you watched the Rams at all in 2016, you quickly realized that Los Angeles couldn't run the football to save their lives. The passing offense was so bad that defenses would just load the box and focus on Todd Gurley. That being said, Eric Decker would take a ton of defensive focus off of Gurley and would give the Rams a little more room to run their desired offense.
Los Angeles is at their best whenever they can both run and pass the football effectively. You may be thinking, "Well duh, who isn't?". However, the Rams are still a much different case-study than most NFL teams at this point.
Unless everything is clicking for LA on offense, they won't win a game. Heck, even average football teams can overcome their weaknesses every now and then, but this roster isn't at that point yet. Wade Phillips will ultimately fix that awful defense, but Eric Decker would provide immediate relief for the franchise.
If defensive coordinators feel that the Rams passing attack is worthy of being respected, Gurley will have a really good 2017 season. It would simply mean that defenses would have to keep safeties concerned with Decker, Austin, and Woods over the top of the coverage. Signing Eric Decker would make the world of difference for this rebuilding franchise.