After examining the Rams' offense, defense and special teams following the 2020 NFL Draft, theRams.com will take a deeper look at each position group as we get closer to the upcoming season. The wide receivers are up next.
Who's back
Greg Dortch: Signed to the Rams' practice squad on Dec. 12, then was one of nine players to ink a reserve/future deal with the club in early January.
Cooper Kupp: Bounced back from his 2018 season-ending knee injury with 94 receptions for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns, all team-highs, while playing in all 16 games.
Josh Reynolds: The fourth-year pro is expected to be more involved in the offense in 2020 and viewed as a capable replacement for Brandin Cooks. He caught 21 passes for 326 yards and one touchdown in 16 games last year, making two starts.
Nsimba Webster: One of three undrafted free agents to make the Rams' initial 53-man roster for 2019. He was inactive for seven games but appeared in five, handling punt return duties after JoJo Natson was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Robert Woods: Posted 90 catches for 1,134 yards and two touchdowns last season, his second consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. His catch and yardage totals were second on the team behind Kupp.
Who's gone
Brandin Cooks: Traded in April along with a 2022 4th-round pick to the Texans for the No. 57 overall pick in this year's draft.
JoJo Natson: He was primarily a special teams contributor as the Rams' main return man on kickoffs and punts. The Rams chose not to re-sign him and let him enter the new league year as an unrestricted free agent, and he eventually signed a one-year deal with the Browns.
Mike Thomas: The Rams chose not to re-sign him and let him enter the new league year as an unrestricted free agent. He eventually signed a one-year deal with the Bengals.
Who's new
Earnest Edwards IV: The undrafted free agent signee out of Maine led the FCS in kickoff return yards (28.5 per return) and ranked third in all-purpose yards (169.9 per game) last fall.
Trishton Jackson: Undrafted free agent signee out of Syracuse who led the Orange with 66 catches and ranked sixth in the ACC with 1,023 receiving yards in 2019, also earning second team All-Conference recognition.
Van Jefferson: Selected with the pick acquired in the Cooks trade, Jefferson led Florida in receiving in both of his seasons in Gainesville as a graduate transfer, posting 35 receptions for 503 yards and six touchdowns in 2018 then 49 receptions for 657 yards and six touchdowns in 2019.
J.J. Koski: Undrafted free agent signee who tallied 121 receptions for 2,311 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns across 44 games at Cal-Poly and led his team in receiving for three straight years (2017-19).
Brandon Polk: Undrafted free agent signee out of James Madison who led the team with 74 receptions for 1,179 yards and 11 touchdowns in his lone season at the school. The second team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection's 11 receiving touchdowns ranked fourth in the conference and 16th nationally.
Easop Winston Jr.: An undrafted free agent signee out of Washington State, Winston was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention choice in 2019 who wrapped up his Washington State career with 137 receptions for 1,624 yards and 19 touchdowns in two seasons.
Key question(s)
What can be expected of Reynolds this season? It's been repeated several times, but head coach Sean McVay and Rams teammates have long viewed Reynolds like a fourth starter in the wide receiver rotation. A hint could perhaps be found in game film from Week 11 against the Bears – McVay pointed to the play when Reynolds beat two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Kyler Fuller downfield for a 51-yard touchdown catch.
What will Jefferson contribute? At the conclusion of Day 2 of the draft, general manager Les Snead said Jefferson adds value with his polished route-running and ability to play all three receiver positions. Experience will likely dictate Kupp, Woods, and Reynolds getting the lion's share of the snaps, but at a minimum he'll add depth.
