St. Louis Rams Closing Evaluations: What Grades Do the Wide Receivers Receive?

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Kenny Britt: Kenny Britt wasn’t perfect in 2014, but it’s easy to make a case that he had the best season for a Rams receiver since Torry Holt accumulated 796 receiving yards in 2008, his final season in St. Louis.

Britt, an exceptionally physical outside target who was signed to a team-friendly one-year deal this offseason, was held to just one catch over the Rams’ first two games, which was surprising considering that he had looked like would be a solid contributor during the preseason. He turned it on in Week 3, though, and after that he had at least one reception in every game for the rest of the year.

Britt finished with 48 catches for 748 yards and three touchdowns. That represented the highest receiving yardage total for a Ram since Holt’s 796 in 2008. While those weren’t career numbers, they showed that Britt is still capable of being a difference maker. That assertion had been doubted by many, as he had been held back by both injuries and legal issues ever since 2010, when he caught 42 balls for 775 yards and nine touchdowns over just 12 games.

The positive effect that Britt had on Brian Quick must also be acknowledged. Quick had struggled mightily to make an impact over his first two seasons with the Rams, accumulating just 458 yards on 29 catches. However, after receiving some guidance and tutelage from Britt, a very similar player, during training camp, Quick broke through and looked like he would become the Rams’ first 1000-yard receiver in a long while until a shoulder injury knocked him out after seven games.

While Britt had a successful season, it wasn’t without fault. He had the lowest catch rate on the team at 59.3 percent (48 for 81) according to Pro Football Focus. That can pretty much be forgiven because of the impact that he had when he did get to the ball, but it’s still something that he can strive to improve next season.

The Rams should definitely make an attempt to bring Britt back for 2015, especially because his lack of elite numbers should drive down his price. Perhaps with a viable quarterback at the helm, Britt can finally break the Rams’ long drought without a 1000-yard wideout next season.

GRADE: A-

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