REYNOLDS MORE THAN DEEP THREAT
After the Rams traded speedy receiver Brandin Cooks during the offseason, coach Sean McVay said that Josh Reynolds could fill the void as the deep threat for the offense.
The lanky fourth-year pro was eager to showcase his skills in that role and others.
With five games left in the regular season, Reynolds is enjoying a career year. He has 38 catches for 488 yards and two touchdowns.
Unexpectedly, Reynolds’ longest play covered only 40 yards for an offense that has hit one deep pass all season — a 56-yard strike from quarterback Jared Goff to receiver Robert Woods in an Oct. 11 victory over Washington.
Reynolds, a fourth-round pick in 2017, said Thursday that had not become frustrating.
“Deep balls are something that every offense kind of needs as far being able to stretch the field and keep defenses honest and stuff,” he said during a videoconference with reporters before practice. “So we just haven’t been able to hit on any deep balls this past couple games.
“We’ve been working on ’em , so I mean we definitely got ’ em loaded up in our back pockets. Whenever opportunity presents itself, we’re definitely taking ’em.”
The Rams (7-4) play the Arizona Cardinals (5-6) on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Given the way the Rams have dispatched the Cardinals in six consecutive victories — they have not scored fewer than 31 points against the Cardinals in the last three seasons — perhaps McVay will open up the playbook. McVay said Reynolds has played well, and that the dearth of deep passes was not a result of Reynolds’ inability to get open.
“We’ve just got to keep trying to execute, pick and choose when those opportunities do present themselves,” McVay said after the Rams practiced at SoFi Stadium because of high winds.
The 6-foot-3, 196-pound Reynolds, who never had more than 53 targets in a season, already has 60. On Nov. 15 against the Seattle Seahawks, he was targeted a career-high 10 times and caught a career-best eight passes.
“It’s awesome to be able to have more of a bigger role in the offense and stuff and help us win,” Reynolds said Thursday, “Even just moving the ball — that’s big for me.”
Reynolds, 25, enters Sunday with 99 career receptions, nine for touchdowns.
His future, however, is probably with another team.
Before the season, the Rams signed Kupp to a large extension. After the f irst game, they did the same for Woods. Rookie Van Jefferson, a second-round pick, has made several clutch plays and has shown he is on track to contribute for years.
That will almost certainly leave Reynolds, in the final year of his rookie contract, looking for a larger role and salary from another team in 2021.
“There’s nothing further going on right now — offseason comes then I’ll worry about all that,” he said. “But as of right now the Rams are my team and I’ll do everything I can to help them win.”