2012-2016- The Fisher Era

St. Louis Rams WR Stedman Bailey faces challenges in 2014

One area that appeared to improve on paper with the St. Louis Rams 2013 roster was wide receiver. In an attempt to strengthen the receiving corps, the Rams drafted West Virginia wide receiver Stedman Bailey. The newer additions did provide the team with extra weapons, but how to exploit those weapons is still a work in progress.

Bailey’s draft selection was praised for several reasons: 1.) He complements Tavon Austin just as he did with the Mountaineers. 2.) He has excellent hands.  3.) He possesses a great football I.Q. All of these qualities are important for any wide receiver, especially reliable hands. The Rams’ offense has suffered from too many dropped passes over the past couple of seasons.

Bailey became one of the Rams’ most reliable receivers towards the end of the season and was used more often as a result. He had 17 receptions for 226 yards and started in two games. Bailey may not be the fastest guy on the team, but he managed to score on a 27-yard a double reverse in one of his games.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer quickly found a role for Bailey, because he is a different type of receiver. He is limited due to his size (5’10”), but Bailey is the kind of receiver that can extend drives and is a decent option on third downs. He has an eye for the ball and does well with over the shoulder catches. He won’t run over any defenders, but has the athleticism and the smarts to find holes in the defense to pick up more yards after the catch.

Still, Bailey’s success varies depending on how the rest of the unit turns out. The Rams are still unsure if they have a legitimate No. 1 receiver. If they indeed have one in the recently acquired receiver Kenny Britt, then the entire receiving corps will benefit. More opportunities will arise for players like Bailey.

There is one problem. Just when it looked like Bailey was going to have a larger role entering his second year, he was slapped with a 4-game suspension due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy on performance enhancing drugs. He must wait until the Rams’ road game at the Philadelphia Eagles on October 5 to play again.

The best way for Bailey to pick up where he left off last season is to work hard and absorb all information presented to him during the offseason. Bailey is able to participate with the team during offseason practices and preseason exhibition games. He just needs to keep on working in order to secure a spot on the roster.

Source: Pro-sports-reference.com

You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.

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