Rams WR Van Jefferson: Bounce-Back Candidate in 2023?
Regardless of where Cooper Kupp checks in on your countdown of the best wide receivers in the NFL currently, the former Super Bowl MVP figures to be extremely productive for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023.
But while Kupp and quarterback Matthew Stafford will make beautiful music together if they're both healthy, the Rams are especially thin behind their All-Pro wideout. Odell Beckham Jr. is long gone.
Allen Robinson was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers after a very disappointing season in Los Angeles. If Sean McVay's squad is going to return to the playoffs in 2023, they will need a legitimate second option to emerge.
The best bet to fill that role appears to be former second-round pick Van Jefferson. The good news for the Rams is that Jefferson recently appeared on our countdown of potential 2023 bounce-back candidates around the NFL:
"Like just about everything else with the Rams in 2022, things didn't go well for Jefferson a year after he was part of a Super Bowl Championship squad. The former second-round pick looked to be on the verge of a breakout in 2021 when he caught 50 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns. But two procedures on his left knee limited Jefferson to just 11 games in 2022, and he caught just 24 passes for 369 yards. The Rams desperately need another wide receiver to emerge to complement former All-Pro Cooper Kupp, and perhaps a healthy Jefferson will be that guy."
Whether it's from the Rams or someone else, Jefferson has a chance to make himself quite a bit of money with a productive season in 2023. The former Florida Gator will make $1.4 million this year, the final season of his rookie contract.
Unless the Rams use the franchise tag on him after this season -- which seems very unlikely -- Jefferson will become a free agent following the 2023 campaign.
Ben Skowronek -- who had 39 catches for 376 yards in 2022 -- and Tutu Atwell -- 18 catches for 298 yards last season -- are other potential wide receivers that could take steps forward for the Rams in 2023.
Tight end Tyler Higbee will also look to build on career highs in catches (72) and receiving yards (620) last year.
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