Rams cut WR Donnie Avery and QB Thad Lewis

[AvengerRam]

Very surprised. I always liked Avery. Seems like there were three "no doubt" guys (Amendola, Sims-Walker, Gibson), two presumptive favorites (Salas, Pettis) and two fighting for the last spot (Alexander, Avery).

In the end, I think the risk of Alexander was offset by the availability of Clayton after Week 6.

[Rambunctious]

Balzer is saying $638,750 of Avery's salary is guaranteed this year. So if he isn't claimed we pay him any way... so I don't think it was much to do over cap room.

[RAMarkable]

Just logged on and, WOW!, gotta admit I'm pretty shocked about Avery. I've read all the reasons behind this move but the one thing I want to know is, who is going to start when Sims-Walker gets injured again?
Salas?
Danario?
Curry?
Please...

I would have kept Donnie at least until Clayton came back because I have no faith in MSW staying healthy for any significant length of time.

Well let's hope that this move doesn't come back to bite us in the rear....

WHAT SAY YE?

[supachump]

You have to keep things in perspective to the guy they kept (DX). That is the point. I disagree with him being fragile. And if you compare him to DX, he is made of steel. His hands look pretty good to me. He was catching quite a bit here in the pre season and last pre-season before the injury. I'll agree about ST, but DX isn't doing that either.

The only point I've seen made elsewhere in this thread that makes sense is that Avery wants to be a #1 or 2, and he isn't going to get that in StL.

I just think this decision is going to come back and haunt the Rams. How in the world can you justify a guy that is about ready to fall apart? If this was more about Avery looking to move on and get higher in the lineup somewhere else, then fine. But if this was the Rams just picking DX over Avery for skills/injury concerns, etc. Then it makes no sense to me. And judging by the responses. To many others on here.

Sigh...I guess I'll have to be the voice of reason for those of you who feel we should have kept D. Avery.
1. He runs horrible routes.
2. He struggles to get off the line of scrimmage & beat man coverage(even with 4.2 speed).
3. His hands are "questionable" at best.
4. He fragile.
5. Lacks ST ability.
*Alot of you guys are in love with his speed, but speed alone does not make a good WR in the NFL. He's not getting better, and didn't want to sit the bench in his 3rd year, so he had to go (its as simple as that). God bless him as he goes forward.

Now as far as T. Lewis is concerned, guys he looks good......but against 3rd STRING TALENT & UNDRAFTED ROOKIES!!!! He's done nothing to warrant him being #2.

[ManofGod]

You have to keep things in perspective to the guy they kept (DX). That is the point. I disagree with him being fragile. And if you compare him to DX, he is made of steel. His hands look pretty good to me. He was catching quite a bit here in the pre season and last pre-season before the injury. I'll agree about ST, but DX isn't doing that either.

The only point I've seen made elsewhere in this thread that makes sense is that Avery wants to be a #1 or 2, and he isn't going to get that in StL.

I just think this decision is going to come back and haunt the Rams. How in the world can you justify a guy that is about ready to fall apart? If this was more about Avery looking to move on and get higher in the lineup somewhere else, then fine. But if this was the Rams just picking DX over Avery for skills/injury concerns, etc. Then it makes no sense to me. And judging by the responses. To many others on here.

Well seeing as how we are not in the Rams team facilities, we don't know how good or bad DX's knee(s) are, and since the team is comfortable with keeping him on the squad (and Spags hasn't disappointed us yet), perhaps we should trust him on this one.

Now on all of the points I stated DX out performs Avery in almost all but 2 of the categories. Yes both guys have had injury issues & a case of the "dropsies" at times, but DX's ability to get open, route running, cost, size & speed put him over the top. Not to mention, if all goes well at #4 he won't be used all that often thus limiting the chance(s) that he further damages the knee. (of course that is if things go as perfectly).

[fliptalianstallion]

Saddened about both of these losses, I'm guessing we're going to be running another dink and dunk offense with some opportunistic deep throws to DX and Clayton. If none if these receivers pan out like a #1, then we're going to consider drafting a receiver in the 1st round next year (hopefully one with size and excellent route running). Best of luck for Thad, I wanted him to be our backup QB but I'm guessing he was a roster casualty as well.

[JustinHasAnAxe]

Sigh...I guess I'll have to be the voice of reason for those of you who feel we should have kept D. Avery.
1. He runs horrible routes.
2. He struggles to get off the line of scrimmage & beat man coverage(even with 4.2 speed).
3. His hands are "questionable" at best.
4. He fragile.
5. Lacks ST ability.
*Alot of you guys are in love with his speed, but speed alone does not make a good WR in the NFL. He's not getting better, and didn't want to sit the bench in his 3rd year, so he had to go (its as simple as that). God bless him as he goes forward.

Minus the speed and fragility you just described Gibson? At what point did Gibson go from the guy who cant get open and drops half the passes thrown to him to our default #2?

[sosa39rams]

Saddened about both of these losses, I'm guessing we're going to be running another dink and dunk offense with some opportunistic deep throws to DX and Clayton. If none if these receivers pan out like a #1, then we're going to consider drafting a receiver in the 1st round next year (hopefully one with size and excellent route running). Best of luck for Thad, I wanted him to be our backup QB but I'm guessing he was a roster casualty as well.

I agree but at the same time I dont. I do believe we will be dink and dunk again, but with a few more deeper throws sprinkled in. I mean, what have we done so far in the pre season to prove otherwords? Anyways, Im stating right now that I want WR Alshon Jeffery in the draft. Hes A.J Green but a little taller and a lot thicker.

[RamsPorVida]

Hopefully I'm wrong but....
Salas and Pettis have not impressed me and I don't know if they will be all that effective.
Clayton is not back until week 6. MSW has looked like crap all preseason. Amendola is a solid slot, but most slots need a good #1 WR to open up the underneath routes. Alexander's knee, who knows. Gibson put up good #'s last year; but Avery put up just as good numbers with a worse QB.

I keep hearing how Avery didn't want to be a #4 wr; shoot he shoulda been one of our top guys; especially at the start of the season with no clayton.

I just don't see Alexander, Salas, or Pettis being better this year or down the road

[Rambos]

I just don't see Alexander, Salas, or Pettis being better this year or down the road

Time will tell it always does...

[Nick]

Lewis is going to the PS. Nobody is going to pick him up to their active roster.

Whoops!

[supachump]

Well seeing as how we are not in the Rams team facilities, we don't know how good or bad DX's knee(s) are

Come on. Really?

Let's be real here. No one with that many surgeries is going to last that long. I hope I'm proven wrong. But the ONLY reason I can see that realistically why Avery should have been ejected was that if he wanted to be a 1 or 2.. Or if Spags plans for DX once or twice a game in some special situation. That is the only way I can see him making a whole year w/o something horrible happening. Then again, not even that. Unless he sits out practice.

I don't think Avery's injury history comes close to DX's. It seems like every other day we are hearing how he has swelling or is sitting out practice or going in for another xray/mri/whatever.

That knee would only have more shrapnel in it if he took a grenade.

[ManofGod]

Whoops!

Yeah this one didn't surprise me as much b/c it had been reported that coach loved T. Lewis & valued him a great deal.

Come on. Really?

Let's be real here. No one with that many surgeries is going to last that long. I hope I'm proven wrong. But the ONLY reason I can see that realistically why Avery should have been ejected was that if he wanted to be a 1 or 2.. Or if Spags plans for DX once or twice a game in some special situation. That is the only way I can see him making a whole year w/o something horrible happening. Then again, not even that. Unless he sits out practice.

I don't think Avery's injury history comes close to DX's. It seems like every other day we are hearing how he has swelling or is sitting out practice or going in for another xray/mri/whatever.

That knee would only have more shrapnel in it if he took a grenade.

Not every other day my friend, a lot of fans over react to information. Coach said that the last MRI was more to put DX at ease (and working in the medical field myself I know first hand that when recovering from surgery/injury often the mental aspect is the hardest part to address). So who knows outside of the swelling (which will always be there), any additional issues DX may be feeling may all be in his head.

[Nick]

Not every other day my friend, a lot of fans over react to information. Coach said that the last MRI was more to put DX at ease (and working in the medical field myself I know first hand that when recovering from surgery/injury often the mental aspect is the hardest part to address). So who knows outside of the swelling (which will always be there), any additional issues DX may be feeling may all be in his head.

Well, let's be clear - the MRI showed chronic swelling and, quoting Spagnuolo, "a little degenerative change... but no active injury." DX was presented with the option of having additional surgery to clear it out, so clearly there's something going on that isn't mindset-induced; he's just choosing to play through it. How long he's able to do that, we'll have to see.

[BM_Face]

If Avery is just sitting at home watching games on Sunday, who gives a flying fart is he is cut or not?! If we need him mid-season, is he going to say no? The fact that he has not been grabbed by another team says more about his perceived value than what some fans think.