More thoughts on Avery

I criticize the draft experts every spring when they say that a player's "stock" is rising or falling, and it's during a lull in the offseason schedule when literally nothing football-related has happened. I find myself doing the same here at the beginning of summer '11, though. Very little's going on, but Donnie Avery's stock seems to be rising as fast as he runs the 40.

101.1 ESPN NFL analyst Tony Softli has said that Avery has his speed back after blowing out a knee last August, and expects him to be the Rams' primary deep threat next season. Avery claims to have recently run a 4.34 40. Footballguys.com, one of the web's top fantasy football sites, uses this news when they speculate that Avery will have the opportunity to be to the Rams what Brandon Lloyd was for Josh McDaniels and the Broncos last year.

That's an eye-opening reference, because Lloyd, similar in size to Avery, went from career obscurity to the Pro Bowl last season in Denver under McDaniels, with 77 catches for 1,448 yards and 11 TDs. A season like that from two of the Rams WRs COMBINED would be impressive; if Avery, now under McDaniels, could pull it off by himself, it would be massive.

I had not seen Avery in the Brandon Lloyd / Randy Moss role in the McDaniels offense; I was thinking Danario Alexander, for his speed and size. Softli, though, says DX was still dragging his oft-injured leg during the recent players-only workouts, and expressed concern about it. I also had Mark Clayton beating Avery out for a roster spot in training camp, but...
- even though he's a free agent, Clayton's trailing Avery right now because he didn't work out with the team. Lack of a contract didn't stop Adam Goldberg or draft pick Greg Salas from being at workouts, for instance.
- Clayton was barely here last year for more than a cup of coffee, and though it was a very good cup, it's an opportunity he never would have gotten if not for the injury to, yes, Avery.
- and Clayton and Avery could easily both make the roster if Alexander's knee proves to be too balky. This year's DX's first real opportunity in a while to road-test it.

It's worth noting that Softli very likely is not without a rooting interest in Avery, since he was the Rams' VP of player personnel when Avery was (arguably over-)drafted by the Rams in 2008. But I've been inspired enough for now to pencil Avery's name in for about the 12th round of my fantasy league draft this year (assuming there are any).

-$-