St. Louis Rams: Lance Kendricks Confident Rookie Jitters Are Behind Him - Missouri Sports Magazine

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(Shane Gray, Missouri Sports Magazine)

This time a year ago, St. Louis Rams rookie tight end Lance Kendricks looked like a Pro Bowl pass catcher and a lock to become a vital contributor within the team’s offense. After selecting Kendricks in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, the University of Wisconsin standout began his pro career with a most impressive preseason, hauling in 11 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

However, once the real bullets started flying in week one of the regular season, Kendricks began to occasionally struggle with drops and other mistakes. By the end of the season, the rookie who exhibited such preseason promise ended up with a relatively modest total of 28 receptions despite starting 10 games and playing in 15.

To this point of the 2012 exhibition slate, Kendricks has once again shined. In very limited playing time, the Rams starting tight end has hauled in four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Of course, St. Louis fans want to know if Kendricks is ready to get it done when the games count, not just during the season’s prelude. Kendricks, for his part, is confident that this year’s solid exhibition play will translate to the regular season. He believes having a full offseason and a year of experience under his belt will greatly benefit him.

“I think the game compared to last year has really slowed down and I am just a little more confident,” Kendricks asserted. “I was able to learn the offense a little bit better this year than last year with the full offseason.”

Last season, all NFL rookies were at a bit of a disadvantage having entered the league during a labor impasse and some lengthy collective bargaining negotiations.

This kept rookies like Kendricks from reaping the benefits of the full league calender and all the opportunities to get better, to learn the playbook, to get reps and to work with other coaches and players that a typical offseason would afford.

Looking back on his first campaign, Kendricks chalks much of his struggles up to last year’s abbreviated offseason, some rookie jitters and the process of adapting to the pro game.

“I think it was just being a rookie and being out there having a lot on my plate at once,” Kendricks conceded. “I was just learning in the rookie year.”

Going into his second season, Kendricks should have plenty of opportunities in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s attack, particularly when considering that Schottenheimer liked Kendricks while serving in the same capacity with the New York Jets.

“I know one thing, I think starting with Lance, we really liked Lance back in New York when we looked at him,” Schottenheimer said, as shared here. “I think he’s got a chance to be a terrific all around player.”

What should also be encouraging to Rams fans is the fact that Schottenheimer got some good production from his tight end in New York, Dustin Keller. Keller racked up 15 touchdowns over the last four seasons.  Last season, Keller found the endzone five times and hauled in 65 receptions at 12.5 yards per catch.

Interestingly, Keller and Kendricks are nearly the same size. Keller goes 6’2″ and tips the scales at 250, while Kendricks checks in at 6’3″ and also weights 250 pounds.

If that were not enough to raise expections, one might also consider how head coach Jeff Fisher always succeeded at incorporating the tight end into the passing game of the Tennessee Titans, too.

In Tennessee, Fisher utilized a 6’3″, 253 pound tight end named Frank Wychek who, like Keller, was nearly the same size as Kendricks. Wychek excelled in Fisher’s run heavy offense, averaging 61 catches during a seven year stretch. Keep in mind, those numbers were generated during an era that did not typically use tight ends quite as heavily in the passing game as some teams, like the New England Patriots, do now.

Considering his ability, the 61 catch average that was obtained by Wychek would seem doable for Kendricks this year. Kendricks exuded confidence when asked if he can consistently produce and become a premiere tight end.

“Oh yeah, it’s all about just confidence and really knowing going into a week what you have and what you have to do,” Kendricks explained. “I think last year I struggled with just balancing everything out.”

This year, the now 250 pound tight end, who put on some extra muscle during the offseason, wants to not only grow more consistent, but expand his game and use his bigger body to attain more yards after the catch. If you saw the vicious stiff arm he displayed in week one at the Colts that led to some extra yardage, it seems he is well on his way to becoming a more physical presence and expanding his all around tool chest.

“One of the things I really worked on during the offseason was catching the ball and getting my eyes around and trying to be able to use hands rather than just lower my shoulder all the time,” Kendricks said. “I’m just trying to add something else to my game and always trying to improve.”

After a few days with a few drops, Kendricks has been very consistent in camp and does indeed look to be improving. If those rookie struggles prove to be a thing of the past, Kendricks should prove to be an important component of the St. Louis passing game this Fall.