5 Best Wide Receivers In Los Angeles Rams History
The Los Angeles Rams currently boast one of the best receiving corps in the NFL, led by Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. Consider their predecessors.
The Los Angeles Rams currently boast one of the best receiving corps in the NFL, led by Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. Before Woods and Kupp, the Rams have been fortunate enough to employ plenty of gifted wide receivers in their franchise’s history. The same can be said for Los Angeles when it comes to the running back position as well.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Rams deployed the renowned “Greatest Show on Turf” offense. With Kurt Warner under center and Marshall Faulk as a do-it-all running back, the team also had an extensively deep wide receiving corps.
Both Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce led the aerial attack, with Ricky Proehl and Az-Zahir Hakim as depth options at the position. Of course, both Holt and Bruce are unquestionably the best wide receivers to play for the Rams. Besides Holt and Bruce, who are the best wide receivers in Rams’ history?
5. Jack Snow
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, there weren’t many teams in the NFL that put the ball in the air more often than not. However, with Roman Gabriel at quarterback, the Rams featured a decently dynamic aerial attack.
At the forefront of Los Angeles’ wide receivers in the 1960s, Jack Snow was the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. Snow would spend 11 seasons with the Rams, helping the team make the playoffs in five of those seasons.
In addition to that, Snow would make the Pro Bowl once while he hauled in 340 receptions, 6,012 yards, and 45 touchdowns. To this day, Snow is the Rams’ fifth all-time wide receiver in receiving yards and touchdowns.
4. Flipper Anderson
Over a decade after Snow finished his career, the Rams had a new dynamic passing attack. With Jim Everett manning the quarterback spot, Los Angeles had a lethal duo at wide receiver with Flipper Anderson and Henry Ellard.
Besides having an all-time cool name, Anderson was a productive vertical threat in the Rams’ offense. In his seven seasons with the organization, Anderson would record 259 catches for 5,246 yards and 26 touchdowns.
What’s most impressive about Anderson’s career is that he produced two 1,000-yard seasons in his career. And in those two 1,000-yard seasons he hauled in 51 or fewer receptions for the Rams, showing his big-play ability.
3. Henry Ellard
Again, while Everett was slinging the ball in the 1980s and early 1990s, the Rams had a productive wide receiver duo. On the opposite side of the field as Anderson, Ellard was even more dominant than Anderson.
Altogether, Ellard would compile quite a career in the NFL, spending 16 seasons in the league with three different teams. But in his first 11 seasons in the NFL, Ellard would be a viable weapon for the Rams.
The former second-round pick in the 1983 NFL Draft would account for 593 receptions, 9,761 yards, and 48 touchdowns in those 11 seasons. Of his stats with the team, Ellard finished third all-time in receptions and yards. Plus, he is Los Angeles’ fourth all-time leader in touchdowns.
2. Torry Holt
In the least surprising news of 2020, Holt and Bruce are still the top two wide receivers to suit up for the Rams. As good as Holt was, it’s hard to put him above Bruce when it comes to which wide receiver was better.
With that being said, being the second-best wide receiver behind Bruce is still an impressive achievement in itself. Amid his time with the Rams, Holt was one of the most underrated playmakers at wide receiver in NFL history. In his 10 years with the franchise, Holt corraled 869 passes for 12,660 yards and 74 touchdowns.
Furthermore, Holt would notch 1,000-yard seasons in eight consecutive years from 2000-2007. Even though he’s had a tough time making it in thus far, it’s only a matter of time before Holt is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
1. Isaac Bruce
Last but not least, Bruce comes in at the No. 1 spot when it comes to the best Rams’ wide receivers of all-time. There are plenty of gifted pass-catching duos in NFL history and not many of them were as fun to watch as Bruce and Holt.
Individually, over his 14 seasons with the Rams, Bruce would accumulate 942 receptions for 14,109 yards and 84 touchdowns. While Holt finished as the organization’s No. 2 all-time leader in all of those stats, Bruce was above him in each of them.
Among all wide receivers in NFL history, Bruce was No. 13 in receptions, No. 5 in receiving yards, and No. 12 in receiving touchdowns. Unlike Holt, who deserves to make it himself, Bruce was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
