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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams have multiple objectives as they begin OTAs. First and foremost is getting second-year quarterback Jared Goff on to the right track early after a disappointing rookie season. Part and parcel to that is improving the infrastructure around him, specifically the offensive line and wide receiver positions.
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Wide receiver, in particular, will be a point of emphasis after the Rams walked away from leading receiver Kenny Britt and veteran Brian Quick during the off-season and replaced them with veteran free agent Robert Woods and a host of rookie and second-year players.
Woods and Goff, who started seven games last year and completed 54.6 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and seven interceptions, have been working together since March.
"He's been great. He's been more than I could have really expected, honestly," Goff said. "His work ethic and you can tell how much it means to him and how bad he wants it. He's just a competitor.
"He's smart, he's fast, he's strong, and he competes every day. He wants to be the best he can be every day and you can tell that. It's really exciting for me to have a guy like that, multiple guys like that, but him in particular."
If early impressions from OTAs are worth anything, the work seemed to be paying off.
"We're just trying to get the timing down," Woods said. "We're connecting. The biggest thing is, we're talking in meetings and then we're coming out on the field and executing what we've been talking about."
Competition for starting jobs alongside Woods and veteran Tavon Austin -- assuming Austin wins one spot -- will be fierce. Intriguing rookies Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds and second-year wideouts Pharoh Cooper, Nelson Spruce and Mike Thomas are the leading candidates for playing time.
Austin underwent wrist surgery in early May, which will knock him out of all OTAs. Not only does it delay his adjustment to the new offense under first-year head coach Sean McVay, it also interrupts chemistry-building with Goff.
On the other hand, it will provide more opportunities for the youngsters to make an impact.
Kupp, in particular, has a chance to make an early impression on coaches while forging workable chemistry with Goff, who desperately needs perimeter skill players he can have faith in.
Kupp, like Woods, is a precision route runner with sure hands. He could be a tremendous help to a young quarterback simply by being in the right place at the right time and then holding onto the ball when targeted.
Those were basic elements that no Rams quarterback could rely on with last year's wide receivers, who too often failed to run quality routes or dropped catchable balls to derail drives.
Goff was keeping a watchful eye throughout the offseason as the Rams went about improving the team around him.
"I was excited about it. From Robert to (LT Andrew) Whitworth to (C John) Sullivan, to all of the guys that we drafted. It's been really exciting to see," Goff said.
"Exciting to see where their mentality is and, more than anything, I think they got some high character guys in here, especially those guys I named that we signed with Whitworth, and Sullivan, and Robert -- just some veteran guys that know what they're doing and can not only help me but can help everyone around them."
