Ben Skowronek is entering his third season in the NFL and despite being somewhat of an afterthought as a former seventh-round pick, he’s made 12 starts already and has 509 yards receiving in his career.
Going into the 2023 season, Skowronek will have another chance to be the Rams’ No. 3 receiver. Los Angeles has a lot of competition for that position, even after trading away Allen Robinson, but Skowronek is a favorite of Sean McVay and does the little things to earn playing time.
Skowronek should not only make the 53-man roster again, but if he emerges as the third receiver, he’ll be one of their 23 most important players this season.
2022 stats
- 61 targets, 39 receptions, 376 yards
- 1 carry, 17 yards, 1 rushing TD
- 1 dropped pass
- 56.4 receiving grade (PFF)
Position group
Allen Robinson may be gone, but the Rams still have a ton of competition at wide receiver this year. Skowronek will be competing with Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson for the No. 3 spot behind Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson.
Skowronek was the third receiver last season while Jefferson was hurt, starting 11 games and playing at least 60% of the snaps in all of the 14 games he played.
While Skowronek didn’t put up big receiving numbers and he didn’t catch a single touchdown pass, he was still an effective wideout for Los Angeles. He lined up at fullback in an attempt to provide a spark to the running game, also doing the dirty work as a blocker in the slot when the Rams ran the ball.
He did drop one pass, which is an improvement from the three drops he had in 2021, but he doesn’t necessarily have the most reliable hands.
2023 outlook
Skowronek isn’t a player who will wow you with his speed or leaping ability. But he’s someone who does the little things that coaches look for – like blocking and playing to the whistle.
His blocking ability alone should earn him playing time in 2023, even if it’s not as a true starter, getting opportunities to clear the way for his fellow receivers on screen passes and for his running backs on tosses and outside runs.
Skowronek will likely be a situational player for Los Angeles this year, mostly getting snaps on early downs when there’s a threat to run the ball. On third down, he could be pulled for Atwell, a big-play threat with his game-changing speed.
The Rams will find snaps for Skowronek, even if it’s not as one of Stafford’s primary targets. He still has some value on offense, as well as on special teams.
23 most important players
22. WR Tutu Atwell
