Rams mailbag: Rookie projections, season ticket renewals, Les Snead, Tavon Austin and more

The Rams are conducting a two-day rookie minicamp, the first step in the indoctrination of the new draft class and an opportunity for undrafted free agents to make an impression.

Rams veterans will resume offseason workouts next week. Organized team activity workouts begin May 23

Now, on to your questions. Keep them coming at @latimesklein or gary.klein@latimes.com.

Wait a second. The rookies just arrived.

One thing I learned last season is that predicting success — and starting roles — for NFL rookies is a crapshoot.

We all knew Jared Goff would become the starter at some point last season. But it did not happen until the 10th game. And he mostly struggled.

Based on the way tight end Tyler Higbee performed during rookie camp and training camp, he appeared on track for a large role. But it didn’t happen.

The Rams had some rookie breakouts under former coach Jeff Fisher — defensive tackle Aaron Donald and running back Todd Gurley were NFL rookies of the year — but his philosophy in most cases regarding rookies was to not rush them.

That could change under 31-year-old Sean McVay.

I could see tight end Gerald Everett and receivers Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds getting significant opportunities based on their skill sets. But at this point there is no way of knowing how quickly they will learn the offense, adapt to the speed of the game and handle the business of being pros.

Offensive line coach Aaron Kromer arrived with a strong reputation as a position coach, but I’ll reserve judgment until I get an opportunity to watch and speak with offensive linemen at length.

General manager Les Snead and McVay have said that one of the reasons the Rams did not draft offensive lineman — for the second year in a row — was because Kromer was familiar with Rams players from draft evaluations he made while working for the Buffalo Bills, and he was encouraged by what he saw.

McVay’s pass-oriented offense should also take some of the pressure off the line.

And I don’t think you can underestimate the impact of new left tackle Andrew Whitworth. If he continues to play at a Pro Bowl level, that will set the tone for a group of linemen that showed promise in 2015 before spiraling downward last season.

Cody Wichmann, a sixth-round draft choice from Fresno State in 2015, was among the aforementioned linemen that showed promise in his first season.

Wichmann, a guard, started 11 of the 12 games he played in last season. But he was slowed by an ankle injury and, like many linemates, did not perform at the level of the year before.

With Whitworth’s arrival, McVay and Kromer moved Greg Robinson from left tackle to right tackle. If Robinson does not play well at that spot, my sense is that Rob Havenstein would reclaim the position at which he started for two seasons. Havenstein is working at right guard.

Lamarcus Joyner, who played almost exclusively as a slot cornerback last season, is getting a look at free safety in new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme.

The Rams also signed Nickell Robey-Coleman, a slot corner who intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, in the Buffalo Bills’ victory over the Rams last season at the Coliseum.

So, Joyner’s role as a nickel cornerback — or lack thereof — could depend on Robey-Coleman’s performance.

The Rams also drafted safety John Johnson to augment a position group that includes Maurice Alexander and Cody Davis.

You may recall that the Rams, with much fanfare, announced last season that 70,000 season tickets had been sold.

A representative said last month that the organization would not comment on the number of season tickets sold for 2017 until all sales are complete.

But the fact that season tickets have been available to those on the waiting list indicates that at least some fans have not renewed after the team’s 4-12 finish in 2016.

In conversations with fans this offseason, several told me they got caught up in the excitement of the Rams’ return to Los Angeles and bought season tickets in 2016. But after watching the team go 1-6 at the Coliseum — with an uninspiring offense — they decided not to renew.

I analyzed the draft and what it meant for Snead in this report.

We’ll see how the players in this draft work out. More importantly, we’ll see how much Goff improves in Year 2.

Goff’s development, more than anything else, is the key.

Tavon Austin signed a four-year, $42-million contract before last season. McVay has spoken about Austin’s speed and playmaking potential.

But we’ll have to wait and see how that plays out this season.

With Austin’s salary, finding a trade partner would not be easy. And if his production does not increase to McVay’s expectations this season, we’ve all seen NFL teams make moves to dump salary.

Well, if the questions are not being answered, and you just want to let off some steam, please send them my way.

Thanks to everyone for your questions. Let’s do it again next week.

gary.klein@latimes.com

Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @latimesklein