After returning wide receiver Tutu Atwell to practice last week, the Rams opted not to activate him off of injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s 31-28 loss to the Carolina Panthers. And as the Rams (9-3) prepare to face the Arizona Cardinals (3-9) in Week 14, it’s not clear whether or not Atwell will be a part of that game plan, either.
When asked about the fifth-year receiver’s absence against Carolina, McVay said the Rams took into consideration special teams roles and how the 48-man game-day roster needed to look when opting to leave Atwell on injured reserve.
While the Rams have not begun their planning for the Arizona game yet, McVay said Monday he was uncertain if the circumstances for Atwell would change.
“We’ll see,” McVay said. “I love Tutu, love everything he’s about. Would like to be able to figure out a way to get him going and get him involved. And if that fits for the collective relative to the 48, there’s a lot of factors in that and once we get going on the game plan, want to try to be able to figure out how to do that. But have to be able to have some other things that are in alignment before I can give you a clear-cut answer on it.”
The Rams have been playing with five receivers this year. Beyond Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as the stalwarts, Xavier Smith, Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield all contribute on special teams, as do the team’s rotational tight ends and depth linebackers, which creates a numbers crunch for the roster.
“He’s done everything that he can control. What’s unfortunate is you get a hamstring and you’re out for an extended period of time and then certain roles and rhythms are established relative to special teams,” McVay said. “There’s a lot of layers to it, some of which he just has no control over and that’s the unfortunate thing. But we want to be able to figure out how to get him up, it’s just a matter of what it looks like that isn’t exclusive to him but affects a lot of different things that have to do with teams, that have to do with different positions, how many guys are you going to carry.”
Prior to his hamstring strain, Atwell had four receptions for 164 yards, including an 88-yarder for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. The former second-round draft pick signed a one-year, $10 million deal to stay with the Rams after his rookie contract expired last offseason.
In his absence, Smith has started to take on a bigger role in the Rams’ offense. Nine of his 10 receptions this season have come in the five games Atwell has missed. Against the Panthers, he had a career-high 82 yards on three receptions.
McVay said Monday that he thought Smith did a good job of tracking the football on a 51-yard catch on Sunday.
“He did a great job, and that’s what he’s done whether it’s as a returner, whether it’s as a gunner, when he’s had his opportunities as a receiver he’s just consistently delivered,” McVay said. “It was a big play on a second-and-10.”
INJURY REPORT
Adams had some hamstring soreness after Sunday’s game that might impact his practice availability but not his game status against the Cardinals, McVay said.