The Los Angeles Rams parted with a franchise stalwart for the second consecutive offseason, letting Cooper Kupp follow Aaron Donald out the door – albeit under far different circumstances – and replacing him with Davante Adams.
That small move could give the Rams a big boost this coming season.
Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman listed Adams as the Rams’ “impact offseason acquisition,” noting he is a step up from his predecessor.
“Davante Adams may be advancing into his 30s, but he still wins plenty of man-to-man matchups. Last season, he recorded an 83.3 receiving grade versus man coverage,” Wasserman wrote on May 22. “Meanwhile, the player Adams is effectively replacing, Cooper Kupp, recorded a receiving grade below 67.0 against man coverage in each of the past three seasons.”
The Rams signed Adams to a two-year, $44 million contract in free agency.
Adams caught 85 passes for 1,063 yards and 8 touchdowns in 14 games during the 2024 regular season, splitting the campaign between the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets.
Kupp caught 67 passes for 710 yards and 6 touchdowns, appearing in 12 games. Durability was an issue for Kupp, who missed 18 games over the past three seasons. The Rams hope Adams can maintain his durability, having missed three games in that same span.
Davante Adams Shows Off Connection With Matthew Stafford in Video
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams during warm up before a game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Adams praised Matthew Stafford, noting his fortune of having played with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers with the Jets and Green Bay Packers, and current teammate Jimmy Garoppolo with the Raiders, before signing with LA this offseason.
The two caught fans’ attention during their team workouts this offseason.
“You don’t really have a contender if you don’t have the quarterback,” Adams told Travis Rogers and D’Marco Farr on the “Travis & D’Marco Show” in March.
“Having one of the best ones to play this game throw me the ball now after having another one of the best ones to ever play the game throw me the ball before – I keep kind of lucking up with these quarterbacks, that’s for sure.”
Stafford also had high praise for Adams.
“I have a ton of respect for him, the way he goes about his business and the way he plays the game,” Stafford told the LA Times’ Gary Klein in March. “He’s been a big-time [player] in this league for a long time, so happy to have him. I know he’s going to be a big addition to our team.”
Rams Join Rare Company With Davante Adams Signing
GettyDavante Adams #17 of the New York Jets warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills.
Per PFF, Adams’s grade versus man coverage ranked 17th among WRs with at least 20 targets versus man coverage. Adams’ new teammate, Rams WR1 Puka Nacua, ranked 4th on that same list
The Rams are one of three teams with two players who finished the season in the top 20 among that group, joining the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tampa boasts Mike Evans (first) and Chris Godwin (16th).
The Texans have Nico Collins (third) and Tank Dell (ninth), though the latter could miss the entire 2025 season after tearing multiple ligaments in his knee.
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