The Los Angeles Rams enter 2025 with as much intrigue as any NFC contender. After a busy offseason that saw Davante Adams land in Los Angeles, expectations quickly shifted from cautious optimism to real Super Bowl conversations.
But as always, the question isn’t just about who is on the roster — it’s about how Sean McVay can unlock his stars.
On The Athletic Football Show, Derrik Klassen highlighted why Adams’ presence could completely change the trajectory of the Rams’ season.
Rams Offense Could Resemble Like 2022 Version
With the Las Vegas Raiders, and eventually the New York Jets to conclude last season, Adams carried the offenses even as the quarterback carousel spun out of control. His route-running precision and physicality against man coverage immediately give Stafford — or Jimmy Garoppolo, if needed — a reliable No. 1 option on every snap.
The Rams’ 2021 offense, which leaned heavily on empty formations and relied on Stafford’s arm talent to pick apart defenses, now has a chance to return. McVay thrived in that style, keeping defenses spread out and leveraging matchups downfield. With Adams in the fold, Klassen believes the Rams can revisit that philosophy
The Los Angeles Rams enter 2025 with as much intrigue as any NFC contender. After a busy offseason that saw Davante Adams land in Los Angeles, expectations quickly shifted from cautious optimism to real Super Bowl conversations. But as always, the question isn’t just about who is on the roster — it’s about how Sean McVay can unlock his stars.
On The Athletic Football Show, Derrik Klassen highlighted why Adams’ presence could completely change the trajectory of the Rams’ season.
“This is aggressive framing, but the last time this team had an X receiver like this they won the Super Bowl,” Klassen said. “There’s a couple of reasons that I’m excited for that. One, I’m still not entirely sold on the run game. So the fact that Davante Adams can come in and they can maybe get back to some of that 2021 offense, maybe being a little bit more of a gun and empty team, I think that’s really exciting.”
That Super Bowl offense was one of the most balanced, explosive units in recent memory. McVay leaned heavily on Matthew Stafford’s arm, relied on an elite WR1 in Cooper Kupp, and dialed up aggressive passing concepts that kept defenses reeling all the way through the Super Bowl.
Now, with Kupp gone and Adams taking over as the true X, the Rams may not need to reinvent themselves. Instead, they can turn back the clock — letting Stafford operate out of the gun, spreading defenses thin, and creating matchup nightmares with Adams’ ability to separate at every level of the field.
Stafford’s Health and Adams’ Role
Of course, none of this works without Stafford. He missed much of training camp dealing with a back injury, and while the Rams remain confident in his availability, the uncertainty lingers. If Stafford is upright, Adams becomes the central figure in re-establishing an identity McVay has thrived with before.
The alternative is a heavier reliance on the run game, where questions still exist despite Kyren Williams’ breakout year and new contract extension. Klassen’s skepticism is valid: if the Rams can’t consistently control the line of scrimmage, they’ll need Adams’ presence to win them games.
Against elite defenses in the NFC, that margin for error matters. Adams can dictate coverages, open up space for complementary receivers, and reduce the pressure on Williams and the run game to carry the offense.
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