The Los Angeles Rams made a major change to their wide receiver core this offseason, swapping out one of the most important pass-catchers in franchise history in Cooper Kupp for Davante Adams. With Kupp’s production tapering but his contract still high, L.A. felt it was time for a change, with Adams a little more firmly playing prime football.
Last season marked Adams’ fifth consecutive with over 1,000 receiving yards. And he managed this despite switching teams midseason — from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New York Jets — and missing three games. The Rams are taking a bit of a chance that, with a better quarterback situation than the ones in Las Vegas and New York, he’ll remain squarely in his prime.
And that’s certainly the vibe Adams is already getting from practicing with the Rams in OTAs. And part of the reason is the fun he’s having, likening it to youth football, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“This game is supposed to be a kid’s game and us just having a good time, a fun time out there together. For it to kind of feel like Pop Warner, high school, college ball all over again, that’s exactly what this team feels like in the best way possible,” Adams said after Tuesday’s OTA practice. “It feels like a college-type of camaraderie. I don’t think I’ve seen a linebacker and a punter talking as much as I have since I’ve been here, or the kicker and quarterbacks, or whoever it is. There’s just so much crossover.”
That vibe in the locker room from the Rams is making Adams feel a little younger as he enters his age-33 season:
“We’ve been going for a minute now, but it’s been good, man,” Adams said. “It’s been exactly what I needed, feeling rejuvenated and really enjoying the time with the guys, getting to know them, getting on the same page with (quarterback) Matthew (Stafford), and just gelling with the whole team right now. It feels like I’ve been on this team for a couple of years now just based on how open and receptive the guys have been to me.”
Playing with Matthew Stafford is part of what is making Adams feel rejuvinated, but it’s also just the overall hunger in the locker room:
“It’s just about ball,” Adams said. “There’s no other BS and we’ve got a really good quarterback in here. You’ve got a really good young team that shows a lot of promise and was obviously really close to being able to have a chance at the whole thing last year. So just knowing how hungry this team is and seeing the work they’re still putting in after having a year like last year—it just kind of confirms that I’m in the right place.”
The Rams have proven themselves to be one of the most professional organizations in the sport, especially since Sean McVay took over as head coach. They are routinely in the conversation for the Super Bowl and will continue to be in 2025. And that is the exact type of thing that can extend the prime of a player like Adams.
Rams named potential landing spot for Jaire Alexander
It’s possible that another former Packer could be heading to Los Angeles with Davante Adams in the recently-released Jaire Alexander. At 28, Alexander is still an extremely productive cornerback and is now a free agent after a contract dispute in Green Bay.
The Rams are considered a potential landing spot for Alexander given that he is the type of player they have pursued in the past at that position, although Sean McVay downplayed the possibility.
