A big change to the Los Angeles Rams offense over the past month has been their adjustment to more 13 personnel and using multiple tight ends on offense. However, as seen last week against the Seattle
Seahawks, that’s not always going to be a foolproof answer. The Seahawks held the Rams to just 2.7 yards per play out of 13 personnel. Sean McVay and the Rams offense can still live out of 13 personnel, but they need to be able to move off of it if teams have answers.
It seems odd to say, but it’s very possible that the Rams missed Tutu Atwell in a game like last week. Atwell may be having a disappointing season, but he’s an experienced player that provides a skillset that the defense has to respect. The Rams simply haven’t gotten a lot out of Xavier Smith in that role and Konata Mumpfield is a rookie seventh-round pick. Jordan Whittington is a physical blocker, but he had a drop against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5 and doesn’t have more than 15 yards receiving in any game this season. In fact, Whittington’s 0.75 yards per route run in 2025 ranks fifth out of the six Rams wide receivers and is only ahead of Mumpfield.
Outside of Nacua and Adams, the Rams don’t have a dependable third wide receiver option. It’s a reason why they’ve gone to more heavy tight end sets. Throughout the McVay era, the Rams have always had three legitimate options at wide receiver. It’s difficult to make that case right now and it limits their ability to get into 11 personnel when they need to.
While the trade deadline has passed, there may be some veterans that become available. For example, Odell Beckham Jr. is getting reinstated after serving a 10-week suspension. Beckham would be a good option, but he also provides a similar skill set as Davante Adams. Their skill sets overlap in what they do well and where they win on the field.
Another interesting option, however, just became available. According to Nick Underhill, who covers the Saints, the team and wide receiver Brandin Cooks have mutually agreed to part ways.
Cooks has experience with the Rams, playing in Los Angeles for two years in 2018 and 2019. The Rams traded for Cooks prior to their Super Bowl run and he had 122 receptions for 1,787 yards, and seven touchdowns over his two seasons. Cooks is no longer the same player as he has 19 receptions for 165 yards and averaging just 8.7 yards per reception. He also had a disappointing 2024 season in which he had 259 yards on 26 receptions in 10 games with three touchdowns.
At 32 years old, Cooks isn’t going to come in and be the immediate third option behind Nacua and Adams. However, as experienced depth behind Atwell or just an experienced player in that “Z” role along with Atwell, it might make sense. Even when Atwell plays, Stafford doesn’t necessarily work to get the ball to him outside of the occasional deep shot. Putting a more experienced player in that role may actually benefit Stafford as well.
It’s fair to say that Cooks is no longer the player that he used to be. This season, in a limited offense, he had just two receptions on five deep targets. His 0.58 yards per route run is also a career-low. Last season, he averaged just 0.89 yards per route run. Additionally, he hauled in just one of nine deep targets.
Cooks hasn’t played for a winning team with a stable quarterback situation since 2023, when he had 657 yards and his average depth of target on deep throws of 32.3 ranked eighth in the NFL. However, that was also two years ago at this point.
The Rams’ team-building approach this season has been with the idea of raising their floor at certain positions rather than focusing on the ceiling. Cooks may not come in and raise the Rams’ ceiling. However, as a fourth wide receiver that can provide depth and some experience behind Atwell and a player Stafford may trust more, he could certainly raise their floor.
At this point in the season, the Rams may not look to drastically shake anything up. Still, when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, one of the biggest moves they made was claiming a wide receiver off of waivers. Cooks may not be the wide receiver that Beckham was, but if there is an opportunity to improve the team, even in just a depth spot, the Rams should consider it.
