Rams give least surprising update of free agency

For a front office that has made some of the best wide receiver moves of recent years like Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the L.A. Rams must also accept some big swings and misses in that department too.

Too. Tutu. The Rams are likely to move on from Tutu Atwell after paying him $10 million for six catches.

Sean McVay and Les Snead may have intimated in their press conferences last week that L.A.’s usage of 12 and 13 personnel would make Atwell irrelevant in 2026. As if we didn’t already know that.

The fact of the matter is that McVay didn’t make Atwell irrelevant last season. Atwell is just not a good receiver and that’s what made 12 and 13 personnel more relevant.

Drafting Atwell in the second round in 2021 may have been a mistake because it was about two rounds earlier than anyone expected, but at least Snead could argue that as a draft prospect anything is possible. After all, Kupp and Nacua both proved the Rams right for drafting them as draft steals that nobody realized would be as good as they each became.

However, doubling-down on that investment with $10 million and then not being able to execute a plan for how to use that player wisely is far more puzzling than just drafting a player too early.

Atwell finished with six catches for 192 yards and nobody will ever convince me that he “stretched the field” or that his lone touchdown catch to help beat the Colts was worth $10 million. Even Xavier “Muff” Smith could have made that play.

The Rams must still address receiver in some capacity with Davante Adams one step closer to retirement and Puka about to cost over $40 million per season.

A draft pick would make sense, but Snead has proven he’s clearly never afraid to swing.