Rams Pro Bowler addition is torching OTAs like his career depends on it

There is a certain quality about elite players when they step onto a football field, and newly added veteran wide receiver Davante Adams is no exception. The Los Angeles Rams wanted to ensure that their offense had a capable veteran to handle the level of pressure that would fall on his shoulders in the wake of former WR Cooper Kupp. But the team was also aiming for someone who could deliver the same quality of mentorship to offensive and defensive teammates alike.

Davante Adams not only produces on the football field, but he delivers with every interaction with his teammates, as well.

But let's talk about Adams in terms of what he brings to, or rather restores to, the Rams offense. As we all know, veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford does not shy away from threading the needle when the window of separation requires it. But Stafford had not thrown for 4000+ yards or 25+ touchdowns for the Rams since his first season in 2021. Stafford's accuracy has not declined noticeably. So what is it?

Stafford's success

Well, his completed air yards per passing attempt (CAY/PA) has tumbled. In 2021, he completed 4.6 air yards per attempt, but in 2024, that had fallen to 3.9 CAY/PA. What that means is that Stafford was throwing closer to the line of scrimmage out of necessity to find the open receiver.

Davante Adams is on board to restore Stafford's ability to find the open receiver further downfield:

As much as we love the players who competed in the Rams offense, we have to acknowledge that, statistically speaking, they were beginning to fail the team overall. I'm not suggesting that the likes of Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson, and Tyler Johnson were lackadaisical in their approach and effort. But I am suggesting that the Rams offense requires certain skills that Father Time has begun to erode. As such, the Rams' offense was less dangerous.

Rams OC Mike LaFleur on WR Davante Adams:

"He's north of 30 (years old), but the way he's out there, it doesn't look like it. He's got a lot of juice in the tank, and it's been fun to watch."

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) June 3, 2025

Adams may be 32 years old, but his mastery of the wide receiver position is still intact. And he brings the opportunity to fit into an offense that matches his strengths with that of the offense. Much like the Rams offense was an ideal fit for veteran Matthew Stafford, so too is this offense an ideal fit for Davante Adams.

Condensed sweetness

In just condensed formations, Davante Adams is the NFL leader in scoring touchdowns since 2020 with 19. Former Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp trails him with 17. Best of all, the Rams used condensed formations at a phenomenal 60.7 percent rate in 2024:

So it seems that Adams will match up nicely with what the offense does.

Adams flourishes in condensed formations because he is an innovator, not a participant. You can see it in every game film he shows up in. Adams is a master of adding wrinkles and variations that keep defensive backs guessing the entire time. He does not rely on the play's basic design to create separation any more than a jazz musician relies on a basic melody to wow the audience.

It's that attention to minute details that adds so much to his play. Adams has not failed to burst through the 1000+ receiving yards barrier since 2019 (he fell short by three yards that year), and has not truly been corralled in any one NFL season since 2015. That's a long time to be ultra-productive in the NFL.

It's also a long time to learn the craft of catching footballs in the NFL.

More mentorship than imagined

Give a man bread, and he is not hungry for a day. Give a man seeds, and he is not hungry ever again. In Davante Adams, the Rams have found Johnny Appleseed for young receivers and defensive backs. Adams is not aboard the Rams roster to dominate receivers and humiliate defenders. He is a wellspring of sage wisdom, knowledge, and experience that younger players have complete access to.

For Rams third-year receiver Puka Nacua, he has been mentored by Cooper Kupp and now by Davante Adams. Both are elite playmakers, but each has a distinct approach and set of skills to excel in the position. But both are more than happy to share. Puka Nacua is more than happy to listen:

That not only applies to other receivers. Adams has been patient and generous with his guidance of defensive backs so far in OTAs. While it's all just the basic foundations, young men benefit greatly from the ability to be critiqued and mentored by NFL elite players in real time. You can bet that defensive backs like Emmanuel Forbes and Kamren Kinchens are soaking in every tip and pointer that Adams shares in OTAs.

So, for the price of a veteran wide receiver, the team has added a mentor and player/coach combination as well. But what of the challenge of deploying one football to so many worthy targets? How can the offense keep feeding the football to so many worthy offensive weapons?

It will come down to moving the chains, advancing the football, and putting points on the scoreboard. The more success this offense finds, the more success it can find. The best defense has always been an offense that can control the clock and score. That fundamental rule of football has never changed.

What has changed is the Rams ability to execute that type of offense that can check all of the boxes. And with Davante Adams on this team, the Rams appear to be in a better position to do so.

As always, thanks for reading.