Rams Questioned After ‘Wild’ Decision on $10 Million Super Bowl Champion

The Los Angeles Rams have a fruitful free agency with the 2025 draft yet to come. The Rams saw the most activity at the wide receiver position, releasing Cooper Kupp, letting Demarcus Robinson leave in free agency, and re-signing Tutu Atwell.

ESPN’s Benjamin Solak evaluated the Rams’ offseason, praising most of their moves.

Cutting Robinson, particularly in favor of retaining Atwell, was Solak’s lone argument against the Rams, ranking their free agency period second behind only the Buffalo Bills.

“I loved: Just about everything,” Solak wrote on March 26. “The Rams lost a solid amount of depth and must continue to reload through the draft, but they’ve retained the franchise cornerstones necessary to continue contending in the NFC.

“I didn’t love: Retaining Tutu Atwell over Demarcus Robinson. I understand Atwell has a trump-card trait — speed — that Robinson doesn’t have. But if I’m filling the WR3 speedster role on an offense funneling most targets to Nacua and Adams, I’d prefer to do it in the draft or in the bargain bin of free agency.”

TUTU DOWN THERE SOMEWHERE!

📺: @NFLonFOX | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/UBbKBCFb5z

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 22, 2024

“Atwell has never had more than 600 receiving yards or scored more than three touchdowns in his four pro seasons,” Solak wrote. “He might create bigger plays in theory, but he averaged fewer yards per reception last season (13.4) than Robinson did (16.3). I understand the argument for Atwell’s upside, but it is my least favorite part of an otherwise impressive class.”

A favorite of Rams head coach Sean McVay, Atwell, 25, was a second-round pick in 2021.

He caught 42 passes for 562 yards in 2024. He has a 99-1,343-4 line for his career and must prove he can be more than a gadget option in the offense.

Tutu Atwell Named Rams’ ‘Most Overpaid Player’

Solak is not alone in viewing the Rams’ decision to re-up with Atwell negatively. Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon considers Atwell the Rams’ “most overpaid player.

“I don’t mind the gamble on a make-or-break one-year deal for Atwell,” Gagnon wrote on March 26. “$10 million is still a wild amount of green for a guy who’s never had 50 catches or 600 yards in a single campaign and has four total touchdowns in four pro seasons.”

The Athletic’s David DeChant, Jourdan Rodrigue, and Vic Tafur ranked Atwell the No. 77 overall available player and WR11 entering free agency.

They also explained his lack of consistency was partly a function of his surroundings.

“Atwell never found a full-time role in the Rams’ offense, in part because it perennially flowed first through Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, then through Kupp and Puka Nacua, and run-blocking has been a key trait for receivers in this system,” The Athletic staff wrote in February.

“But Atwell’s speed and ease at the catch point is legitimate despite his diminutive 5-9, 165-pound frame. While he saw only 62 targets on just 256 routes run in 2024, Atwell had 0.27 EPA per target (No. 59 among receivers with at least 250 snaps), 9.1 yards per target and 13.4 yards per catch (No. 41).”

Puka Nacua Rams’ ‘Most Underpaid Player’

The Rams can afford to take a short-term risk on Atwell’s contract because their WR1, Puka Nacua, is a bargain.

“Rushing from the inside, Kobie Turner has produced 17 sacks at a cost of just $2.2 million in the first two seasons of his rookie contract with the Rams,” Gagnon wrote on March 28. “But even that isn’t enough when you’re drafted two rounds ahead of a guy who has already become a superstar on a four-year, $4.1 million rookie deal.”

“Incredibly, 214 receivers make more money than Nacua,” Gagnon wrote.

Nacua, who plans to retire by 30, has two more seasons on that rookie deal, and he is already in line for a significant raise on his next one.