Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay took the side of the fans in a stunning way. He's not unleashing a certain weapon correctly.
It's not Puka Nacua, though. Or the departed Cooper Kupp. McVay shared to team reporter Stu Jackson that Tutu Atwell has been under used.
He's the same Atwell earning one more chance with the Rams. Atwell signed a one-year deal worth $10 million. Most fans saw the signing as a surprise, given Atwell's limited production in L.A. and likely wanting a fresher start. The Rams have kept him on board. But again, McVay acknowledged this theory from Rams fans.
“I think the fans are accurate in that I haven't done a good enough job of utilizing him,” McVay shared.
Has Sean McVay been impressed or unimpressed by Tutu Atwell?
Atwell arrived before the Super Bowl 56 run. He earned the title of becoming the Rams' highest draft pick of the 2021 class. McVay and general manager Les Snead grabbed Atwell at 57th overall in the second round.
The diminutive wideout from Miami even got heads scratching. Many fans wondered why a target under 155 pounds would land that high. He also arrived at a place where Kupp and Robert Woods were the main emphasis in the air attack.
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Atwell since has endured a less-than-stellar start to his career: Catching 99 total passes for 1,343 yards and scoring four touchdowns. But that's through 54 games and 23 starts.
McVay has seen something promising from Atwell, though.
“I think when you look at his body of work, when he's been able to play, especially in some of the times that he was playing (like) when Cooper was on IR, there was a lot of production,” McVay shared.
McVay has even seen signs of improvement — helping persuade the re-signing.
“He's matured as a young man. I love the person, getting to know him, and I think that he's only getting better,” McVay said. “I thought he really improved his route detail for a smaller guy. He's got a good catch radius, he catches the ball outside of his frame really well. He's an explosive player that people know about.”
Now Rams fan hope McVay can unleash his forgotten explosive player he admits isn't getting used much.
