From pretty much the moment the 2024 season ended, the Los Angeles Rams have been extremely open about the fact that they're looking to move on from long-time wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Kupp is guaranteed just $5 million in salary for next year, and if L.A. finds a deal and designates the veteran as a post-June 1 relief, it would save some $20 million in cap space for 2025. Considering Kupp's well-documented health issues in recent years (he's missed 18 games since the start of 2022) and age (he'll be 32 ahead of the 2025 campaign), you can see why those savings might be appealing.
But that still begged the question of just who exactly would line up opposite Puka Nacua for this offense next year. With Matthew Stafford back in the fold, it's clear that the Rams have eyes on another Super Bowl run next season; but this offseason needs multiple weapons on the outside to run smoothly, and for all of his red flags, Kupp was still very reliable when on the field — and the depth chart behind him was full of question marks.
On Sunday, however, we got our answer: According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Rams have reached an agreement with Davante Adams on a two-year deal worth up to $46 million that includes $26 million guaranteed.
Sources: Davante Adams to the #Rams. He gets a 2-year deal worth $46M with $26M guaranteed. He wanted to stay on the West Coast.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2025
L.A. has essentially swapped one aging, expensive star for another aging, (slightly less) expensive star. But is this the best use of the Rams' resources?
Rams upgrade on Cooper Kupp with Davante Adams signing, but questions remain
Adams isn't the player he was at his peak with the Green Bay Packers and Las Vegas Raiders. But he still has plenty left in the tank, as he showed down the stretch with the New York Jets in 2024: The 32-year-old finished the year with 85 catches for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns, including a monster five-game stretch to close the season. He also ranked well above league average in metrics like yards per route run and separator score; clearly he's still plenty capable of getting open, and he should have no problem getting on the same page with Stafford and Sean McVay.
Of course, Adams isn't a one-for-one replacement for Kupp, who was also among the league's premier blockers at his position. But you could make the argument that he does have a bit more left in the tank at this point in each player's respective career, and Adams certainly is a better bet to stay on the field for 17 games. You could argue that the Rams could've filled this hole without spending quite so much money, especially considering just how many receivers are available via free agency or trade this offseason (not to mention the 2025 NFL Draft). But Adams is a very known quantity who still projects for above average play at least over the length of this deal, one that shouldn't hamstring the team moving forward.