Can Davante Adams be the Rams’ lacking piece in 2025?

The Los Angeles Rams made the large transfer proper earlier than free company to signal huge receiver Davante Adams following his launch from the New York Jets. Coming into the offseason, the Rams wanted a large receiver that would win on the boundary on the “X” and that’s precisely what Adams offers.

With that being stated, the signing of Adams isn’t as threat free as some would really like it to be. Adams can be 32 heading into 2025, however it can technically be his age 33 season as his birthday is in December. Since 2010, 10 huge receivers have eclipsed 1000 yards at age 32/33.

One of many larger wants coming into the offseason for the Rams was the huge receiver place, particularly discovering that participant on the boundary. Adams fills that want, but additionally primarily removes them from drafting a large receiver at 26. The hope right here for the Rams is that Adams isn’t Allen Robinson 2.0.

In terms of Adams, a number of issues could be true on the identical time. The primary is that he’s not the participant that he as soon as was. Recognizing that truth, it can be true that Adams can nonetheless assist a workforce if the match is true. The match may be proper with the Rams. Matt Harmon who charts huge receivers for Reception Notion broke down Adams’ 2024 season and gave his ideas on him signing with the Rams. Stated Harmon,

“I think we should at least linger for one second on the fact that the Rams were the team that also ignored some of the signs of decline in Allen Robinson’s profile when last they signed a big-name veteran free agent wideout. However, Adams’ skill set is exactly what this offense needed. His ability to play inside and out affords LA the opportunity to continue moving Puka Nacua around. He also brings the man coverage skills Cooper Kupp doesn’t at this stage of his career. He’s certainly the best X-receiver this team has employed since Odell Beckham’s brief run with the team in the Super Bowl season. If Adams is going to have one or two more big years with a team, this is a spot where it can happen.”

Adams’ match with the Rams makes a variety of sense. There’s a purpose why he was my quantity six free agent match. Regardless of a down yr, Adams ranked tenth in targets per route and was thirteenth in yards after the catch per reception. Final season Adams had 11 red-zone receptions for six touchdowns. He ranked seventh within the NFL in finish zone targets. In 2023, he had 16 receptions within the pink zone for six touchdowns on 9 finish zone targets. Adams ought to be the pink zone specialist Rams have been lacking on the huge receiver place. He matches precisely what they wanted within the huge receiver place this offseason.

In the event that they plan to make use of him equally to Demarcus Robinson, there is no such thing as a doubt that Adams is a transparent improve. There additionally shouldn’t be any considerations over a tradition match both. Adams performed with Matt LaFleur in Inexperienced Bay and understands the offense. Whereas there have been moments of drama with Adams during the last two years, his state of affairs additionally considerably modified. The previous Packers huge receiver left for the Raiders to play together with his faculty teammate and good pal Derek Carr. Nonetheless, following 2022 the Raiders launched Carr which left Adams with a slew of dangerous quarterbacks.

Davante Adams Success by Route

Matt Harmon | Reception Notion

It’s straightforward to easily level on the quarterback state of affairs as a purpose for Adams’ slight dip in manufacturing. Once more, a number of issues could be true on the identical time. There’s little doubt that enjoying with Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew, and Aaron Rodgers coming off of a torn Achilles had an impact on his manufacturing. That may be true whereas additionally recognizing that at 32 years previous, Adams will not be the identical participant that he was when he left the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

On Adams’ current utilization, Harmon stated,

“Adams had been almost exclusively an X-receiver during his time with the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2023, he took a whopping 87.5% of his sampled snaps outside and 85.8% on the line of scrimmage…However, when he arrived in New York, the presence of Garrett Wilson and his long-standing connection with Aaron Rodgers freed him up to play more positions. Overall, Adams took just 52.1% of his snaps on the line of scrimmage, and his slot rate was up to 42.4%…That being said, Adams can still get open outside. His 74.6% success rate vs. man coverage, while well south of his peak seasons, is still a really strong result and within the same neighborhood of his 2023 number.”

The most important level right here is that whereas Adams remains to be superb, it shouldn’t be anticipated that the Rams are getting peak Davante Adams. That is nonetheless an excellent huge receiver even when he isn’t essentially in his prime. Adams at 75 p.c of what he was remains to be a top-25 huge receiver within the NFL. He will not be as dominant as he was, however he nonetheless has the flexibility to get open. Stated Harmon,

“Now, the most concerning result for Adams is the 77% success rate vs. zone coverage. That’s a pretty significant dropoff from his 84.4% success rate vs. zone from the previous season. We’ve seen big dips in success rate vs. zone being the first warning sign, and one I’ve been too quick to ignore, toward a decline for perimeter receivers in recent RP history (Allen Robinson, for example). I think that the overall drop in success rate vs. zone is attributed to the body naturally slowing down and losing burst. He doesn’t explode out of breaks like he used to and his deep route success rates are still good but down from previous years.”

It feels odd for the Rams to maneuver on from one huge receiver coming into the age of 30 in Cooper Kupp solely to signal a large receiver previous 30 in Davante Adams. A giant query can be whether or not the Rams consider Adams is an exception and out of doors what has change into the norm for older huge receivers. The Rams skilled this excessive drop-off with Allen Robinson and it’s a shock that they’ve opted for an older huge receiver simply three years later.

Davante Adams Route Proportion

Matt Harmon | Reception Notion

DeAndre Hopkins was as soon as a dominant huge receiver within the NFL. He’s handled some dangerous quarterback play lately, however simply recorded his lowest yards per reception in his profession at age 32. Julio Jones is a Corridor of Fame participant and his drop-off got here at age 31. It’s very potential that Adams is an exception as he appears to be an ideal match for the Rams offense. On the identical time, the historical past is considerably regarding. Harmon famous,

“As I often say, predicting the pace of receiver decline is where I’m least confident in using Reception Perception. The nature of the fall can be so different for each player. Some guys drop quickly and never recover, while others steadily decline. If I had to take an educated guess based on his success rates and ability to play multiple positions, I’d bet Adams falls in the latter category and still has a year or two of great football left. While his 2024 RP data shows he’s understandably in decline from his Hall of Fame-level peak, there are more than enough indicators here to show he can be a strong starting outside receiver for the 2025 season whom you’re comfortable giving a healthy share of your passing offense.”

The signing of Davante Adams is the kind of all-in transfer that the Rams wanted to make. After developing simply shy of internet hosting the NFC Championship recreation, they wanted to search out gamers that would assist them recover from the hump. By transferring on from Kupp, the Rams additionally wanted one other participant that they might depend on in ‘must have it’ conditions. Adams matches that invoice.

Additionally it is value noting that in seven profession video games in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers, Adams has had 130+ yards in 5 of them. His profession common in opposition to the 49ers is 9.1 receptions for 123 yards and a landing. That’s an insane seven recreation common.

This isn’t to say that Adams goes to be Allen Robinson 2.0. In contrast to Robinson, Adams was a precedence for the Rams this offseason. With Robinson, he was a participant that the workforce diverted to after Von Miller opted to depart for the Buffalo Payments. Having that plan for Adams’ utilization is essential if he’s going to achieve success. The Rams additionally don’t essentially have the massive monetary dedication with Adams. It’s primarily a one-year, $20 million deal. It’s straightforward to maneuver on after 2025 and the Rams can save $18 million by reducing him after the season.

On the identical time, it’s additionally not essentially a signing that’s assured to work and the Rams aren’t getting the Davante Adams from three years in the past. That doesn’t imply that Adams can’t or received’t achieve success. Nonetheless, the extent of success that Adams has will play a giant function in whether or not or not the Rams are critical contenders within the NFC.