Everyone loves a good trade in the NFL. It's oftentimes the biggest moves a team will make, and seemingly every year one or two blockbuster trades come in that drastically alter the fortunes of two franchises. The Los Angeles Rams have benefitted multiple times from such moves, acquiring players like Matthew Stafford, Von Miller, and Jalen Ramsey off of trades.
Bleacher Report has another such idea for the Rams to consider: trading for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, sending the Raiders their first-round pick in 2025.
"The Rams admittedly don't really need Adams—Puka Nacua was a revelation as a rookie, breaking a 60-year-old record for receiving yards by a first-year player. Cooper Kupp has struggled with injuries the past two seasons, but in 2021 he won the receiving "Triple Crown" –leading the NFL in receptions, yards and receiving scores. Adding Adams to that mix would give Matthew Stafford the most dangerous trio of wide receivers in the league.
It wouldn't be cheap—but there's no general manager in the NFL more willing to deal first-rounders than Les Snead. 2024 was the first time Los Angeles picked in Round 1 since taking Jared Goff first overall in 2016. It wouldn't be easy to get Adams' salary under the cap, either—but teams play that shell game all the time. Want to seriously threaten a loaded San Francisco 49ers team in the NFC West in 2024? This is the kind of move it's going to take."
I would actually argue that the Rams do need Davante Adams or a receiver like him. Cooper Kupp hasn't yet returned to his pre-injury self (and he might not at his age), and Puka Nacua isn't a great separator and benefitted from being schemed open often.
Looking at some PFF numbers today:
— AJ Schulte (@AJSchulteFB) June 11, 2024
Rams WR grades (min. 15 targets, in between 20s)
Puka: 28th vs man, 6th vs zone, 37th vs C1
Kupp: 31st vs man, 34th vs zone, 44th vs C1
They play a lot of man/C1 heavy teams this season...eerily similar issue to SF's offense in 2023
Now, I doubt Davante Adams would fetch a first-round pick. If he was being traded, no team would send a first-rounder for that contract, especially at his age. We're talking maybe a third-round pick and some change. The Rams are strapped for picks next year after they punted their 2025 second-rounder in the Braden Fiske trade and no compensatory picks on the way outside of the third-rounder they receive from Raheem Morris being hired.
The Rams appear to be going all-in ahead of the 2024 season. Acquiring Adams would be a significant boost for their offense, but I'm not sure how well it fits their timeline. Still, it'd be incredibly fun to see, and Adams would be the Rams' most talented wide receiver since the days of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.
