How WR Davante Adams and Puka Nacua can flourish in the same offense

Why Tutu Atwell remains a wildcard for 2025

Since selecting him with the 57th overall pick in Round 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams' willingness to use WR Tutu Atwell in the offense has notoriously fallen short of the verbiage and pre-season hype cited by the coaching staff. And for Rams fans who were horrified that the team opted to select Atwell instead of promising rookie center Creed Humphrey, it has been a painful memory that has remained.

The problem is, it's not Tutu Atwell's fault.

Even as the Rams' post-season diagnosis was the need to become more explosive on offense, they failed to use their most explosive offensive weapon. Tutu Atwell can run a 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds. How does that stack up against the other receivers on the Rams roster in 2024 and 2025?

• Tutu Atwell - 4.32 seconds
• Puka Nacua - 4.57 seconds
• Demarcus Robinson - 4.59 seconds
• Cooper Kupp - 4.62 seconds
• Tyler Johnson - 4.70 seconds
• Jordan Whittington - 4.56 seconds
• Xavier Smith - 4.48 seconds
• Davante Adams - 4.56 seconds

As you can see, Atwell is the fastest receiver on the Rams roster, both then and now. It was his speed that made him an ideal player to extend for one more season to give the offense a vital weapon. But speed is not enough. And that is why the Rams needed to bring back Atwell.

Atwell's lack of production compared to other receivers in this offense is not due to any shortcoming on his part any longer. The team fails to keep him involved in the offense to the same degree that other receivers have been used. Just for argument's sake, let's diagnose how effective Rams receivers have been by combining their past two seasons in a data table. They are:

• Puka Nacua | 184 catches | 266 targets | 69.2% catch | 2,476 yards | 9 TDs
• Cooper Kupp | 126 catches | 195 targets | 65.2% catch | 1,447 yards | 11 TDs
• Demarcus Robinson | 57 catches | 103 targets | 55.3% catch | 876 yards | 11 TDs
• Tutu Atwell | 81 catches | 129 targets | 62.8% catch | 1,045 yards | 3 TDs

Atwell simply failed to attract targets at the same level as Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp. Yet, his production in terms of receiving yards has steadily increased from 298 receiving yards in 2022, to 483 receiving yards in 2023, to 562 receiving yards in 2024.

Given a steady diet of targets and a consistent role in the offense, Atwell projects to be a 1000+ receiving yards offensive weapon. At his 2024 rate, he would need to be targeted 110 times to break the 1000+ receiving yards plateau. Can he do it?

That all depends on the Rams' offense and play-calling. Atwell is ideally suited for a 12-personnel receiver option, as his breakaway speed forces defenses to keep safeties back to defend the deep route. That would allow the Rams' blocking to outmaneuver defenses in the box, giving the offense the advantage. Should defenses crowd the box with eight defenders, send Atwell deep for a big gain.

The Rams appear to be committed to a more explosive offense in 2025, and to do that, they will need to amplify the role of Tutu Atwell in the offense. Yes, we've heard similar chatter before. But this time, the Rams seem to be a bit more serious about it. And with Davante Adams paired up with Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell's skillset is unique in the offense in 2025 as well.