Rams McVay reveals unexpected confidence in Tutu Atwell's larger role in 2025

When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams' actions so far in the 2025 NFL Free Agency market, the fans have given solid support for the team's extensions and signings. Well, on most extensions so far. The hiccup to the Rams extension has been the fact that the Rams re-signed veteran wide receiver Tutu Atwell. Now, don't get me wrong. The truth is that bringing back Tutu Atwell makes a great deal of sense for this offense on many levels.

But bringing him back on a one-year deal for $10 million seems wrong. Either the team inked one year when they meant to construct a two or three year contract, or the team overpaid by a healthy amount. The truth is that Tutu Atwell has produced 99 catches, 1,343 yards, and four touchdowns on 164 targets and four NFL seasons in his career.

That is not a horrendous level of production. But not even I can defend spending that much money on a wide receiver whose best season in the NFL plateaued at 562 receiving yards and no touchdowns. At least, not unless the Rams plan to use Atwell in a significantly larger role in 2025.

Based on Sean McVay's latest interview when asked point blank why the Rams signed Atwell to such a lucrative contract, a larger role is in the works for Tutu Atwell:

To Coach McVay's credit, he acknowledges the fans views of underutilizing Tutu Atwell in this offense, and acknowledges that when given opportunities, Atwell has indeed delivered. In fact, McVay does much more than the usual coachspeak response of 'my bad.' or 'I need to fix that,' as he describes in fine detail everything that fans have seen about Tutu Atwell's development in this offense over the past four seasons.

And his comments hit the bullseye again and again in this interview, as captured by Sports Illustrated Rams beat reporter Brock Vierra:

"Yeah. I think when you look at his (Tutu Atwell) body of work, when he has been able to play, especially in some of the times that he was playing when Cooper [Kupp] was on IR, there was a lot of production. And if you project that over the course of 17 games, you just watch what he was able to do. He has matured as a young man. I love the person you know, getting to know him, and I think that he is only getting better. He is 24 years old. I thought he really improved his route detail for a smaller guy. He has (got) a good catch radius.

He catches the ball outside of his frame really well. He is an explosive player that people know about. So he creates separation. And I think there is some stuff that you know, I think the fans are accurate, and that I have not done a good enough job of utilizing him.


When you look at the times when he has been able to play, whether that be because some people were out or not, he has produced, and he has delivered, and we are looking forward to seeing more of that ascension, and he is going to be on the field a lot more particularly and a lot of those three receiver sets, where, when he has been on the field, he has done a really good job. And like I said, if you project that over the course of 17 games, and hopefully you have earned the right to play afterwards."

Rams HC Sean McVay

Can fans hold Coach McVay to his word this time? Perhaps. It's a long grueling season, and many unforeseen circumstances have yet to play out. Injuries, opponents, and production will all play major roles in exactly how much playing time and how large of a role Atwell will earn in this offense in 2025.

The good news is that Rams HC Sean McVay understands that Tutu Atwell has shown the potential to play a much larger part in the Rams offense in 2025. Now, it's up to McVay to make that happen.

As always, thanks for reading.

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