Rams puzzlingly refuse to involve Tutu Atwell in the offense

Fans were somewhat stunned when the Los Angeles Rams made a last-minute trade with the Miami Dolphins to reacquire wide receiver Tutu Atwell. Atwell was not offered an extension after playing on a one-year, $10 million prove-it contract valued. Unfortunately, he failed to prove much. The Rams allowed Atwell to sign elsewhere.

And then traded to get him back.

Despite Atwell's lack of playing time early on, with Davante Adams sidelined the Horns had a perfect opportunity to get Atwell involved in Week 7. For whatever reason, they didn't. Yes, Los Angeles won the game. Yes, the running back duo of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum proved potent. But the team left yards on the field and points off the scoreboard.

In a game coming off another injury, Puka Nacua caught eight of ten passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. The Rams' longest completions were 15-yarders to tight ends Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee and receiver Konata Mumpfield. The offense could have used a deep threat, but Atwell wasn't targeted.

Rams are doing themselves no favors keeping Atwell on the bench

Atwell has been with the Rams since 2021, the same year Matthew Stafford arrived from the Detroit Lions via trade. But while Stafford has amplified the production of receivers Cooper Kupp, Nacua, and Adams, Atwell has struggled to find work.

This season, he has caught three of four passes for 31 yards. With Adams sidelined for 6-10 weeks and Nacua fighting through injuries, Atwell is the logical option for next man up.

But the Rams remain reluctant to involve him, and nobody knows why.

Atwell is not built to block. But he has the speed to lure defensive backs out of the box, which is just as effective at helping clear room for run plays. And with the team almost certainly pivoting to more heavy-personnel formations, Atwell's availability brings multiple benefits.

Deploying Atwell could help keep Nacua rested

Without Adams, LA risks running Nacua into the ground. In five games, he's averaging 13 targets. The problem with that pace is that he will be worn out by the time the playoffs arrive, and nobody wants that.

Until younger receivers step up, Atwell can serve as the veteran go-to guy the offense lacks. When an injured Kupp sat out the first four games of 2022, Atwell was that guy. He hauled in 22 of 35 passes over that four-game stretch for 270 yards and a touchdown.

He has never been used that much since.

Atwell is a complementary option in multiple tight-end formations

Defenses counter LA's love for heavy personnel by crowding the box, getting bigger, and committing to the run. That allowed tight end Davis Allen to score two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders. The thing is, Atwell has such phenomenal speed that he can flourish against that type of defensive strategy.

Even if he is merely a decoy, he opens up the field to the short and intermediate routes that are the bread-and-butter options for tight ends.

Having a deep threat reduces defenders in the box

Along the same line of thinking, Atwell's speed forces defenses to keep DBs out of the box to prevent deep passes. And even when they stay back, they cannot always cover Atwell effectively. Meanwhile, that lessens the number of defenders crowding the line of scrimmage.

All Rams running backs need is a crease to daylight. Atwell can provide that without throwing a block.

Through Week 7, he has played 87 offensive snaps and been targeted four times. That's not going to cut it, but a healthy workload does not seem to be in the cards.

LA will keep doing what it does. All fans can do in response is sit back and continue scratching their heads.

As always, thanks for reading.

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