This Rams deal shocks fans by being painted as a nightmare for the team

The Los Angeles Rams are not immune to cutting big checks for pedestrian performances. In fact, you need look no further than 2024 to see proof of that fact. The Rams signed defensive back Tre'Davious White, but he was unable to perform to expectations and was traded away by midseason. The Rams also signed veteran IOL Jonah Jackson, but he was injured and was unable to win a starting job after returning to health. The team traded him away at the end of the 2024 NFL season.

If you want to find a more disappointing signing, you can dial back to the 2022 NFL season, when the Rams signed promising veteran WR Allen Robinson to a three-year deal worth up to $46.5 million. Despite happening in 2022, the contract was viewed as one of the worst Rams signings under GM Les Snead.

But let's be fair. Every NFL general manager struggles to be consistently good at adding players. The thing is, every new contract is a bit of a gamble. And the very nature of gambling works out to win some, lose some.

So it's a bit of a conundrum to find the Rams' signing of veteran wide receiver Davante Adams to a two-year deal as the LA Rams' worst contract signing of 2025. That is the take from NFL Spin Zone's contributor, Lou Scataglia. So, how did he justify calling out the Rams over the Adams addition? Here is what he had to say:

"Davante Adams did actually have over 1,000 yards with the Jets and Raiders in the 2024 NFL Season, but he caught just 60.3% of his targets and is also turning 33 years old near the end of the 2025 season. Adams is clearly still able to produce at a high level, but the overall decline has been happening for a couple of years now, and you have to wonder if 2025 is where we start to see things really fall apart.

Adams' deal is worth $22 million per year, but is that honestly what the veteran is worth at this point? Did the Los Angeles Rams seriously have to pay over $20 million to sign an aging wide receiver?"

Lou Scataglia

I like Scataglia's take on many NFL topics, but we need to clarify some facts about the contract that the Rams signed with Adams. For starters, the contract is a two-year deal worth up to $46 million, with just $26 million guaranteed.

But there is more to this contract than meets the eye. What do I mean? Well, if you examine the various elements of his contract, you find at Over The Cap.com that the Rams have awarded Adams a guaranteed salary in 2025 of $8 million, plus a third of his $12 million signing bonus. That all works out to just a $12 million salary cap hit this year. So let's break down the dollars. This may not be riveting for you, but it's important information to understand how this contract is set up.

• 2025 - $8 million salary | $4 million signing bonus) | Guaranteed - $8 million | $12 million cap hit
• 2026 - $18 milion salary | $4 M sign bonus | $6 M roster bon | Guar - $6 M | $28 million cap hit
• 2027 - void year | $ 4 million signing bonus | $4 million cap hit

The Rams will shell out $20 million in cash this season for Adams, but his cap hit (what teams adhere to) comes in at just $12 million. The Rams are due to shell out $24 million in 2026, but the cap hit comes in at $28 million, as the team must recognize another portion of his signing bonus.

In terms of the NFL salary cap, Davante Adams is the 17th highest salary cap hit among NFL receivers for 2025. He finished 2024 as the 18th most proficient receiver in the league. While the point of his age is certainly valid, is it fair to conclude that his upper ceiling in the Rams offense catching passes from Matthew Stafford will do no better than a season split between Las Vegas Raiders QB Gardner Minshew (three games) and New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (11 games)

And if you want to investigate further, Adams played just 14 games in 2024 due to his mid-season trade. Adams' contract compares favorably to other elite NFL veterans like Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans and Tennessee Titans WR Calvin Ridley.

The Rams did not sign a bad contract to add veteran WR Davante Adams to the team's roster. They simply signed him to a lucrative contract. But it comes down to one simple fact. You get what you pay for. And the Rams need a top-shelf receiver to pair up with young WR Puka Nacua this season.

As always, thanks for reading.

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