Do the Rams still have a need at wide receiver?

Should the Rams kick the tires on wide receiver Gabe Davis?

With the primary window of free agency and the NFL Draft complete, the Los Angeles Rams roster heading into the summer is mostly set. While they could still sign a player like Jedrick Wills or trade for Jalen Ramsey, the Rams have already mostly prioritized what they felt were the biggest needs of the offseason. At this point, we should have a pretty good idea of how the Rams feel about certain position groups on the roster.

That doesn’t mean that every need has been filled. The Rams could still use some help in the secondary as well as some tackle depth. However, those aren’t positions that the Rams prioritized in the offseason, meaning they may feel better about those spots than those outside the organization.

ESPN’s Aaron Schatz looked at what he considers the biggest hole on each roster following the draft. As Schatz noted, “At this point in the offseason, a roster hole does not necessarily mean the position group has no clear starters. Most teams have filled the top of their depth charts. But plenty of units have limited depth.” That position group for the Rams according to Schatz is wide receiver. Said Schatz,

“Davante Adams was a huge addition, but the departures of Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson produced a net loss of one starting wide receiver. Tutu Atwell is now the No. 3 option. He had a solid 2024 with 11.7% receiving DVOA to go with 42 catches for 562 yards, but he’s not regarded as a starting option around the league. And the depth behind him is poor. Jordan Whittington had 22 catches for 293 yards as a sixth-round rookie in 2024, but Xavier Smith had only two catches for 6 yards. The Rams didn’t draft a receiver until selecting Konata Mumpfield in Round 7. Los Angeles might not need a No. 3 receiver that often, though, as drafting Terrance Ferguson in Round 2 indicates more two-TE personnel groupings.”

There is certainly some concern when it comes to the Rams wide receiver depth. This isn’t a group that’s as deep as it has been in previous years under Sean McVay. The Rams opted not to bring back Demarcus Robinson and released Cooper Kupp. While they signed Davante Adams, they also seem to be hoping for players like Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington to take on larger roles.

To an extent that may seem like a risk as the Rams have been hoping for a step forward from Atwell for four seasons. Additionally, Whittington only saw limited playing time as a rookie. With that said, both players were the primary receiving options last season when both Kupp and Puka Nacua were injured.

During those games, Atwell was ninth in the NFL in yards per route with 2.61 while Whittington was 20th at 2.12. Atwell was also 18th in targets per route while Whittington was 23rd. Throughout McVay’s tenure, the Rams have done a really good job ensuring that their receivers are ready when their number is called.

While there is optimism for Whittington and Atwell, neither have shown that they can sustain that level over the course of a season. Even if the Rams do go to more 12 personnel packages, the Las Vegas Raiders led the NFL in 12 personnel rate at 35.5 percent. For the Rams, on the high end in estimations, they may end up in the 17 percent to 28 percent range. The NFL is still an 11 personnel league.

Earlier this week, the Jacksonville Jaguars released wide receiver Gabe Davis. Davis may not have had the success that some expected after leaving the Buffalo Bills. However, he is still a quality depth wide receiver. During his time with the Bills, Davis showed the ability to be a plus-blocker, can line up and win outside, and is simply experienced depth that the Rams don’t currently have.

This isn’t to say that the Rams should kick the tires on Davis, but he would make some sense if they want to add some depth at this point in the offseason. However, adding Davis may also mean opportunities get taken away from Atwell and Whittington. The Rams likely trust the players that they currently have in the building.

The Rams have done a good job developing wide receivers and a lot of that has to do with Eric Yarber. Konata Mumpfield may not be the most exciting name, but he is a great fit for the Rams offense as a crafty route-runner. The Rams also have some promising undrafted free agents.

If the Rams get into a spot where they suffer an injury or two at the position, signing someone like Davis is something that they would have to consider. For the time being, there is a lot to like with the players currently in that position group.