The Los Angeles Rams will be without wide receiver Tutu Atwell for at least the next four weeks. Atwell was placed on injured reserve on Monday as he continues to manage a hamstring injury. The Rams wide receiver returned to action against the Jacksonville Jaguars after being inactive for the game against the Baltimore Ravens the week prior. Atwell clearly wasn’t 100 percent for the Jaguars game as he played a season-low 10 snaps.
Now, Atwell goes on injured reserve, compounding what has been a disappointing fifth season for the Rams wide receiver. This was a player that the Rams brought back in the offseason and supposedly had a plan on how to utilize him more. While Atwell has produced when utilized, he’s only played 50 percent of the team’s offensive snaps once this season. He’s been used more as a “clear out” decoy than a featured player in the offense.
Still, Atwell’s lack of usage aside, without him on the field, the Rams lose their vertical threat in the offense. On players with at least five targets, Atwell leads the NFL in yards per route on deep passing routes (20+ yards). His average depth of target of 28.6 yards leads the Rams. Atwell is the player in the offense that can consistently make plays on a vertical plane.
Atwell will very likely return to the lineup for the stretch run at the end of the season. Still, this is a very important four-week stretch coming up with the Rams playing the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Seattle Seahawks in back-to-back-to-back weeks. That isn’t a stretch in which the Rams will want their offense to be limited in any way.
With that said, the Rams do have some in-house options to replace that vertical threat. While Stetson Bennett didn’t connect with Konata Mumpfield, the Rams wide receiver showed that he can win deep in the preseason. He may not be as fast as Atwell, but his release off of the line and overall route running allow him to create separation that others get with speed.
That doesn’t mention rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson. Again, Ferguson isn’t going to run past defensive backs in the same way that Atwell can. However, this is also how the Rams have used Ferguson early in his career. His first catch in the preseason was a slot fade to the sideline. The same can be said about his first regular season catch against the 49ers. Ferguson’s touchdown against the Jaguars came vertically down the seam while Stafford targeted him earlier in the game on the same route.
To put it simply, the Rams do have players on the roster that can fill the void of Atwell being out for four weeks. While Atwell may be out, it creates opportunities for other players like Mumpfield and Ferguson. This is a position that the Rams actually have some depth at and with the tight ends, they have the flexibility to run 12 or 13 personnel. At the same time, this is the Rams, Les Snead, and Sean McVay. It would not be surprising to see them trade for a wide receiver before the deadline.
This week, the Rams play the New Orleans Saints. That will allow them to get a close look at Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed has been a proven deep threat in the NFL. Still, when it comes to the McVay offense, a wide receiver needs to be able to do everything. Another option could be Brian Thomas Jr. who the Jacksonville Jaguars are rumored to be listening to offers on. The Rams have an obvious connection to the Jaguars front office with James Gladstone as the general manager.
Shaheed and Thomas would be two completely different level trades. Shaheed may cost similar to what the Rams paid for Roger McCreary. Meanwhile, as a former first-round pick, Thomas would command a much higher price tag. He’s also exactly what the Rams will be missing in Atwell. As a player with three more potential years on his rookie contract, they would also have much more team control. Matt Harmon of Reception Perception noted of Thomas Jr.’s 2024 season,
“When looking at Thomas’ route success rate chart, the number that instantly jumps off the page is a 71.9% success rate on nine routes…Not only can Thomas just outrun the entire defense but you have plenty of evidence on tape that he can release from press and stack corners in man coverage. The more he played, the better he got at throttling down to work back to the quarterback on curls and comebacks. He also has elite deceleration to snap off the vertical stem on digs and posts. Obviously, Thomas’ speed and separation ability can make him a top-level vertical receiver but he also has the ball tracking and catch point shielding to haul in difficult catches downfield.”
Thomas is exactly what the Rams need at wide receiver in Atwell’s absence, but the cost could be too high. It’s also worth noting that Gabe Davis brings some downfield ability and is on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad. The Rams also just signed Tyler Scott to their practice squad.
In all likelihood, the Rams will stand pat with who they have and navigate the next four weeks without Atwell. Mumpfield is a player that the Rams clearly like. He had a strong offseason and his snap percentage has gone up almost every single week. The Rams have been looking for an excuse to play Ferguson more, and utilizing him to unlock the vertical passing game makes a lot of sense.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rams make a move for a wide receiver, but trusting the options that they have in the building currently may be the best path forward.
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