News broke this week that the Los Angeles Rams were “further along” on a trade for Philadelphia Eagles WR AJ Brown than was previous indicated. We also know based on reporting that the Rams entertained trading away veteran Davante Adams if they would have landed Brown.
The Rams probably aren’t done adding wide receivers. Arguably it’s still the single-biggest need remaining on their roster amidst Puka Nacua’s off-field issues and Adams’ recent injury history. LA doesn’t have a reliable third option currently on its roster. Nearly every mock draft sends the team a receiver at 13th overall and there could be a wide range of options available into the late second.
Would an early wide receiver selection signal the end of Adams’ tenure in Los Angeles? The rumor may not be dead.
The class is shaping up to have two high profile receivers at the top of the order in Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon. Jordyn Tyson entered draft season as a frontrunner but teams seem concerned with his lengthy injury history and mental makeup. Omar Cooper is gaining steam and climbing up the order in first round mocks, but that still feels rich within the top 15 picks.
There will be teams that need a receiver that will find themselves without one when the music stops. Adams might be the best short-term option available for a playoff hopeful, and he may become expendable in Los Angeles if a premium talent enters the door. It’s important to note that Adams’ contract only became more tradeable when his bonus vested back in March, as astutely pointed out by Turf Show Times’ fearless leader Kenneth Arthur.
We don’t often see draft day trades that include veterans, but when we do see them they often include receivers. AJ Brown is fittingly one of the most recent examples alongside Hollywood Brown in 2022. AJ Brown was dealt from the Titans to the Eagles in exchange for the 18th overall pick plus a third rounder. Hollywood Brown swapped jerseys from the Ravens to the Cardinals for the 23rd overall pick. Baltimore also received a return third round selection as they moved up for center Tyler Linderbaum. If we go further back in tine, Randy Moss was traded from the Raiders to the Patriots back in 2007, and there are even older examples that include Jerry Rice and Keyshawn Johnson.
Trading Adams may very well be unlikely. We do know that the Rams contemplated moving the veteran the last time they were within striking distance of acquiring a high caliber player. If LA drafts a receiver again, they could refresh this line of thinking.
Davante Adams is a Ram until he isn’t.
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