There’s no denying Davante Adams’ arrival played a huge role in help to correct a years-long red zone issue for the Los Angeles Rams. Adams led the NFL with 15 receiving touchdowns through the regular season and playoffs.
But Adams is not the same player he was in his prime. He’s still useful in a lot of ways. He no longer threatens as much between the 20’s as he does closer to the goal line.
There is also no denying that Adams’ 2026 salary cap number puts him squarely in the bullseye. The Rams must consider freeing up his slotted salary or possibly ask him to take a pay cut. Turf Show Times’ Kenneth Arthur said it best:
$14 million in savings
Adams his most yards in a game since Week 2. Which was 89 yards. That’s not an $28 million receiver, which is Adams’ 2026 cap hit right now. It’s doubtful a team would trade for Adams’ $18 million base salary, meaning that the Rams probably just outright release Adams, but he was signed to win the Super Bowl this season. He’s only holding the Rams back if the Rams use up one of their starting receiver positions and all that cap space on him. If the Rams open $14 million from their books by releasing or trading Adams, they will have enough money to get any available receiver who they want to get.
Let’s assess the areas in which Adams is still performing well and where he’s taken a step back. Nuance is required for this decision.
The still good
At the height of his game, Adams was one of the best separators in all of football. He still has the same foundational skillset; however, my working theory is that he’s able to separate for a short time but no longer run away from defenders. This works in the red zone but allows coverage players to recover in the open field.
That might be where the good stops.
The not so good anymore
His hands
Adams had nine dropped passes in 2025, which was good for 11.3% of his targets. That’s his highest rate since his second season in 2015 where he had a 15.6% drop rate.
That’s not it. Adams caught only 10 of 34 contested targets this past season (29.4%). This was easily the lowest rate of his career and he had three seasons where he went one out of every two on average.
Adams caught only 71 of 135 targets this year (52.6%). His reception percentage has fallen significantly from his career heights in the 70%+ range. You can’t run your offense through a player that hauls in one of every two passes, especially when he’s getting high value targets in the red zone and on third down.
Run after the catch
There are seasons where Adams amassed over 500 yards after the catch point. At his prime where Aaron Rodgers’ accuracy could spring Adams into the open field at full speed, he could make defenses pay.
- 2020 – 660 YAC
- 2021 – 650
- 2019 – 516
- 2022 – 502
With the Rams Adams posted a measly 161 yards after the catch. This is the lowest mark of his career. This is still his worst production on a per catch average at just 2.3 YAC per reception.
Verdict
I’m not saying it’s an easy decision. If Adams sticks around he should have a stripped down role instead of being a full-time player again in 2026. Use him in the red zone and sign or draft a more explosive player for in between the 20’s. This will also save his legs.
It’s also reasonable to believe at this stage of his career he’d take a pay cut in order to remain in Los Angeles.
But if we take emotions out of it, the Rams have two first round picks and ample cap space. There’s no reason to think they can’t use Adams’ red zone production as a proof of concept and found a player who can execute the same role. They’d save $14M in the process and probably get younger. LA has a young roster core and can build a sustainable, winning future.
I don’t really see how Davante Adams returns in 2026.
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