Is there reason to be concerned about Rams wide receiver depth?

Should the Rams be concerned about the wide receivers behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams?

Throughout the Sean McVay era, the Los Angeles Rams have consistently fielded one of the most well-rounded wide receiver rooms in the NFL. When it comes to the top three wide receivers on a team, the Rams have consistently been at or near the top. The best trio had players such as Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and Brandin Cooks. However, Van Jefferson, Demarcus Robinson, Sammy Watkins, and others filled their roles as the third wide receiver in an offense that featured a lot of 11 personnel.

Heading into 2025, the Rams have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. However, the bigger question heading into 2025 is what the Rams have behind them. The Rams opted not to bring back Demarcus Robinson in the offseason and instead re-signed Tutu Atwell. While Atwell has seen production when given opportunities, he eclipsed 500 yards in a single season for the first time last year. There is some excitement about Jordan Whittington, but 21 of his 22 receptions came when Rams receivers were injured early in the season or inactive in Week 18.

After Whittington, the Rams have Konata Mumpfield and Britain Covey. Mumpfield was drafted in the seventh round and Covey’s value primarily comes on special teams.

The question here is how comfortable should the Rams be with the group behind Adams and Nacua?

When the Rams gave Atwell $10 million guaranteed in free agency, it raised some eyebrows given his inconsistent usage to this point. Again, Atwell has gone over the 500 yard mark once and has been a divisive player among fans ever since he was drafted in 2021. Atwell is more than just a deep threat or gadget player. At the same time, his smaller frame can naturally limit his usage in certain personnel groupings.

Atwell may not have seen the production that some have expected, but he has been efficient when given opportunities. Last season he ranked 12th in success per route and 17th in yards per route run. At the same time, he had a catch rate of 68.9 percent which was fourth among Rams receivers. While he is seen as a deep threat, Atwell had just 18.1 percent of the team’s air yards last season. Even in the first eight weeks of the season that was 24.7 percent which is very low for a perceived deep threat.

As mentioned, it’s fair to be excited about Jordan Whittington. His physicality, especially in the run game, is reminiscent of a player like Nacua. Still, at this stage, he profiles more as a valuable role player than a go-to option in the passing game. Like most Rams receivers, he is efficient. His 2.5 yards per route was second on the team behind only Nacua. Mumpfield is still just a seventh-round rookie and Covey has been a career special teams player.

When it comes to the Rams wide receiver room during the offseason, the discussion is typically whether or not the Rams will keep six or seven wide receivers. This year, a serious argument can be made that they might only keep five.

Overall, the depth at wide receiver doesn’t quite match what the Rams have typically had during the McVay era. That’s especially the case when looking outside the top two wide receivers and outside of Nacua and Adams.

To this point, Atwell hasn’t been asked to shoulder a consistent, high-volume role. While Whittington’s upside is intriguing, the expectations should remain grounded given his draft pedigree and experience level.

The Rams certainly won’t be only relying on Atwell, Whittington, and Mumpfield to carry the wide receiver room. With that said, the Rams have typically been a heavy 11 personnel team, ranking at the top of the league in three-wide receiver usage. Even if the Rams incorporate more 12 personnel, the third wide receiver in the offensive is going to be asked to do a lot. In the McVay offense, the third wide receiver isn’t a depth piece, but a starter in the offense.

Additionally, given Nacua’s physical style and the fact that Adams is getting older, there is a chance that the Rams have to rely on their wide receiver depth at some point during the season. It’s very possible that the third and fourth wide receivers on the depth chart will need to be counted on to play meaningful snaps.

With that said, looking around the NFC, the Rams wide receiver depth compares favorably to other teams. Behind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, the Philadelphia Eagles have Jahan Dotson and rookie Ainias Smith. The Detroit Lions have Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Atwell and Whittington stack up well with that group.

McVay tends to do well scheming his wide receivers open. It’s a big reason why Atwell and Whittington remained efficient when they were the two featured players in the offense. That isn’t to say that Atwell and Whittington don’t have the ability to get open or create separation. However, McVay’s scheme certainly helps and has been proven to get the most of its playmakers.

The Rams wide receiver depth may look different than it has in past years. However, much can be said about 2021 when the Rams were relying on Jefferson to take a leap and another late-round pick in Skowronek to step into a larger role. That wide receiver room, led by Kupp, was enough for the Rams to win the Super Bowl.

Still, compared to past years, the overall depth of the Rams wide receiver room is more unproven. Atwell, Whittington, and even Mumpfield to an extent provide scheme fit, but haven’t consistently been relied on as high-volume targets. The Rams don’t need those players to be stars, but they do need to be reliable. If Atwell can take that next step in a larger role and Whittington continues to develop, the floor of this group raises significantly.