Davante Adams has a history of following Aaron Rodgers almost everywhere — and for good reason. He had some of his best statistical seasons with the QB and came one game away from the Super Bowl in 2017. But yesterday, he signed with the Rams, seemingly without concern for where Rodgers was going. And Stephen A. Smith commended the wide receiver for making this “wise decision.”
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In 2021, Davante was in a contract dispute with the Green Bay Packers. The aftermath? Just days after Rodgers received an extension, his favorite wideout was shipped to the Raiders to pair up with his former college quarterback, Derek Carr.
And after just one season together — during which Davante had the most productive statistical year of his career — Carr left for New Orleans. He put up with mediocrity in 2023, so last year, Davante had enough and forced another trade to the Jets to reunite with his old buddy. That, of course, was another disaster.
Entering this offseason, the Jets released both Rodgers and Davante, leading many to believe the two were searching for a destination together. But Adams bucked the trend this time, signing with the Rams — somewhere Rodgers definitely won’t be going.
LA just re-signed Matthew Stafford and is fully committed to him for the upcoming season. This leaves Rodgers choosing between less exciting destinations like the Steelers and the Giants. And one man who couldn’t be happier is Stephen A.
“Let’s give Davante Adams credit where credit is due for making a wise decision,” Stephen A said on First Take. “Because that’s not something he did in the past… He goes to Los Angeles where you’ve got an absolute stud because Stafford is that dude. He can flat-out throw the football.”
The pairing of Stafford and Davante is a dream come true for Rams fans. He’s the kind of receiver the team has needed all along to complement the speedy, precise route-running of Puka Nacua. Davante is the go-to target you can trust to win 50/50 balls more often than not, making him a perfect weapon for Stafford in the red zone.
But Stephen A. wasn’t done there. He went on to argue that Adams, alongside Stafford and Nacua, could match up with any team in the NFL offensively. Now, it falls on the defense — if they can shore it up, the Rams could make another Super Bowl push.
“And to have Puka Nacua, we don’t know what’s going to happen with Cooper Kupp. You got Davante Adams there now, [Kyren] Williams in the backfield, Sean McVay calling plays. I love this move. I believe they can go toe to toe with anyone offensively. The way I saw Saquon Barkley run the football on them, however, is an entirely different matter.”
It’s a good point that Stephen A. brought up. The Rams’ defense was in the bottom half for points allowed and yards allowed last season. Aaron Donald’s retirement left a gaping hole in the middle of the defensive line. And they’ve done as well as they can since by drafting Jared Verse, the Defensive Rookie of the Year. But they need more weapons.
Stephen A. also pointed out that while the move is great, he isn’t going to say it’s between the Rams and Eagles for the NFC next season. He talked about how the Detroit Lions just had an incredibly successful year and that he’s going to need to see what moves they make before denouncing them.
It was a great signing that the Rams made. They have officially entered the race for Super Bowl contention. Now, the focus shifts toward what Stephen A. was talking about: the defense. Can LA get the defensive signings and hit on some guys in the draft? Only time will tell. But history has shown that McVay is willing to push all of his chips in. Let’s see if he’s willing to go all in again.
