At this stage of his career, Davante Adams doesn’t have time to waste. The 32-year-old receiver is embarking on his 12th year in the NFL. He has made six Pro Bowl appearances and earned three first-team All-Pro nods across those dozen seasons. But he has never reached the Super Bowl.
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If Adams wants this to change soon, he needs to play alongside an established quarterback. Someone capable of taking a team to the Super Bowl. Matthew Stafford meets that criterion. And his presence – plus the looming departure of Cooper Kupp – is a large reason why Adams signed a two-year, $46 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson discussed Adams’ move on Nightcap. Johnson believes Adams, despite being six months older, is the perfect replacement for Kupp. He thinks stepping into that role – and playing for a contender again – will revitalize Adams’ “surgical” nature.
“Have we seen Davante Adams before… not the one with [the] New York Jets… [or] Las Vegas Raiders, where they didn’t use him the right way… he might have a little resurgence [in LA]… putting [him] in the same positions that they put Cooper Kupp, [he] can run the same routes… [he] doesn’t need Sean McVay to scheme [him] open,” Johnson said.
The Rams were a whisker away from the NFC Championship game in 2024, losing 28-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round. Los Angeles has a tremendous young defense, and stars peppered across the offense.
They’re well-positioned to return to the playoffs in 2025. Adams – who is better than Kupp at this juncture – could be the missing piece that propels the franchise back to the Super Bowl.
Adams played college football at Fresno State University. The Bulldogs, located in Fresno, are approximately 250 miles north of Los Angeles. Signing with the Rams essentially represents a homecoming of sorts for him.
While that aspect may have been part of Adams’ decision, it’s merely a bonus. Truly competing for a championship is the driving force of his California return. He may not be doing so with Aaron Rodgers anymore, but there’s not a significant drop off – if any – from his longtime quarterback to Stafford, in Sharpe’s opinion.
“[Davante Adams] has a guy that can get him the football. He can put the football in places that’s gonna give you a chance to run, cause that’s the difference… a lot of guys can hit you, but can you hit me… [where] I don’t have to break my stride… the way Joe [Burrow] throws [to Ja’Marr] Chase… I like the move.”
When you think of Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp, you think of top-tier offensive production. Overall, they’re still providing quality numbers. Over the past two seasons, Adams (11.7) and Kupp (11.5) have almost identical yards per reception. Kupp (7.4) has actually posted more yards per target than Adams (7.0) across the same stretch. And yet, he now stands replaced.
Why did the Rams swap Davante Adams for Cooper Kupp?
Kupp’s current average salary ($26.7 million) is higher than the amount Adams just received from Los Angeles ($23 million). However, the difference is relatively negligible. And Kupp is a franchise icon; he won the receiving crown and Super Bowl MVP in 2021. Surely that slightly higher payday is worth keeping him instead of pivoting to Adams, right?
Cooper Kupp became the 8th WR in NFL history to win Super Bowl MVP.
(@CaesarsSports Star of the Week) pic.twitter.com/D2kYIHlOs8
— NFL (@NFL) February 16, 2022
Unfortunately, the NFL is a business. And Kupp’s body has started failing him. He sprained his ankle in Week 8 of the 2022 campaign, but attempted to play through it. Two weeks later, he sprained it much more severely and missed the final eight games of the season.
Another ankle sprain and a hamstring sprain have held Kupp out of nine contests over the past two years. Add it all up, and he has played in just 33 of a possible 51 regular season games since winning Super Bowl MVP. Adams, meanwhile, has appeared in 48 of 51 possible contests. The only three games he has missed came last season as he waited for the Las Vegas Raiders to trade him.
In professional sports, the best ability is availability. Adams has been available the past three years; Kupp hasn’t. That fact is why Adams is replacing Kupp as Puka Nacua’s co-star in Hollywood.
