Davante Adams, one of the league's top wide receivers for over a decade, has signed with the Los Angeles Rams, making the move after spending the 2024 season with two different teams. Adams aims to leave behind the instability that marked recent years with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets. He agreed to a free-agent contract with the Rams in March.
Adams acknowledged the difficulties faced during his time with both the Raiders and the Jets. Reports detailed plenty of dysfunction within the Jets organization during his brief tenure there. Adams expressed a personal goal to confirm he was not contributing to the issues.
The decision to join the Los Angeles Rams came after careful consideration. Adams cited the franchise's stable environment and recent success under head coach Sean McVay as major factors. Geographic location also played a role in his choice. Quarterback Matthew Stafford and McVay actively recruited Adams. Information about how the recruiting style brought Davante Adams to L.A. helped Adams decide.
Adams spent eight years with the Green Bay Packers, making six postseason appearances. His move to the Raiders in 2022 reunited him with college teammate Derek Carr. Despite Adams earning All-Pro honors, the Raiders benched and later announced Carr’s eventual release. Adams sought a trade from Las Vegas.
The mid-season trade sent Adams to the New York Jets, where he hoped to play with Aaron Rodgers again. Rodgers had reportedly lobbied for Adams. However, Adams joined the Jets after the team had already fired its coach and the season was in disarray. Adams was later released by the Jets in early March following Rodgers' contentious meeting with team management, which Rodgers described in a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” saying management was going "in a different direction."
During free agency, Adams received interest from nearly half the teams in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers were among those teams, but their offer was not competitive with the Rams. Adams also has history with other teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers from past matchups. Adams previously had a notable exchange with Jalen Ramsey, a former Rams cornerback now with the Miami Dolphins, regarding Adams' performance.
Adams feels his skills remain at a high level. Reports, including one from Josh Alper citing Michael Silver, have discussed Adams' performance level. Adams stated he feels he is playing at or above his prime since 2018. Mike Florio also covered Adams' move. Adams' departure from Green Bay occurred after general manager Brian Gutekunst traded him to the Raiders.
Adams anticipates forming a strong receiving duo with third-year wideout Puka Nacua. With Sean McVay calling plays and Matthew Stafford throwing passes, Adams expects the Rams offense to be potent. The team pushed the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to a close game in the playoffs last season. Adams played against the Rams previously, including the 2018 “Ty Montgomery Game”. The star receiver detailed his hopes for a better experience with the Los Angeles team in an interview reported by Davante Adams is ready to ditch the dysfunction.
Reflecting on his past experiences and looking ahead to his time with the Rams, Adams stated, "I've got to make sure it's not me."
