Tutu Atwell, Rams agree to 1-year, $10 million deal: Source

By Jourdan Rodrigue and RJ Kraft

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6180689/2025/03/06/rams-tutu-atwell-extension-nfl-free-agency/

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 06: Tutu Atwell #5 of the Los Angeles Rams returns a punt during the first half of a game against the Green Bay Packers at SoFi Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Inglewood, California.
Tutu Atwell is returning to the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year deal worth $10 million, according to a league source.

Atwell was the No. 77 ranked free agent on The Athletic’s top 150 list and the 13th-highest wide receiver on the board.

The 25-year-old is coming off his best season; he established career highs in receptions (42) and receiving yards (562) in his fourth year with the Los Angeles Rams. He ranked third on the team in each of those categories — behind Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua — for the league’s 10th-best passing offense.

Retaining Atwell helps bolster a Rams receiving group that returns Nacua and second-year player Jordan Whittington. The team has informed Kupp that they want to trade him and they are working with his agent to find a fit for the veteran receiver.

Drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisville, it took time for the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Atwell to earn some run in a Rams offensive system where run blocking is a key trait and targets were dominated at different points in his L.A. tenure by Kupp, Nacua and Robert Woods.

Atwell’s speed is his best attribute and he has an average of 13.6 yards per reception. Over four seasons with the Rams, he has 99 receptions, 1,343 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns and one rushing TD. Atwell has never played over 64 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in a season, according to Pro Football Reference.

The Rams have been active ahead of free agency. In the last week, the team has agreed to a restructured deal with quarterback Matthew Stafford, reached a deal to re-sign left tackle Alaric Jackson and have a trade in place to send offensive lineman Jonah Jackson to the Chicago Bears at the start of the league year on March 12.

Bigger role on tap for Atwell

The Rams have broadcast their intent to rebuild their receiver room around their young star Nacua. General manager Les Snead also expressed his doubt Wednesday that veteran receiver Demarcus Robinson, who had played in the downfield/”X” position for the Rams for the last two seasons, will return to the team this season.

Atwell, whose longer-term future with the Rams was in doubt because of his limited snaps, will step into that role and also be a factor in their motion and sweeps packages. Atwell has the speed, the knowledge of the offense and the hands to play this complementary role. It was hard to get him more snaps behind the other players and Sean McVay’s preference not to substitute players while in 11 personnel. The X receiver is not the No. 1 receiver in McVay’s offense; in fact, he can be as low as the third- or fourth-most targeted player. This offense will run through Nacua, who plays a multi-faceted position in the offense.

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
Among offensive tackles who played at least 700 snaps this season, Alaric Jackson (@Bigaj77) ranked ninth in hurries allowed (15), tied for 12th in sacks allowed (three), and tied for 14th in pressures allowed (22). Jackson did not allow a sack since Week 11 (including playoffs) and did not allow a quarterback hit since Week 13 (including playoffs).

Wyatt Miller@wymill07
Alaric Jackson was one of the more efficient pass blockers in the NFL last year in his age 26 season.

‪Jourdan Rodrigue‬ ‪@jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social‬
The Rams have extended WR Tutu Atwell to a one-year, $10 million deal, per source.

The Rams have broadcast their intent to rebuild WR room around Puka Nacua and noted it’s unlikely Robinson returns. Atwell has the speed, knowledge and the hands to play this complementary role but was hard to get him snaps with other guys in roles + preference not to sub in 11.

I do not think it's a good sign that this guy is the model for a swath of young men or that a faction of the U.S. right has gotten behind him. pic.twitter.com/4NLNN11vCw

— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) March 5, 2025

Adam Grosbard@AdamGrosbard
Les Snead on if the Rams will be in contact with Ahkello Witherspoon: “Definitely.”

Demarcus Robinson: “He does have some things that he’s gotta work through legally [this] offseason that could prevent play time in the future, so that’s the reality. We appreciate what he’s done”

Matt Harmon@MattHarmon_BYB
“Stafford is still lethal when he can rip the football down the field as exhibited in his 66.67% success rate on deep passes this year. Of the quarterbacks we’ve charted, only the MVP finalists of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson dwarfed his success on go balls.”

zn wrote:

Ari Meirov@MySportsUpdate
#Rams G Kevin Dotson was following the Matthew Stafford updates just like the fans.

On what makes Stafford special: “He’s easily the toughest QB in the league. He’s done stuff that would have taken me out of the game. I don’t know how he stays in there and still plays well through i

The vid in that youtube, the interview with Dotson, is good. He’s smart and a good interview.

Ari Meirov@MySportsUpdate
#Rams G Kevin Dotson was following the Matthew Stafford updates just like the fans.

On what makes Stafford special: “He’s easily the toughest QB in the league. He’s done stuff that would have taken me out of the game. I don’t know how he stays in there and still plays well through it.”

Pro Football Hall of Fame Ambassador@PFHOFAmbassador
Jordan Whittington, @RamsNFL WR – With 293 receiving yards in 2024, the rookie had the most receiving yards by a Rams rookie WR drafted in the 6th round or later since Bucky Pope (The Catawba Claw) in 1964.

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Rams HC Sean McVay: “Full expectation” Tyler Higbee and Rob Havenstein are back in 2025

Zooey wrote:

Ram have met with top 3 TE prospects

They also met with the top receivers.

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Sean McVay: Rams will adjust Matthew Stafford’s financial terms under existing extension – operating on a year-to-year basis. He expects this conversation again next year (reiterating he wants Stafford as long as Stafford wants to play). He hopes it takes even less time in 2026.

Get Up@GetUpESPN
“[The Rams are] a very real Super Bowl contender with [Matt] Stafford.”

—@danorlovsky7 on Matthew Stafford and the Rams agreeing to a restructured deal

Dan Orlovsky@danorlovsky7
Top 2/3

for vid go here: https://twitter.com/danorlovsky7/status/1896557284320583844

Zooey wrote:

That’s a different thing, though. You’re talking about Hit Rates on picks. I’m talking about the player position/type that McVay wants. If he thinks he needs a TE more than a WR, then I trust that he does. Whether he falls in love with the right TE is another story.

Well I see your point, but the problem with McVay is that he never just butts in with a position in mind. He not only focuses on a position, he has favorite players he wants, and on top of it, in the past anyway his player favorites tend to be overestimations (at least in the 2nd round). All of these players were taken too high–Atwell, Akers, Jefferson, Everett. Like all things McVay, he is better when he’s collaborative. It’s true Snead goes along with it but then it’s the head coach in round 2 so Snead is not likely to debate it.

Anyway, just me being pedantic.

At the same time, we know that the Rams need and want both a TE and a WR and that it’s a deep draft for both positions.

What he learned from Aaron Donald, favorite memories from the 2018 Super Bowl season + more!

🎙️ Rams Legend Michael Brockers joins @DMarcoFarr1 on this episode of Rams Iconic. pic.twitter.com/3ordPIDEon

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 2, 2025