Tutu Atwell got off to a great start last season while Cooper Kupp was injured, catching 22 passes for 270 yards and one touchdown in the first four games. His emergence apparently caught the attention of teams around the league because Atwell generated interest on the trade market.
According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams received trade calls before the deadline last year but obviously no deal was made. Los Angeles has held onto Atwell, who’s entering the final year of his contract, in hopes that he’ll finally stand out as a playmaker on offense.
This is a crucial year for Atwell to make his presence more felt on the field in a consistent manner. The Rams received trade calls on Atwell ahead of last year’s deadline, multiple league sources said at the time.
Atwell, the 52nd overall pick in the 2021 draft, has just 57 career catches for 781 yards. After his hot start last season, he caught just 17 passes for 213 yards in the final 12 games he played, seeing his role evaporate as the year went on.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently reported that the Rams are willing to ride it out with Atwell this year in the final year of his rookie contract, preferring not to trade him – “barring a great offer.”
Well, the Rams have a plan for him and don’t want to trade him. The Rams run enough 11 personnel that the fourth receiver should get a healthy run. Atwell’s quickness and speed make him a unique matchup, and he can play all three receiver spots in the Rams’ offense. So barring a great offer, the Rams would rather ride out his contract year with hopes that he maximizes his role.
Atwell is currently behind the Rams’ three starting receivers (Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson) on the depth chart, and even Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington are pushing for meaningful reps.
He’ll make the 53-man roster, but Atwell may struggle to find playing time again this year.
from Rams Wire https://ift.tt/g0DpIeS
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