The Los Angeles Rams decided to pay Tutu Atwell before he hit the open market. On Thursday, the team gave him a one-year, $10 million deal. It is fully guaranteed, with a $5 million signing bonus.
Besides being a questionable decision by itself because of how much it cost them, it’s a particularly troubling option after what the Rams decided to do with Cooper Kupp.
Money part
The Rams don’t want to keep Kupp around anymore. General manager Les Snead said there is a scenario where the veteran returns, but it’s highly unlikely. The team wants to trade him, and if that’s not possible, it sounds like he will end up being released.
However, Kupp is slated to make $20 million in 2025. That’s not an insignificant difference, to be sure, but using half of the cash you will save by trading or releasing Kupp to pay Atwell is a shocking conclusion to land.
If Kupp is traded or cut without a post-June 1st designation, the Rams would have $22.26 million in dead money and save $7.52 million in savings. The big difference is next year, when the cap savings would go to $27.33 million.
With Atwell, the Rams have the option to add void years. That would make his contract have a $6 million cap hit in 2025, with $4 million in dead money next season if there is no new extension.
Cash and cap are considerations. But is Atwell good enough to make half of what Kupp would? And if you think Kupp is older and regressing, wouldn’t it be better to look for truly cheaper option in the draft or free agency?
Why they did that
The thought process on the Rams is that Atwell is younger and can still perform at a good level, while Kupp has shown signs of regression. That’s fair to expect this outcome regarding Kupp, but the decision to pay Atwell is still interesting.
A former second-round pick, Atwell is still young at 25, but the productivity isn’t there. Last season, he was ahead of Kupp in yards per route run (2.19 vs 1.99), but the same time he was below Puka Nacua (3.56) and even behind rookie sixth-round pick Jordan Whittington (2.50).
Whittington is a year younger and has been more productive from the get go. Sure, they expect Atwell to be a field-stretcher with a specific role within the offense, but paying this much for that is a bold move.
The Rams leadership group is aligned at the top, with Les Snead and Sean McVay making decisions together. Therefore, the front office knows how the coaching staff is planning to use Tutu Atwell. But that’s a lot of money for a player that had 1,343 yards throughout his entire rookie contract, and the entire process around the wide receiver room has left more questions than answers behind it.
