Adams led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches in 2025
By Zachary Pereles Mar 30, 2026 at 2:00 pm ET • 5 min read 
Getty Images For as many major trades happen in the NFL, there are many, many more that get talked about but never come to fruition. One such player who fell into that category this offseason was 2025 touchdown receptions leader Davante Adams, Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday at league meetings.
Reports of the Rams making such a move first sprung up in mid-March, shortly after The Athletic reported Los Angeles had serious discussions with the Eagles about an A.J. Brown deal.
Monday, McVay said he kept the star wide receiver in the loop throughout the process and, now that the possibility of trade appears a thing of the past, McVay is "glad [Adams is] a Ram," per Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News/OC Register.
Adams, who arrived in Los Angeles on a two-year, $44 million contract, caught 60 passes for 789 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first season with the Rams. His reception and yardage totals were both his fewest since 2015, but the 14 touchdowns were his most since 2022. The Rams finished seventh in red zone touchdown percentage in 2025 after finishing 25th in 2024, and Adams was crucial to that improvement.
The Rams finished 12-5 and lost to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seahawks in an NFC Championship game thriller.
So why would they have considered a trade? Why didn't they go through with one? Which teams might have been involved? Those are the significant questions, each with a significant answer.
Why did the Rams consider a Davante Adams trade?
Adams, who turned 33 in December, was outstanding for the Rams, especially in the red zone. That didn't mean he was untouchable in trade discussions.
Adams counts $28 million against the cap this season, per Over The Cap. That is the fourth-highest number in the NFL among wide receivers, per Spotrac, only behind Chris Godwin, Amon-Ra St. Brown and DK Metcalf. On one hand, the Rams could have looked at restructuring Adams' contract.
On the other hand, they don't necessarily want to push more money of a 33-year-old's contract into the future considering how many younger players are up for paydays. Puka Nacua is due for an extension and could make a push to become the NFL's highest-paid wide receiver. Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Steve Avila, and Warren McClendon -- all fellow members of the outstanding 2023 draft class -- are in the same position. The reward of having great young talent is that it's cheap. The downside is it isn't cheap forever.
The Rams also traded for Trent McDuffie in early March and gave him a four-year, $124 million extension, the largest ever for a cornerback. They also signed Jaylen Watson to a three-year, $51 million deal.
Los Angeles has already pushed significant money into the future, too. Adams has a void year in 2027. Matthew Stafford has void years through 2030.
Adams received a $6 million roster bonus on March 15, so the weeks leading up to that date likely represented when they were discussing trades most. Once they paid Adams that $6 million, it might have made him more palatable for other teams, but it also made it less likely the Rams, having paid him, would trade him away.
Why the Rams didn't end up trading Adams
Simply put, McVay said, the Rams didn't end up finding a deal that would make the Rams better. And make no mistake: The Rams are very much in the process of making themselves as good as they can possibly be for 2026. That's why they made a blockbuster deal for McDuffie and signed Watson, not only patching over their biggest weakness in 2025 but making it a strength.
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With Nacua as the top target, Adams thrived as a No. 2 wide receiver. Eighty-five percent of his catches went for a first down or a touchdown, the best rate by any player with at least 60 catches since 2015. Adams is still a remarkable route runner with the ability to win in tight areas, on short throws, on intermediate throws, and in contested catch situations. All 14 of his touchdown catches came on passes thrown into the end zone. That was the most since Randy Moss had 16 such touchdown catches in his legendary 2007 campaign.
Adams may not have the downfield juice he once had, but he is still outstanding in several aspects. The Rams were going to need a lot -- something like an A.J. Brown -- to make their team better.
Remember, the Rams still have the No. 13 pick in the NFL Draft. They could add another wide receiver to play alongside Nacua and Adams and potentially replace Adams in 2027. They could add to their offensive line. They could add to their defense, particularly their linebacking corps. They have a major opportunity to continue to solidify their position as Super Bowl favorites.
Which teams might an Adams deal have made sense for?
Adams would have wanted to go somewhere he can win, and any team looking to trade for Adams would have been one that thinks it can win now. Here are some who fit the bill:
- Eagles: Would Philadelphia have considered Adams in part of a Brown deal? Philadelphia obviously would have needed more than a player-for-player swap, but it's possible Adams was brought up during those trade talks. Philadelphia is a perennial contender willing to structure contracts aggressively into the future, which may have been a consideration for a team looking to add Adams.
- Packers: It's less likely here because the Packers are already down draft capital following the Micah Parsons deal, but an Adams reunion with Green Bay could have made sense. Perhaps Green Bay could have thrown one of its talented young receivers into the fray to lessen the draft capital cost.
- Patriots: The Patriots were also in on the Brown trade talks. They eventually signed Romeo Doubs in free agency. Doubs is probably best described as a high-end WR2. Perhaps they looked at Adams as a mid-tier WR1, one who could help them reach the promised land after a blowout Super Bowl loss.
- Bills: The Bills traded for DJ Moore. He, like Doubs, probably isn't the ideal WR1, though he at least has played that role before. The Bills have needed wide receiver help, and one could argue they still need additions there.
- Ravens: Baltimore has employed many aging wide receivers who were once stars: DeAndre Hopkins in 2025, Odell Beckham Jr. in 2023, DeSean Jackson in 2022, Dez Bryant in 2020. Adams in 2026 is several tiers above those guys, but the tendency is undeniable, as is the fact that the Ravens need receiving help.
