The Los Angeles Rams reportedly are not rushing star receiver Davante Adams to return from his hamstring injury.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Rams “very well could shut down” Adams for the final two games of the regular season in hopes of having him at full strength during the playoffs.
“Coach Sean McVay already declared Adams doubtful for Monday night vs. [the Atlanta Falcons], and a team source told me that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Adams miss Week 18 vs. [the Arizona Cardinals], another game the Rams can win without their star receiver,” Fowler explained. “The goal is to ensure Adams is 100 percent for the first week of the playoffs. Technically, he’s week-to-week with an injury that hampered him weeks before he aggravated it vs. Detroit on Dec. 14.”
Adams went down with the injury in the Rams’ Week 15 win over the Detroit Lions. The 32-year-old has excelled in his first season in Los Angeles, leading the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns while adding 60 catches for 789 yards.
Despite being without Adams in Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams’ air attack didn’t skip a beat, with star quarterback Matthew Stafford throwing for 457 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Unfortunately, Los Angeles suffered a 38-37 loss in an overtime thriller, falling out of first place in the NFC West with an 11-4 record.
Still, it’s clear that the Rams can survive without Adams as the regular season winds down. McVay praised the performances of wide receivers Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith and Jordan Whittington after they filled in for Adams against the Seahawks.
“You don’t ever replace a player like him. He’s a special player, but I was really proud of the group,” McVay told reporters during his media session on Monday. “You don’t ask one receiver to take over his production. It’s by a committee. I thought Matthew did a great job of getting a bunch of different guys involved. Mumpfield made his plays. He’s continuing to ascend. Xavier Smith delivers when he’s asked. Jordan Whittington does the same. Tutu did a good job of being able to affect and influence coverage with some of the snaps that he played. I thought they did a really nice job.”
The Rams’ receiving corps will have to continue to step up without Adams as they try to close out the regular season strong before embarking on the playoffs and chasing a spot in the Super Bowl.