It has been mildly surprising that so far this offseason the Los Angeles Rams have not made a splash at receiver despite a visible need behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
In some ways this decision—that is subject to change leading into training camp or ahead of the NFL trade deadline—reminds me of the team’s approach at cornerback a year ago. Are the Rams again attempting to mask a weakness with a quantity over quality strategy?
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It’s an idea that didn’t work so well for the secondary a year ago. LA bet that in the aggregate Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes, Ahkello Witherspoon, Darious Williams, and Josh Wallace could hold their own with an aggressive pass rush acting as the wind in their sales. Instead, the late-career decline was evident for Williams and Witherspoon. Durant played the best of the bunch but still was over-reliant on splash plays versus consistent sticky coverage. Forbes showed flashes though is not well-suited to play every down.
We will be making similar remarks regarding receivers a year from now when we write the post-mortem for the 2026 Rams?
The reserve receiver group of Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, and CJ Daniels have defined roles. Whether they can produce outside of their niches is one of the most legitimate question marks across the offense heading into the new season.
What happens if Nacua or Adams misses extended time? Do the Rams even need a third receiver if they plan on deploying tight ends more often, despite the fact it is difficult to shake the team’s history of heavy usage of 11 personnel?
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We’ve seen the Rams enter the season with an offensive plan only to drastically change course halfway through. In fact it happened last year, which is how we arrived at the point where the team continues to add tight end after tight end. Who’s to say that there won’t be a similar pivot by Sean McVay in 2026? The Rams may not have the reserve talent at receiver to do so.
This is how I see the reserves contributing in the upcoming season:
Puka Nacua’s backup & gadget player
Whittington is at his best with the ball in his hands, which can be a tricky proposition for a receiver. Sometimes individuals with a similar skillset struggle to get open and it’s difficult to get them the ball in the first place. This can create a gadget-feel to their usage as play callers use screens and catch and run opportunities as extended handoffs.
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At least Whittington has an encouraging history with the team. During his rookie year he filled in for the absences Nacua and Cooper Kupp and produced at a level that exceeded his sixth-round draft position. Most fans took this as a sign of things to come; however, his usage dropped notably when Nacua remainedTarg healthy for most of the 2025 season.
We may not see much of Whittington in 2026 if Nacua has a clean bill of health.
Davante Adams’ backups & potential replacements?
Outside receiver is one of the most difficult positions in all of football. It requires elite athleticism and a unique frame to best professional corners on a consistent basis. The Rams are fortunate to have one of the best to ever do it in Adams, but that also proves the barriers to finding either a temporary or long-term replacement.
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Adams’ primary backups are last year’s seventh rounder Mumpfield and this year’s sixth rounder Daniels. Mumpfield played late into last season, though his two games against the Seahawks make you question whether he has NFL viability at all.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Mumpfield ranked as follows among the 2025 rookie class at receiver:
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Yards per reception (8.8): 31st
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Contested catch rate (14.3%): 27th
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Passer rating when targeted (56.7): 32nd
It was clear during Mumpfield’s rookie season that he struggles at the catch point, especially if there is contact. LA’s final offensive drive in the NFC Championship game ended at his fingertips in the end zone.
The Rams brought in a similar player in CJ Daniels with the key difference being that Daniels excels in contested catch situations and made the reception of the year in college football during his last season. LA doesn’t like depending on rookies, though it’s difficult to bring less to the table than Mumpfield did in his first year.
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Designated deep threat
From Brandin Cooks to DeSean Jackson and Tutu Atwell, the Rams have always chased the role of a vertical speedster. These aforementioned players usually found their way off the roster because of a lack of usage.
That shouldn’t necessarily be the problem for Xavier Smith. Smith adds versatility and enters the season as LA’s punt return man until he isn’t. He can also play only a single role on offense because he’s cheap as a former undrafted free agent. That wasn’t the case for Cooks, Jackson, and Atwell.