Sean McVay sounded comfortable with his receiver room Wednesday. ESPN’s Dan Graziano is hearing that the Los Angeles Rams will look outside it anyway. In ESPN’s Week 7 buzz column, Graziano wrote that his understanding is the Rams will at least explore trading for a wide receiver after Davante Adams’ hamstring injury, which is expected to sideline him six to 10 weeks. That’s a big hole for a team that still has a clear path back from 2-4.
McVay’s public stance was different. “That’s not something that we’ve talked about right now,” he said before Wednesday’s practice. “We’ve got some depth on our roster. Maybe we talked about the practice squad, but not anything external.” Graziano also flagged the catch with any deal, noting the Rams don’t have a ton to trade.
Who catches passes without Adams
Puka Nacua is still the centerpiece, and he graded 74.7 overall in Sunday’s 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, according to PFF. Behind him, Konata Mumpfield graded 68.6 on 27 snaps and already has a big game on his resume with four catches for 93 yards and a go-ahead touchdown at Denver in Week 3. Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell and Alex Bachman round out a group McVay trusts more than the outside world does.
Matthew Stafford leads the league in passing yards with 1,794, but he graded 50.6 against Arizona, according to PFF, and what’s wrong with Matthew Stafford has become a weekly topic. The defense has its own holes after Kobie Turner went to injured reserve and Poona Ford suffered a season-ending injury. Slot corner Josh Wallace was a bright spot against the Cardinals, grading 84.7 while allowing four catches on eight targets, but the Rams had no sacks on 11 pressures.
If the Rams do shop, the market already has names. The Rams have been named a fit for a 1,229-yard receiver in Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy, who said Wednesday it’s frustrating not to be involved as much as he’d like.
A team that entered the year as a Super Bowl favorite now sits at 2-4, and 43 percent playoff odds leave little room for patience. McVay can trust his depth in public, but Graziano’s reporting suggests the front office isn’t ready to rely on it alone.
More on the Los Angeles Rams
- Could Keenan Allen Fill the Rams’ Davante Adams Void?
- Los Angeles Rams Week 7 Power Rankings
- The Rams Have Only 8 Sacks Despite a Top-Six Pressure Rate, and Kirk Cousins Is Next
- Tyreek Hill Nears a Return From Knee Injury, Per Drew Rosenhaus, as Rams Lose Davante Adams
