Sometimes a split works out well for both parties.
Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams brass made a tough, and for some, questionable decision over the offseason.
The Rams decided to release franchise favorite and Super Bowl 56 MVP Cooper Kupp. Kupp’s official release happened just days after the Rams signed Davante Adams.
Kupp returned to his native state of Washington and joined the Seattle Seahawks. Adams went back to his home state of California to play for the Rams. Both Kupp and Adams have since fit in seamlessly with their new squads as the NFC West rivals prepare to battle in the NFC championship game.
“It wasn’t necessarily like a Cooper (Kupp) for Davante (Adams). It was another great player where you felt like you could acquire two number ones with the emergence in the ascension of Puka and then what Davante’s done and being able to play that ‘X’ receiver and some of the things that we would ask,” McVay explained this week. “It was really more of an opportunity to acquire a player that typically guys like him don’t become available unless it’s via trade. Guys like that usually don’t become free agents. They don’t hit free agency. We wanted to be aggressive in our pursuit to be able to add talent to our roster. There was a vision for him in regard to that ‘X’ receiver.”
Adams has been an integral part of one of the NFL’s most potent offenses since joining the Rams. L.A. had the NFL’s No. 1 total offense during the regular season and quarterback Matthew Stafford is the front runner for league MVP.
Nacua and Adams have made up arguably the NFL’s best receiver duo. Nacua paced the NFC with 129 receptions. Adams produced an NFL-high 14 touchdown catches.
“I think they’ve been really good,” McVay said of Nacua and Adams. “I think there are a lot of instances where statistics don’t always tell the whole story. I think the fact that the offense has done what they’ve done is a tremendous credit to two key players like that.”
Nacua, Adams play complementary roles in Rams’ potent offense
Nacua is the Rams’ possession receiver. He lines up in the slot or out wide. He’s tallied the most receptions (277) in NFL history through a player’s first 40 career games.
Adams is traditionally an X receiver who plays out wide but occasionally lines up in the slot. Adams’ 117 career touchdown receptions are the most among active players.
The two share tips with each other. Nacua even tries to emulate some of Adams’ movements in routes.
“It has been great to feel some of those movements and watch some of those patterns,” Nacua said. “The routes that we’ve run in our offense and then adding a new different touch to it, it feels nice. It’s like learning a new dance.”
Nacua is the receiver who usually moves the chains. Adams is the touchdown maker.
“I think we’re a lot different as receivers. We accomplish the same things, but just the way we get things done is different. The way I move, the way he moves, the way he beats man coverage and the way I beat it. I’ve learned some things in the way that he does things and I think that it’s made just our team better in general, just being able to learn how he moves and some of the physicality he uses and some of the footwork that I use that I try to shed on the rest of the room as well. It’s great,” Adams said. “Obviously, we’re a great compliment to each other because it’s two great receivers that take this game and our craft very serious and continue to build on it.”
The best receiving duo in the NFL is often debated. Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, are often named as the other top pairs. But Nacua and Adams have the statistics this year to stake claim to the title. The duo can strengthen their case Jan. 25.
It’ll mark Nacua’s first NFC championship game and Adams’ fifth. Neither have appeared in a Super Bowl.
For Adams, a 12-year NFL veteran, a Super Bowl berth would be an accomplishment that’s long overdue.
“Just having been here so many times and understanding exactly what it takes to get where we’re ultimately trying to go. It’s obviously exciting to achieve the minor goals along the way that you ultimately need to do to get where you want to be. It feels almost like a mythical thing to me at this point,” Adams said. “You do everything you can to get there and it’s been so hard and I’ve been working so hard at it. We’re close. We just have to finish it off.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rams’ Puka Nacua, Davante Adams staking claim to NFL’s best WR duo
