Latest news with #TutuAtwell
Los Angeles Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Rams players and coaches like the idea of competing in flag football at L.A. Olympics
Tutu Atwell played quarterback. He played receiver, and he also played on defense. Years before diminutive and speedy Atwell matured into an NFL prospect, the Rams receiver played flag football. Could anybody stop him? 'Nah, nah,' Atwell said, chuckling. So Atwell, a 2021 second-round draft pick who will earn $10 million this season, said he would be cool and fun if he got the opportunity in a few years to try out for the 2028 U.S. Olympic flag football team. Atwell echoed the feelings of Minnesota Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson and other players in the league since NFL owners last week approved a resolution that would allow them to try out for flag football. The resolution limits only one player per NFL team to play for each national team in the Los Angeles Games. NFL players would compete for spots with others already playing flag football. 'It's great,' Rams coach Sean McVay said. 'If that's something that players say they want to be able to do, then I think it's a really cool experience for them to be able to be a part of while also acknowledging that, man, there are some other guys that have been doing it. 'I'm not going to pretend to understand the nuances tactically and what that game entails, but I think it's good. I think it's great.' Current flag football players might feel otherwise about an influx of NFL talent. 'This is a sport that we've played for a long time, and we feel like we are the best at it and we don't need other guys,' Darrell Doucette III, the quarterback for U.S. men's teams that have won five consecutive world championships, recently told the Washington Post. 'But we all have one goal in mind, and that's to represent our country. 'We're definitely open to all competition. If those guys come in and ball out and they're better than us, hats off to them. Go win that gold medal for our country.' Details regarding NFL players' participation in the Olympics still must be worked out by the NFL, the NFL Players Assn., the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and national governing bodies. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, one of the top passers in NFL history, grinned broadly when asked about playing flag football in the Olympics. Stafford would be 40. 'Sure,' he said, laughing. 'I mean, nobody's going to want me to, but yeah, sure. It'd be fun. I'll coach.' The Rams signed offensive lineman David Quessenberry to a one-year contract, the team announced Thursday. Quessenberry appeared in 84 games with the Houston Texas (2017), Tennessee Titans (2018-21), Buffalo Bills (2022) and Minnesota Vikings (2023-24). The Encinitas, Calif., native was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma after being drafted in 2014 but underwent his last cancer treatment in 2017. He was the 2017 recipient of the George Halas Award, given by the Pro Football Writers of America to an NFL player, coach or staff member who succeeds in the face of adversity.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Rams WR Tutu Atwell finally primed for a breakout year? One NFL analyst thinks so
Tutu Atwell may not have put up huge numbers for the Los Angeles Rams in the last four years, but the team still rewarded him with a one-year deal worth $10 million this offseason – a contract that's fully guaranteed, too. Sean McVay has a vision for the small but speedy receiver, committing to him for at least one more season in L.A. He's coming off his best year yet in 2024, catching 42 passes for 562 yards, both of which were career-highs. Advertisement Heading into 2025, Atwell has a clear path to playing time behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. He's penciled in as the No. 3 receiver on the depth chart, which in McVay's 11 personnel-heavy offense means a lot of playing time. It could put Atwell in position for the breakout year everyone's been waiting for. CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso picked Atwell as one of five players in the NFL who are in a contract year and primed for a breakout, sharing high praise for the Rams receiver. Every coach on the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree wants a small burner to threaten vertically -- and even on jet sweeps -- within the offense -- the Rams didn't make Atwell a top 60 pick four years ago for no reason. The overwhelming majority of attention will be paid to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and rightfully so. That'll leave Atwell as a beneficiary of minimal over-the-top safety help, which is bad news for defenses given his 4.39 speed. In his final year of his rookie deal, Atwell will move into more of a prominent role in the Rams' 11 personnel-heavy attack and continue his upward trajectory as a niche asset who'll perfectly complement Los Angeles' uber-efficient superstar receivers not known for their pure speed. Trapasso noted improvements in Atwell's catch rate (51.4% to 59.1% to 68.9% since 2022) and yards per route run (2.24 in 2024) as reasons he's on track for a bigger year in 2025. It helps that much of the attention on offense will be paid to Nacua and Adams, leaving Atwell in one-on-one situations more often than not. With his speed, Atwell doesn't need to be a high-volume receiver to rack up the yards. He runs a lot of downfield routes where if he gets behind the defense, he could be gone for 50 yards and a score. Advertisement As the No. 3 receiver, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to set a career-high in yards this season. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage! This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams WR Tutu Atwell highlighted as breakout candidate in 2025
USA Today
17-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Rams lead the NFL in this free agency spending stat for 2025 (so far)
Rams lead the NFL in this free agency spending stat for 2025 (so far) The Los Angeles Rams aren't letting last year's free-agent flops stop them from remaining aggressive this offseason. They've done an excellent job building up their roster in free agency, retaining Alaric Jackson, Tutu Atwell and Jimmy Garoppolo, while also adding Davante Adams, Poona Ford and Coleman Shelton. They've signed six players so far in free agency, paying out a total of $155.9 million to those players. According to Over The Cap, that ranks eighth among all NFL teams in total free-agent spending so far this year, showing just how determined the Rams are to get better. Not only are the Rams top 10 in spending, but they rank first in another key category: average annual salary. The Rams' six free-agent signings have an average salary of $11.83 million per year, which is the highest of any team. The Seahawks are a close second at $11.53 million, followed by the Vikings ($10.1M) and Packers ($10.1M). Here's the breakdown of the average annual salary of Los Angeles' free agency signings so far. Davante Adams: $22 million Alaric Jackson: $19.25 million Tutu Atwell: $10 million Poona Ford: $9.2 million Coleman Shelton: $6 million Jimmy Garoppolo: $4.5 million Obviously, the salaries of Adams and Jackson inflate that average quite a bit, but you have to pay up to bring in (and keep) quality players. Adams makes the Rams much better as a playmaker alongside Puka Nacua, and Jackson is a great left tackle for the price of $19.25 million per year – 11th at his position. We don't yet know what the salaries of Ronnie Rivers or Larrell Murchison are, but as of now, the Rams lead the NFL in average salary for their free-agent signings.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rams free agency needs: L.A. could target big-name receiver or cornerback
For the second year in a row, as free agency approached, the Rams followed the same game plan. They re-signed a key offensive lineman and re-signed a contributing receiver. In 2024, it was guard Kevin Dotson and Demarcus Robinson. Last week, it was left tackle Alaric Jackson and Tutu Atwell. Now, with quarterback Matthew Stafford's contract situation resolved and receiver Cooper Kupp's future on track to be spent elsewhere, the Rams will aim to improve a team that reached the NFC divisional round before losing to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Read more: Tutu Atwell and Rams agree to terms on one-year, $10-million contract The NFL's negotiating period for unrestricted free agents begins Monday, and teams can sign players when the new league year begins Wednesday. The Rams have about $51.7 million in salary-cap space, according to That ranks 10th among NFL teams. The Rams could use a cornerback, receiver and inside linebacker, among other positions. Here is a look at the Rams roster and pending free agents in each position group: Backup Jimmy Garoppolo played in only one game for the Rams last season, but the pending free agent would be their first choice to serve in that role again. Garoppolo, 33, is expected to test the market in search of an opportunity to compete for a starting role. Stetson Bennett, the No. 3 quarterback last season, has two years left on his rookie contract. The Rams' search for an eventual successor to Stafford is more likely to come in the draft. Kyren Williams has a year left on his rookie contract, but general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay have both said that working out an extension is a priority. And Williams, who is scheduled to earn $5.3 million this season, said last month that 'I don't want to go play for anybody else besides the Los Angeles Rams, coach McVay, under Les Snead and just around all my teammates I've been with the last three or four years.' Blake Corum has three years left on his rookie deal and veteran Ronnie Rivers is a restricted free agent. The Rams want to trade Kupp before he is due to receive a $7.5-million roster bonus next week. Whether they find a team willing to take on the bonus and $12.5-million salary remains to be seen. With Kupp seemingly on his way out and No. 1 receiver Puka Nacua scheduled to earn only $1 million in salary, the Rams agreed to terms with Atwell on a one-year, $10-million contract. Robinson also is a pending free agent, but Snead did not sound enthusiastic about bringing back the veteran. Robinson pleaded not guilty to drunk driving charges last month and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on March 26. Read more: GM Les Snead says the Rams are on the clock to move Cooper Kupp, bolster roster 'He does have some things that he has to work through legally in the offseason that could prevent some playtime in the future,' Snead said, referencing a potential suspension imposed by the NFL. Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs and Tyler Lockett are among the available free-agent receivers. Tight end Hunter Long is a pending free agent. But with veteran Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen on the roster, the Rams would more likely augment the position in the draft. Alaric Jackson received a three-year contract that included $35 million in guarantees. The Rams also traded guard/center Jonah Jackson to the Chicago Bears for a sixth-round draft pick. So the Rams seem set with Jackson at left tackle, Steve Avila at left guard, Beaux Limmer at center, Dotson at right guard and Rob Havenstein at right tackle. Swing tackle Joe Noteboom and Conor McDermott are pending free agents. Read more: Rams trading offensive lineman Jonah Jackson to Chicago Bears for draft pick Nose tackle Bobby Brown III, Neville Gallimore and Larrell Murchison are pending free agents. Brown, a fourth-round draft pick in 2021, is only 24. He played an important role last season and contributed to several crucial fourth-down stops. Gallimore overcame injuries and played well in the playoffs. Murchison was on injured reserve last season. Michael Hoecht, a veteran leader for an edge rushing group that includes Jared Verse and Byron Young, played last season on a restricted free-agent tender of $3 million. Now he is poised to hit the open market. Last season, Hoecht made 56 tackles, including three sacks. Joey Bosa and Josh Sweat are among the available free-agent edge rushers. Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder, both of whom began their careers with the Rams after going undrafted, are pending unrestricted free agents. Jake Hummel is a restricted free agent. Under McVay, the Rams have not spent much money at this position group. Dre Greenlaw and Nick Bolton are among available inside linebackers. Cornerback Darious Williams, a free-agent addition last year, worked out well. Tre'Davious White did not: The Rams dealt him to the Baltimore Ravens for a draft pick at the trade deadline. Ahkello Witherspoon, who played on a one-year veteran-minimum contract in 2023, joined the Rams again after the start of the 2024 season. Snead said the Rams would 'definitely' keep an open mind about re-signing him. The Rams on Thursday waived cornerback Tre Tomlinson, a 2023 sixth-round draft pick. Chavarius Ward, Rasul Douglas and Byron Murphy Jr. are among available cornerbacks. Veteran safety John Johnson III, who was on injured reserve for nearly the entire season, is a pending free agent. The Rams return Quentin Lake, Kamren Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
CBS News
08-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Los Angeles Rams will keep receiver Tutu Atwell on a 1-year, $10 million deal: report
Receiver Tutu Atwell has agreed to return to the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year deal for $10 million, according to reports from ESPN. Atwell has 99 receptions for 1,343 yards and four touchdowns in his four years with the Rams, who drafted him out of Louisville in the second round in 2021. He had career highs of 42 catches for 562 yards last season despite playing just 39% of Los Angeles' offensive snaps. Atwell started 14 games in 2023, but he has otherwise struggled to get consistent playing time among the Rams' top three receivers despite contributing consistently whenever he was healthy. Although Atwell never complained about his usage by coach Sean McVay, he was widely expected to leave the Rams in free agency in a bid to get more playing time elsewhere. Instead, Atwell will provide continuity alongside Puka Nacua as the Rams almost certainly move on without longtime star receiver Cooper Kupp. General manager Les Snead acknowledged Wednesday that the Rams are very likely to trade or to release their Super Bowl 56 MVP. The Rams also waived cornerback Tre Tomlinson, who didn't play last season.
