The Rams made a late-summer shakeup on Thursday, sending running back Jarquez Hunter to the Miami Dolphins and bringing wide receiver Tutu Atwell back to Los Angeles.
The deal landed just before the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, and it gives the Rams an experienced receiver while clearing out a crowded backfield. Atwell is back in the building after spending the first five years of his career with the Rams, who drafted him 57th overall in 2021.
Atwell never became a high-volume piece in Los Angeles, but he did flash when the Rams gave him chances. In five seasons with the team, he caught 105 passes for 1,535 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, after signing a fully guaranteed $10 million contract, he finished with only six receptions for 192 yards and one touchdown.
His role had already shrunk considerably. Atwell either didn’t play or was inactive in seven games last season, and after the year the Rams let him walk. He then signed with the Dolphins before this trade brought him back to Los Angeles.
The Rams were clearly looking for more help behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at wide receiver. They did not add veterans like Stefon Diggs or Keenan Allen, so the options behind the top two were thin.
Hunter’s exit comes from a different kind of roster math. With Kyren Williams and Blake Corum already in place, the rookie running back was facing a surplus situation. Even so, it’s a notable move because Hunter had been building momentum this preseason, rushing for 103 yards and earning a PFF grade as the top running back in pass protection.
The Rams had traded a fourth- and sixth-round pick to move up and draft Hunter, and his preseason showing had made him look like a real roster contender. But his special teams value was limited, which left his place on the team uncertain.
Trading him for Atwell means the Rams don’t have to part with any draft capital now, while adding a receiver who knows the system and can stretch the field. Atwell has also stepped in before for Nacua and Cooper Kupp, and in 2024 he was one of the featured players in the offense when Nacua and Kupp were out.
Without speculating too much, it’s also fair to wonder if a Puka Nacua suspension could be coming.
The Rams close out the preseason against the Chargers on Thursday night at 7 p.m. PT.
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Why The Rams Suddenly Landed Tutu Atwell Again
The Rams are bringing Tutu Atwell back into the fold, and the move comes at a moment when Miami had a crowded and still-evolving wide receiver picture. Atwell had been on the fringes of the Dolphins offense, including a preseason stretch that never really got off the ground, while the Rams continue to keep a close eye on ways to add speed and familiarity to their receiver group.
For Los Angeles, the deal is also another reminder of how quickly roster needs can shift from one season to the next. Miami, meanwhile, has spent the offseason building out its receiver depth with a mix of rookies and veterans, making Atwell expendable enough to move for running back Jarquez Hunter. The trade leaves the Rams with a familiar name and a little more intrigue about how they plan to use him this time around. [Read more 🡒]