Tutu Atwell is entering his fourth season in the NFL but his role with the Los Angeles Rams still is not totally clear. He’s a speedy receiver with some return skills, but he hasn’t yet become the starting wideout Los Angeles envisioned him being when he was drafted in the second round three years ago.
He’s still expected to make the 53-man roster but with Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson projected to be the starters, Atwell is viewed as a backup once again. Sean McVay wouldn’t divulge much about the receiver’s projected role in 2024, only noting that the Rams still view him as a valuable player thanks to his versatility, speed and catch radius, among other traits he brings to the table.
“Yeah, to be determined,” McVay said of Atwell’s role. “The value Tutu provides is that he knows – because he’s so smart, he can play all three of our receiver spots. We’re obviously a heavy 11 personnel outfit. He brings the dynamic trait of being able to stretch the field vertically. What a lot of people learned last year is he has good aggressive hands. He plays big for a guy that measures smaller. He is got good length and catch radius. He’s making catches away from his frame on in breaking routes in between the numbers. He has a lot of different things that he can provide. I’ve seen him compete in the run game. It is to be determined and the value that he provides are some of those traits and the understanding of where he fits whether he is playing F, X or Z.”
Atwell started last season strong while Kupp was injured, catching 22 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown in the first four games of the season alone. In the final 12 games, however, he had just 17 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
In the Rams’ playoff loss to the Lions, he caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in just eight offensive snaps, so McVay found a way to get him the ball then. It just didn’t happen consistently enough in 2023.
Looking ahead, Atwell’s role could be hurt even more by the emergence of Jordan Whittington. The sixth-round rookie has shined in practice and the preseason, earning high praise from coaches and teammates. McVay already said he’s “going to be a factor” for the Rams this season, which is more than he’s said about Atwell.
The Rams reportedly don’t want to trade him and are prepared to let him play out the final year of his contract, but it’s hard to see him playing a significant portion of the snaps this season unless Kupp, Nacua or Robinson gets injured.