Does Davante Adams make the Rams NFC West favorites?

LOS ANGELES -- Less than two weeks ago, the Los Angeles Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford were still working through contract negotiations, leaving many questions about what Sean McVay's offense would look like in 2025.

The Rams agreed to an adjusted contract with Stafford, then got the attention of the league by coming to terms with wide receiver Davante Adams on a two-year contract worth $46 million on Sunday. Suddenly the Rams -- with plenty of cap space left to spend in free agency, and the draft still ahead, have established themselves as the favorites in the NFC West. And, after taking the Eagles down to the wire in the toughest game of Philadelphia's Super Bowl run, Los Angeles suddenly looks like an even stronger contender in the NFC.

Within the division, the 49ers must prepare for quarterback Brock Purdy's new contract and look likely to lose more than they'll gain this offseason -- they already took steps toward reworking their roster after trading Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Washington Commanders earlier in the month -- while the Seattle Seahawks just traded their starting quarterback in Geno Smith and No. 1 receiver in DK Metcalf. The third-place Arizona Cardinals started strong before fading quickly last season and remain something of an unknown.

That leaves the Rams in a prime position to repeat as division champions with an offense led by Stafford, running back Kyren Williams and wide receivers Puka Nacua and Adams. Los Angeles informed wide receiver Cooper Kupp they intend to trade him and while general manager Les Snead said last week that the "least likely" scenario was that Kupp would be back on the roster in 2025, signing Adams cements that even further.

Before the start of the window where the Rams can negotiate with pending free agents, they not only added Adams but also re-signed left tackle Alaric Jackson to a three-year deal and wide receiver Tutu Atwell to a one-year contract.

The Rams, who won the NFC West in 2024, also return the majority of their young defense, a group that took big strides during the season under defensive coordinator Chris Shula.

The defense, without future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald, was largely built through the last two drafts. Before the Adams signing, Over the Cap had the Rams with $45 million in cap space -- and that includes Kupp's nearly $30 million cap hit in 2025. It also does not take into account Stafford's adjusted contract.

Adams has been a consistent contributor during his 11 NFL seasons and his 103 career receiving touchdowns are the 10th-most in NFL history. According to ESPN Research, Adams has recorded 1,000 receiving yards in five-straight seasons, which is tied for the second-longest active streak in the NFL.

The veteran receiver has also had a lot of success in the red zone, something the Rams struggled with last season. According to ESPN Research, the Rams ranked 25th in red zone touchdown percentage last season. Over the last five seasons, he has caught 40 red zone touchdowns, which is five more than any other player.

In late January, days after the Rams lost to the Eagles in the playoffs, McVay was asked what he wanted his offense to look like next season. The "biggest thing," he said, was "a little bit more versatility." McVay pointed to the lack of continuity the Rams offense had last season because of injuries but said, "you can't allow that to inhibit us the way that it did."

"I could go on and on about the variety of things that I'm excited about attacking to hopefully avoid some of the pitfalls that we had throughout the year to ultimately lead to more consistent production and play regardless of whatever our injury situation is," McVay said.

While signing Adams isn't the only answer needed to have a more consistent offense in 2025, the addition is a strong start before the start of the new league year on March 12.