McVay Confirms Davante Adams Was in Trade Rumors

Two weeks ago, rumors surfaced that the Los Angeles Rams were willing to trade Davante Adams during talks with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Adams was in trade rumors involving Eagles superstar receiver A.J. Brown. The Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning receiver has been a distraction in the Philadelphia locker room in recent years and has been the center of potential trade rumors with several franchises.

“Per league source, the Rams, while talking about a possible trade for Brown, were pursuing the possibility of trading Adams,” Pro Football Talk reporter Mike Florio said.

Davante Adams Trade Rumors

Adams signed a two-year deal in 2025 as the Rams’ No. 2 receiver and recorded 60 catches and 789 receiving yards. He also led the league in touchdowns as a red zone specialist with 14 touchdowns in 14 games.

Head coach Sean McVay said the reports were accurate, but the team decided against the trade.

“If we felt it was best for our team, we would have done that,” McVay said at the league meetings. “But we didn’t think it was best for our team.”

McVay said he spoke with Adams about possible trade scenarios, and Adams understood.

“And he’s a grown man, and I think he understood that this is a part of this business, but I think what he also understood is at the end of the day, you’re a Ram because this is what’s best, and I’m excited to move forward with him,” McVay said.

Brown as a Ram

Adams and Brown had similar stats last season. The two had nearly the same number of targets and yards per reception. While Adams is no longer a No. 1 option, his value and potential contribution to any team are still very high.

General manager Les Snead has built through the draft over the last five offseasons, but has gone in a different direction this offseason. In trading and signing two cornerbacks, Snead has been aggressive. Adding Brown would only strengthen the offense and make the Rams an even scarier team. A potential Puka Nacua-A.J. Brown tandem would immediately become the best receiver duo in the league. It would also make the Rams the most dangerous offense in the league.

Any trade from the Eagles would likely result in a first-round and maybe a second-round pick. Brown signed a three-year, $96 million contract with $84 million in 2024. The Eagles are unlikely to trade Brown before June 1 due to salary cap reasons, but the option is still available.

McVay’s Transparency

Although the trade didn’t happen, the Rams and McVay are “glad he’s a Ram.” Adams hasn’t said anything about the potential trade, but McVay expects him to be with the Rams and has no reason to believe otherwise.

McVay expressed the importance of getting better at handling trade talks. Known as a player’s coach, he takes pride in communication. After being part of one of the biggest trades of the past decade involving Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford, McVay has tried to be more transparent with his players.

“There’s a lot of stuff that’s out there that’s not accurate, but when there is at least some accuracy or some thought to it, you want to deal with that direct, honest, and open,” McVay said about reaching out to Adams regarding the trade rumors.