CJ Daniels May Already Be the Rams’ Low-Cost Replacement for Davante Adams

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams were in need of a third wide receiver. They didn’t draft in the first round as some expected, but they did eventually take one on Day 3 with Miami’s CJ Daniels.

It may not have been Makai Lemon or Denzel Boston like many were hoping for, but given the direction that the Rams offense is heading, it made sense. After drafting Max Klare in the second round, the intention for the direction of the Rams offense was clear. This is a team that had success in 2025 with 12 and 13 personnel. With the addition of Klare, it seems as if the Rams want to lean into that more.

If the Rams are going to increase the usage of 12 and 13 personnel, it inherently lowers the value of the third wide receiver in the offense. That doesn’t mean that the third wide receiver isn’t needed or isn’t valuable at all. However, if that player is on the field on 40 percent of the team’s offensive snaps instead of 80 percent, it’s lower on the priority list than it was previously.

Obviously depth is still needed. The Rams have Davante Adams who is getting older and managed a hamstring injury last season. Puka Nacua has also missed time in each of the previous two seasons. That also doesn’t account for the fact that both players are in the final years of their contracts.

Entering the 2026 offseason, it seemed like a given that Nacua would be signed to a long-term deal. However, Nacua’s off-field situation has made that less certain. It also seems unlikely that the Rams will bring back Adams after this season. They already took trade calls for him earlier in the spring before deciding that the best path forward was with Adams on the team.

This is a case where multiple things can all be true at the same time. It can be disappointing that the Rams didn’t draft a wide receiver early. At the same time, the Rams have done a good job developing wide receivers. Puka Nacua was a fifth-round pick while Cooper Kupp was taken in the third round. The Rams also found value in free agents such as Robert Woods and Demarcus Robinson.

The overarching point here is that archetype is arguably more important than raw talent in the Rams offense. Overall, the coaching staff has done a good job developing players that match a specific archetype and finding a spot for them in the offense.

McVay has the ability to scheme players open. If a player can run the routes as designed and with good timing, and create after the catch, they can be successful in this offense. That’s where CJ Daniels comes into play.

After the draft, assistant general manager John McKay spoke highly of Daniels, “He fits a lot of the things we're looking for in the offense," McKay said. "He runs routes at a high level. He's got a great feel for the game. He's got a big catch radius, strong hands. So for us, it was a great fit, and we felt like he was one of the last ones still available that could really impact our team this year and moving forward.”

It’s clear that the Rams feel like Daniels fits that archetype of player that they want at wide receiver. Looking ahead at 2027, drafting Daniels gives the Rams some flexibility at wide receiver.

Again, multiple things can be true at the same time. Daniels isn’t going to replace Adams or Nacua. Those are unrealistic expectations for a player who was drafted in the sixth round. However, if the Rams are becoming an offense that focuses more on tight ends, how important is an elite second or third wide receiver? Can the Rams get away with Nacua and a player of the caliber of Josh Reynolds or Demarcus Robinson?

Reynolds or Robinson are a more realistic projection for Daniels and both played a key role in the offense. There’s no doubt that the Rams missed Robinson at times in 2025. Reynolds may not have been the featured part of the offense, but he was reliable.

Daniels and Robinson are also very similar from a measurables standpoint and have a similar play style. Both are around 6’2, 202 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in the late 4.5s. Their explosive numbers are also exactly the same. Both used their size to their advantage in contested catch situations. That size is something that the Rams missed last season. Daniels can still be a steal in the draft.

The Rams approached the 2026 draft with an eye on 2027. Looking at 2027, the Rams will likely only have one of Nacua and Adams. With Adams older, the Rams will lean towards bringing back Nacua if they can.

It’s unrealistic and unfair to ask Daniels to replace Adams. However, he is a cheaper option to fill that role in the way Robinson once did. Adams is set to have a cap hit of $28 million in 2026 while Daniels will make just over $1 million as a sixth-round pick.

Heading into next offseason, the Rams have some difficult decisions to make. They have to consider paying key starters in Kevin Dotson, Kobie Turner, Puka Nacua, and Byron Young. If the Rams can get production out of Daniels at his price point, it gives them the flexibility to pay more of those key players. Daniels may not directly replace Adams, but if he can show promise and develop as a rookie, he has the skillset to step into that role on the outside.

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