WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – As wide receiver Davante Adams has spent time around the Rams facility, it reminds him of the essence of football and where the joy in playing it comes from.
"This game is supposed to be a kid's game and us just having a good time, a fun time out there together. For it to kind of feel like Pop Warner, high school, college ball all over again, that's exactly what this team feels like in the best way possible," Adams said after Tuesday's OTA practice. "It feels like a college-type of camaraderie. I don't think I've seen a linebacker and a punter talking as much as I have since I've been here, or the kicker and quarterbacks, or whoever it is. There's just so much crossover."
After the past few years of experiencing environments he compared to having a "dark cloud over the building," the Rams have been a rejuvenating ray of light for the 32-year-old veteran.
"We've been going for a minute now, but it's been good, man," Adams said. "It's been exactly what I needed, feeling rejuvenated and really enjoying the time with the guys, getting to know them, getting on the same page with (quarterback) Matthew (Stafford), and just gelling with the whole team right now. It feels like I've been on this team for a couple of years now just based on how open and receptive the guys have been to me."
It didn't take long for Adams to feel comfortable in his new surroundings. In the early stages of the offseason program, head coach Sean McVay took the lead on that by showing highlights of Adams' tape in a team meeting, as is customary for every new Rams free agent signee and rookie brought into the building in an effort to authentically build them up.
Adams has been equally receptive to sharing knowledge as he has been to receiving it from his new teammates.
The biggest example of the latter came via cameras capturing him giving third-year pro Puka Nacua tips on his release during an OTA practice.
"I think the positive impact has already been felt from Davante," Nacua explained. "From the moment he walked in he's been willing to offer information, to have new drills, to have a complete different mindset of somebody who's played in various offenses, very different schemes and stuff like that. So it's been exciting to hear from him. But it's been great. I think of guys my rookie year, Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek as well as having 'Coop' and Matthew who helped me learn the nuances of our offense and allowed me to ask the right questions and provide that comfortable space to be willing to learn right next to them."
And here's head coach Sean McVay – who on Tuesday said Adams sees the game through a quarterback's lens and All-22 perspective – in his first media availability of OTAs:
"I think the first thing I've been really impressed with his willingness to share, his openness and his refreshing humility in terms of being coached but then being able to offer his insight. It's fun to be able to listen to…he and Matthew have a dialogue of their accumulated experiences and getting on the same page for how they want to be able to do things. But he's been great. Similar to what I was just saying about Terrence, but he's been great in the meetings, incredibly detail-oriented. You can see how smart he is. There are a couple things that are new in terms of the vernacular, but a lot of this stuff is same as or maybe just a couple subtle tweaks. But his ability to be able to learn, his ability to be able to listen and then ultimately lead has been a big factor."
Of course, it's not extraordinary that a player entering his 12th NFL season would take an actionable leadership role. Nonetheless, it's played an important role already in Los Angeles' preparation for the 2025 season.
"I think it's been opening our entire offense," Nacua said on how Adams' willingness to share knowledge has benefitted the Rams' whole unit. "Some of the route conversions, the things that he's put on tape and giving confidence to our coaches to maybe see how it can fit our skill group and stuff like that so it's been exciting to see. I think some of the vertical threat that we are going to be able to provide with him and the routes that he's run and put on tape and exploring all those options for every other receiver as well."
Getting in sync with his new quarterback has also been an ongoing process that he has naturally embraced. Adams and Stafford communicate often on the practice field, and even away from it, too – Stafford was texting Adams late in the week of May 19 as a continuation of that to better understand each other's skillsets and tendencies.
Some things, though, are learned on the fly – like Stafford's ability to manipulate coverage to throw the ball your way when you didn't initially expect it based on that coverage look initially.
"He doesn't care what that coverage says," Adams said. "If they're not playing that coverage right, you might still get the ball. So everybody at all times has got to make sure... it's never just for the love of the game. I'm sure everybody's heard of those routes where you're kind of designed to clear out or maybe, based on a certain coverage, you'll be eliminated. That isn't how he rolls. You've got to be a dog to do that. You've got to have a lot of confidence in your arm, in who's across from you, who you're throwing the ball to, all of that."
The Rams are no stranger to being a rejuvenating stop for veterans, especially under the culture established by McVay.
Adams is the latest to experience this, and both he and the team are that much better thanks to his recaptured joy.
"It's just about ball," Adams said. "There's no other BS and we've got a really good quarterback in here. You've got a really good young team that shows a lot of promise and was obviously really close to being able to have a chance at the whole thing last year. So just knowing how hungry this team is and seeing the work they're still putting in after having a year like last year—it just kind of confirms that I'm in the right place."
