The Los Angeles Rams face pressure to address a major hole at wide receiver after Davante Adams suffered a ruptured hamstring that will sideline him for six to 10 weeks.
Head coach Sean McVay confirmed the timeline Monday following the team’s 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Adams left late in the fourth quarter on a non-contact play and did not return.
Adams had been productive through six games, catching 30 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns. His absence leaves the Rams, sitting at 2-4 and last in the NFC West, thin behind All-Pro Puka Nacua. The team entered the season as Super Bowl favorites but has struggled early.
One name that has surfaced in trade discussions is Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. A speculative framework has the Rams sending their 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round selection to Jacksonville in exchange for Thomas and a 2028 sixth-round pick. The deal would provide the Rams a younger option while returning some future capital.
Thomas, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 draft, stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 209 pounds. He turned 24 on Oct. 8. His rookie season produced a Pro Bowl nod with 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. Production has dropped since.
Through six games this year he has nine catches for 105 yards and one score, and he was benched after halftime in Jacksonville’s Week 6 loss.
The Jaguars enter their bye with a 4-2 record. Head coach Liam Coen, a former Rams offensive coordinator, has emphasized that players must make plays after the limited role for Thomas. General manager James Gladstone previously worked in Los Angeles’ scouting department, which could ease communication if talks develop.
ESPN’s Mike Clay noted the Rams’ likely interest in the receiver market.
“You have to think the Rams will be in the wide receiver market now,” he posted on X. He added, “Dare I say Brian Thomas Jr?”
Clay also listed Calvin Ridley of the Tennessee Titans, Jauan Jennings of the Minnesota Vikings and Jerry Jeudy of the Cleveland Browns as other possibilities.
“Sneaky team to add a receiver,” Clay said. “Remember, they were—this might have been at Adams’ expense—but they were in the A.J. Brown sweepstakes. And Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy could be options. I don’t know about Brian Thomas, but … they’re clearly all in for this year.”
Colleague Field Yates has pointed out that draft capital remains a constraint for the Rams. Los Angeles already dealt significant picks in offseason trades for edge rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie. The club holds four selections in the 2027 draft, with a second-rounder as its highest.
Its 2028 stock is largely intact aside from the second-round pick.
Any addition of Thomas would include his fifth-year option, giving the Rams flexibility before a long-term commitment. The club also faces pending free-agent decisions involving Adams, Nacua and several starting offensive linemen after this season.
The NFL trade deadline arrives Nov. 10. The Rams play the Las Vegas Raiders this week and face several other opponents before their own bye. Additional injuries, including a season-ending triceps tear for nose tackle Poona Ford and multi-week absences for defensive tackle Kobie Turner and kicker Blake Grupe, have further strained the roster.
McVay has indicated the team will evaluate options at receiver while Adams recovers. Whether a deal materializes depends on Jacksonville’s willingness to move Thomas and Los Angeles’ willingness to part with remaining draft assets during a disappointing start.
