Davante Adams has long been one of the most physical broad recipients in the NFL, but he couldn’t break free from the iherd recruiting press from Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay.

“Honestly, the period has not been too long since I have been a free man, and Sean would make sure he kept it that way it is for sure,” Adams said at his preliminary news conference on Thursday.

Adams said McVay’s attention was one of the main reasons he signed a two-year contract that could be worth up to $ 46 million to join Rams. Many of these conversations took place while Adams, 32, were on holiday in Japan.

“And I mean, I also thought he was out there,” Adams said. “I talked to him more than I was talking to my wife. But he certainly showed a lot of interest.”

Adams said he first met McVay in the Kentucky Derby in 2019. In the previous October, Adam’s five receptions in 133 yards for Green Bay Packers against Rams. McVay expressed his appreciation of Adams’ game, which first triggered the idea of ​​a potential collaboration.

It was only before Adams became a free agent for the first time after 11 seasons with Packers, Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets that he fully understood how much McVay appreciated him.

“He sent me a few highlighted bonds by myself,” Adams said. “It was a bit Jon Grudden-Esque a little. And you know how he’s doing with ball, so he breaks every clip down. The first one was like seven minutes, and then he sent someone else who was probably another two minutes when he just goes through everything.

“I thought he took that job to be on TV for a moment when I saw it, but yes, it just shows how much ball means to him how much of a priority I was to him.”

Adams comes from his sixth career 1,000-yard reception season and ends with 85 catches, 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games with Raiders and Jets. He offers production and experience to compensate for the loss of Stalwart Cooper Kupp, which was released after Rams could not find a trading partner for MVP for the Super Bowl 56.

The presence of Adams could bring another aspect to McVay’s violation, which has tended to rely on putting Kupp or Breakout Star Puka Nacua moving to give recipients free release from the line with review to find space at the short or intermediate levels of defense.

At 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, Adams can create separation on its own. He is also skilled in the red zone by making disputed catches, something Rams struggled with this last season. They ranked 25. In goal-to-go touchdown percentage in the regular season and were 2-for-5 in scoring red zone touchdowns in an NFC divisional staff for Philadelphia Eagles in January.

“He knows my football hygiene, and it’s not something I come in, you know, put my foot down, ‘I know Ball so much, do it my way,'” Adams said of his discussions with McVay. “But it just helps when you both see it the same way. Right now, I see kind of me that it looks like this for the year.”

In Adams’ estimate, Rams has everything he could have wanted at a new destination. They have a team that is able to challenge to the Super Bowl, as demonstrated by their 28-22 defeat in the snow to give the possible master Eagles their toughest test of the post season. They have a witnessed veteran quarterback in Matthew Stafford, who previously highlighted the game with another major recipient in Calvin Johnson.

“Rams Move feels like a very material, maybe two-year agreement to put up an excellent offensive culture with Sean McVay and Matt Stafford,” Colin Cowherd said at “The Herd.”

Rams also allows Adams to be closer to family and friends and return to his homeland California after growing up in the bay and going to college in Fresno State.

Even Adams’ No. 17 Jersey was available where Nacua made a volunteer switch after her first two prominent seasons as a professional.

“Before I knew with certainty if I was on my way to LA, he was already talking about carrying (No.) 12,” said Adams. “For everyone out there who will hate me to make them buy new sweaters, I didn’t tell him. I didn’t pay him. I didn’t do anything. It was out of his heart and he wore it in college, so I guess it makes sense.”

Reporting Associated Press

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