The Rams may need much more out of Tutu Atwell this season. Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson will be the two starters at wide receiver, but Van Jefferson is dealing with a knee injury and Odell Beckham Jr. is still a free agent – and likely to miss at least a month or two of the season.
In the event that Jefferson can’t be ready for Week 1 or an injury occurs at some point later on, Atwell could be the next man up. He’s shown this summer that he’s prepared for a bigger role, making big play after big play. Just this week, he caught three 50-yard bombs in practice, including one from Matthew Stafford.
Atwell is ready for a bigger opportunity, he knows he must first gain the trust of his coaches and teammates first.
“I can do it all, but I have to gain that trust,” Atwell told the Los Angeles Daily News. “I’m working on gaining that trust and showing coaches that I can do a little bit of everything, so I can have more opportunities.”
Stafford absolutely LAUNCHES it to @tutuatwell! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/D9OXRPma0p
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 4, 2022
Atwell has a specialized skill set that certainly provides value on offense. While he’s smaller than most receivers, he’s also likely the fastest player on the team. He can be a deep threat, someone who turns a short pass into a big gain or a gadget player who takes handoffs and jet sweeps.
Atwell says the Rams have designed plays for him, and he just has to take advantage of those chances.
“I’ve seen it. We have talks about it in meetings, we look at it, read the script and they let me know what plays I’m in,” he added. “When I get the opportunity, I just gotta show everybody what I can do, so they can trust me and I can make more plays.”
