After Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, the experience of the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver room gets thin really quickly. As of today, 2024 Round 6 draft pick Jordan Whittington has the inside track for WR#3. He has nine starts and 700+ offensive snaps under his belt.
Working in his favor is the Rams recent move towards two and three tight end sets. The Rams are less apt to put out the capital on an outsider if 2025 Round 2 tight end Terrance Ferguson is schemed like a receiver. The available snaps might not justify spending the money for a difference maker.
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But the L.A. braintrust should keep an ear to the ground, even if just listening for a deal they can’t pass up. There are a handful of high-end receivers the Rams may want to consider. Not just for this year. Looking forward, Nacua is going to want to cash in after 2026 and Adams really needs to produce to truly justify the $28mil of his final contract year. Nacua likely gets his payday, fine, but do fans really want Adams back at anywhere near his current price? The time to explore a move on next year’s WR#2 may be now.
Here are 15 wide receiver possibilities with varying probabilities. Some have been linked to the Rams, others have difficult situations with their current teams, and there a few one-year rentals.
She loves me, she loves me not
The coaches who wanted you are all gone and the GM throws you under the bus in a press conference. First pick (#33) of Round 2 in the 2024, hasn’t measured up yet, although averaging 33 catches at a 14 yard clip and four touch downs are solid numbers for a WR#3.
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How he fits: Outstanding hands, length, and vertical. Top-tier contested catch prospect that plays inside or out. Timed poorly in the forty (4.61), but tested stellar otherwise and more importantly, timed very well in the Combine gauntlet drill. Had maturity problems in Buffalo causing healthy scratches.
AJ Brown – Philadelphia Eagles
Plenty of documented reports on his shenanigans. He’s disgruntled and Philly is openly shopping him. The Eagles appear to be holding out for high-end compensation to ship him off. He’s got four years on his contract, from $23-29 mil on the cap hit, so he’s under WR#1 market price.
How he fits: It depends on if you can live with his antics, and I use that word because he’s not in trouble off the field. He’ll play at 29 this tear and has been a consistent producer over his first seven seasons. Browns’s the level of player who would push right away for WR#2 or even co-#1. Best from the slot, he has plus strength, length and run after catch ability.
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Marvin Harrison – Arizona Cardinals
Former #4 pick overall in 2024 enters his third NFL season. While not really in hot water with the RedBirds, he hasn’t lived up to his draft pedigree and the GM and coach that drafted him are gone. He’s averaged a 52 catches at 14.5 yards per clip, but only has a 55 percent catch ratio. Although that’s passable at WR#2, he has to feel some pressure. Michael Wilson has passed him up on the depth chart and Arizona has new management, coaches and scheme in 2026..
How he fits: Elite size, length, and athleticism. Solid route runner that can create separation with strong ball tracking skills. Best suited to play outside, but can play from the slot. Good at contested catches and near the end zone, 12 scores in two seasons. As a pro, his good hands haven’t been up to par and he’s been frustrated by his role in the offense.
Over the hill gang
DeAndre Hopkins – free agent
Turn 33 in June and although past his prime, Hopkins still offers the ability to separate, strong hands, and contested catch ability. He’s bounced around the NFL since sitting out six games for PED use in 2022. While Hopkins has never been flashy, he’s put up solid all-time numbers over his career, 1006 catches (17th), 13,295 yards (18th), and 85 touchdowns (19th).
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How he fits: As a reliable WR#3, he’s known for veteran savvy, and being a willing blocker over his years. He still has enough juice to get deep on occasion, but is best suited to short/mid routes and works across the middle. Excellent over the middle and making contested catches.
Keenan Allen – free agent
At 34, Allen is at the backend of his career, but he continues to produce.He’s averaged 86 catches for 921 yards and six scores over the past three years. He has been quoted as saying he wants to play in Chicago or Los Angeles to close out his career.
How he fits: A part-time WR#3 role would fit Allen. His production to snaps ratio is sky high, minor injuries have allowed him to play a complete schedule only twice in 13 years. Early in his career, his athleticism made him a run after catch threat and kick returner, but now he is the prototype possession receiver. Plays both inside and out with good hands, route running, and size.
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Tyreek Hill – free agent
Coming off a torn multi-ligament knee injury, there’s a possibility that Hill will have to sit out 2026 to rehab. Now 32, I put him into the “old guy” category, but he could fit into multiple categories on this list. He’s kind of wasted in Miami’s scheme, has plenty of baggage, and a love/hate relationship in the league.
How he fits: When healthy, Hill is an explosive playmaker that can play inside or out. A terror deep and stellar run after catch skills. Although his production has dropped off since joining Miami, the injury and subpar QB play has held him down to an extent.
Where there’s smoke
Brandon Aiyuk – S.F. 49ers
Reportedly, Aiyuk is not talking to anyone, not the 49ers, other teams, and maybe not his own representatives. The 49ers are ready to move on from him, but he has a complicated contract to work out before shipping out. After four seasons where he averaged 68 receptions, 983 yards, and six touchdowns, he was given a $120mil contract extension. Two games in, he blew up a knee appeared to disappear from the 49ers.
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How he fits: After missing all of 2025, you need to make sure his medicals are positive. His tools are all solid, and Aiyuk has an extraordinary feel for open areas in zone coverage Can both set down and adjust to throws or keep moving across the field and snag on the run. Good run after catch ability and really works hard to find room when the QB is flushed from the pocket.
Stefon Diggs – free agent
Diggs turns 33 in December. While on the backend of a long career, he is still productive, witnessed by his play in New England last year, 85 catches for 1013 yards and four touch downs. Although his scrapes with authority are numerous, he remains a productive wide out.
How he fits: For most of his career, Diggs was primarily aligned outside, but in recent seasons he’s getting more involved from the slot. He’s a premier route runner and natural separator with toughnesss and play strength to work between the hashes.
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Jordan Addison – Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings recently exercised the fifth-year option on the 2023 Round 1 pick. Addison is a gifted receiver, but has been arrested five times in his short career and sat three games to NFL suspension to start 2025. The abeyance and poor QB play led to a poor 2025, but Addison still has posted 175 catches for 2396 yards and 22 touchdowns.
How he fits: Although his ceiling may be WR#2, Addison has good speed, agility and hands. Superior route runner, very sharp out of breaks. Plus open field runner with some history returning punts. Although on the small side, he’s known as a hard worker with an excellent receiver IQ. Question his maturity, but not his ability to be a playmaker.
I gave you the best years of my life
Garrett Wilson – New York Jets
Turns 26 in July. Wilson has played with a parade of QB’s that weren’t of high grade or were past their primes. Even though the Jets are 22-46 over his tenure and missing 10 games last year with knee sprain, the 2022 Round 1 pick has produced at an average of 78 catches for 911 yards.
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How he fits: Twitchy player who can take the top off a defense. Has worked hard to upgrade his short/mid game to match his ball-tracking and hands. Former top-end basketball player shows it with good strength at catch point, body control, and hand/eye coordination. Would challenge for WR#1 right away.
Chris Olave – New Orleans Saints
2022 Round 1 pick had a breakout season in 2025, 100 receptions for 1163 yards and nine touchdowns. Hasn’t had much support in New Orleans, at either receiver or quarterback. The Saints did load up on receivers in the draft, but still have questions at QB. Wants a contract extension, but his people and the Saints haven’t settled.
How he fits: Smooth and fluid athlete with great hands and body control. Fast and can vary pace to create separation. Plays inside and out. Polished route runner and has a good feel for open areas in zones. It is worth mentioning that Olave has had five concussions since his college days and played in 55 of 68 pro games.
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Deebo Samuel – free agent
Round 2 pick in 2019, will play as a 30 year-old in 2026. Built like a running back and plays with an edge. Samuel has consistently averaged over 1000 all-purpose yards per season with 48 total scores. His production level has stayed on keel year-to-year and has not started dropping off.
How he fits: Samuel still has juice as a triple threat, receiving, rushing, and returning kickoffs. Not only tough and competitive, his addition could make the Rams more multiple with his ability to be productive from anywhere on the field. His use is unlimited. Never a “play every down” guy. A 60-70 percent of snaps play plan would likely fit him very well.
Blasts from the past
Brandin Cooks – free agent
Former Round 1 pick back in 2014, he’s well-traveled, playing with six different teams. 734 career catches for 9817 yards and 60 scores. An early addition to the Rams early in the Snead/McVay era, he played three seasons in L.A.
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How he fits: Cooks has been a consistently solid producer for his whole career. Still fast enough to get deep, while fearless over the middle and underneath. At 33, he’s seen his best years, but could still offer veteran leadership in a a controlled snap situation.
Josh Reynolds – free agent
Although he has trailed off the past couple of seasons and never was a full-time starter, Reynolds has carved out a career as wide receiver depth. A Round 4 pick by the Rams back in 2017, he’s made stops with five teams.
How he fits: Savvy vet with ball-tracking skills, mostly an outside player who attacks the middle of the field and can win contested catches. I think a fair comp is Demarcus Robinson, who filled L.A.’s WR#3 role recently.
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KhaDarel Hodge – free agent
Since spending his rookie season with L.A. back in 2018, the undrafted Hodge has played in 118 NFL over eight seasons. Stats are modest, 67 catches and 1026 yards, a 15.3 clip and two touchdowns.
How he fits: Although Hodge has 1600+ offensive snaps, mostly as WR#3, I don’t see him as a serious competitor for the role, his value is on special teams. He has nearly 1700 snaps worth of special teams work and was named to the Pro Bowl for it as recently as 2024.
Who should it be?
I think that first we have to consider needs.
Next, let’s trim a few out. Tyreek Hill, Brandon Aiyuk, Jordan Addison, and KhaDarel Hodge. Hill might be fun, but his knee injury was major and there are reports that he might not play in 2026. Although Aiyuk is a perfect fit for the Rams offense, his injury was really bad as well and something doesn’t feel right about the lack of reports on his rehab progress. Addison needs to get his act together, he’s got game, but the Rams don’t need his arrest circus. Although Hodge can play special teams, he wouldn’t offer much on offense if disaster struck.
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If the Rams are looking for high-end talent to go forward with as WR#2, then you have to consider Keon Coleman, Marvin Harrison, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. Trying to find the proper combination of current and future value, of this group I would go with Harrison. He would really fit into the Rams scheme and be a standout for years. Three years left on his rookie deal. The Cards don’t have a lot of competition at receiver, but did load up on tight ends and ex-Ram offensive coordinator Mike LaFluer may lean into “12” formations and a run-heavy game. In a rebuilding year, the new Arizona regime might looking for a wide receiver of their own choosing.
It could be about finding an experienced receiver as a bridge for a couple of seasons. In this case AJ Brown, Deebo Samuel, or Stefon Diggs fit the need. Diggs is a little older, but is arguably the most productive and will likely somewhere near the $20mil he made last year. Samuel would offer the Rams a myriad of offensive possibilities and was around $20mil as well last year. Brown is the youngest and under a fair contract through 2029, adding him would give the Rams two WR#1’s. Honestly, I would happy with any of the three.
Taking a step down, maybe it’s a case of adding experience on a one-year basis. In that case, DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen, and Brandin Cooks have proven themselves over the years. If L.A. does indeed go away from three wide receivers for multi-tight end sets, even on a 50/50 basis, this tier of receiver may be the best move. All understand the scope of a part-time role, would be inexpensive to keep or discard, and could provide some veteran leadership to a generally young and inexperienced unit. Oh yeah, they’re all still effective.
Should the Rams stay with Jordan Whittington, build for the future with a high-end addition, or find a bridge while continuing to develop Konata Mumpfield and CJ Daniels?
