Rams OC Mike LaFleur compares Kupp-Adams swap to blockbuster NBA trade
In addition to the return of Matthew Stafford, the biggest movement that the Rams of Los Angeles made this offseason was to publish Cooper Kupp after having signed Davante Adams. The renowned player exchange made waves in the NFL due to Kupp’s inheritance with the team and the Hierarchy of Adams among the receiver’s elite, especially after Kupp signed with the NFC West Seattle Seahawks rival.
The Big Switch is not lost on the offensive coordinator of the Rams, Mike Lafleur, who noted that Adams brings something different to the table that Kupp. Lafleur compared it, curiously, to another big movement based in Los Angeles: when the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA exchanged before Anthony Davis (and more) at the Dallas Mavericks for goalkeeper Luka Dončić.
“It’s a good really, really historic receiver for another very good historical receiver really very good, but they are different, right?”" Lafleur told the training camp this week. "I don’t want to start using basketball references, but it’s Anthony Davis and Luka. I’m not saying that one is better than the other, but they are both very good players and you will use them in different ways. I think we know what was the specialty of Coop, how his mind worked and the figures he put in this uniform. Likewise with Tae [Adams] And everywhere, he was and the figures he set up. Yes, these are the two receivers but they are very, very different and the way we will use them is different. “”
This analogy can be difficult to understand if you are not a fan of the NBA, but it has its merits. Davis and Dončić are both considered stars in the world of basketball, and both play the game differently. Davis is a first -field player while Dončić is a balloon handling guard. Kupp and Adams are both among the best NFL receivers (Kupp may be less, given its injury history) but do not have exactly the same features.
The other similarity is that rams selected Adams on Kupp, similar to the Lakers giving Davis for Dončić. Finally, the decision was almost universally praised by the experts of the NFL the next day, because Adams is considered to be one of the 10 best receivers of the League even at a more advanced age, while Kupp has seen decreases in his game in recent years.
The cross references are never perfect, but it was a solid attempt by Lafleur. The Rams hope that Adams may be more for them during his first year than Dončić for Lakers last year.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams Oc Compare Kupp-Adams Swap to Blockbuster NBA Trade
