The Rams never found a way to consistently deploy speedy receiver Tutu Atwell. But they apparently can’t quit him.
On Thursday, the Rams traded second-year running back Jarquez Hunter to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Atwell, the team announced.
Hunter, 24, was a 2025 fourth-round draft pick from Auburn. He played in five games as a rookie, all on special teams. On a Super Bowl-favorite team that includes Kyren Williams, Blake Corum and Ronnie Rivers, who is also a special teams ace, Hunter was not going to play unless there were a series of injuries.
Rams running back Jarquez Hunter carries the ball during a preseason win over the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 22.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Atwell, who will turn 27 in October, was selected by the Rams in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Louisville. He was sidelined much of his rookie season because of a shoulder injury, and was subsequently used sparingly the next three seasons. In 2024, he caught a career-best 42 passes for 562 yards.
Before the 2025 season, the Rams signed Atwell to a one-year, $10-million contract. But with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams getting the majority of targets, Atwell caught only six passes for 192 yards, 88 coming on a winning touchdown pass play against the Indianapolis Colts.
In March, Atwell signed a one-year, $1.4-million contract with the Dolphins, according to Sportrac.com.
Atwell joins a receiver corps that includes Nacua, Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, rookie CJ Daniels and Xavier Smith, who was the punt returner last season.
Atwell knows all of the Rams’ receiver positions.
So the trade might also turn out to be a cautionary preemptive move if the NFL determines Nacua violated the league’s personal-conduct policy and suspends him. Nacua is the defendant in a civil lawsuit that stems from a New Year’s Eve incident during which he allegedly made an antisemitic statement at a dinner and bit a woman while riding in a vehicle.
