Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is looking forward to playing with three-time All-Pro receiver Davante Adams. He also is happy Cooper Kupp got a good deal with the Seattle Seahawks, and he will be rooting for his former teammate whenever they teams are not playing against each other.
Stafford made his comments Sunday after handing out awards at the Rams Football Academy Girls Flag Spring Classic and USA Football Talent identification camp.
The event drew hundreds of girls and boys at the Rams practice facility in Woodland Hills.
“I know these kids probably got a kick out of being on the field we practice on,” said Stafford, who attended the event with his wife Kelly and four daughters. “Doing all that makes those dreams a little more tangible sometimes.”
Stafford is preparing for his fifth season with the Rams, and he will begin offseason workouts next month with a team that is expected to be among the favorites in the Super Bowl.
Adams, who signed a two-year contract that could be worth as much as $44 million, is now part of a receiver corps that includes Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington.
Stafford played against Adams for years in the NFC North when Stafford was on the Detroit Lions and Adams the Green Bay Packers.
“I have a ton of respect for him, the way he goes about his business and the way he plays the game,” Stafford said. “He’s been a big-time in this league for a long time, so happy to have him. I know he’s going to be a big addition to our team.”
Read more: Sean McVay dug deep in his bag of tricks to persuade Davante Adams to sign with Rams
The Rams released Kupp this month after they were unable to find a trade partner. The 2021 NFL offensive player of the year signed a three-year contract with the Seahawks that reportedly could be worth as much as $45 million.
The Rams will play the Seahawks at least twice each season.
“A great teammate, a great Ram — I think everybody here knows that and can appreciate what he was for our team and what he was for this community,” Stafford said. “Happy that he landed somewhere he wanted to be and got the deal he deserved.
“I’ll still stay in touch with him like I always do, and I’ll pull for him as long as we’re not going against each other.”
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Read the full article here