Davante Adams had a lot of suitors after the New York Jets released him this offseason. He ultimately chose the Los Angeles Rams after an “aggressive” pursuit and a two-year, $46 million contract to stay closer to his hometown of East Palo Alto, but there was a team who was even closer: The San Francisco 49ers.

However, the 49ers’ interest in Adams wasn’t nearly as compelling as what the Rams could offer. Adams told The Athletic‘s Michael Silver that his agent told him the 49ers were offering “wholesale” money, meaning they wanted to sign him at a discounted rate.

“I was entertaining the Niners,” Adams said, “but they were like, ‘We’re paying wholesale. We ain’t paying retail.’ I didn’t talk to them, but that’s what my agent told me — like five times, that quote. And I was like, ‘OK, well, I’m not a wholesale-type dude.’”

At 32, Adams is certainly closer to the end of his NFL career than the beginning, but that doesn’t mean he’s a depreciated asset. Adams finished the 2024 season with his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard year despite playing for two bad teams in the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets and missing three games. He also scored eight touchdowns, which was his fewest since an injured-riddled 2015 season with the Green Bay Packers.

What’s interesting is the 49ers probably needed Adams more than the Rams. San Francisco traded away Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk is coming off an ACL injury. The only healthy receivers who were left on the roster after free agency were Jauan Jennings and second-year receiver Ricky Pearsall before the 49ers signed Rams castoff Demarcus Robinson.

Now, though, Adams steps into an ideal situation in L.A. with a top quarterback in Matthew Stafford, an ascendent receiver in Puka Nacua alongside him and one of the most innovative offensive minds in Sean McVay. He can also show the 49ers what they missed out on by lowballing him twice a year in the NFC West.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Davante Adams says 49ers lowballed him before he signed with Rams