Latest news with #PukaNacua
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Davante Adams-Puka Nacua combo is already reaping benefits for the Rams
As Davante Adams began his first Rams training camp, star receiver Puka Nacua tried to be cool, calm and collected. Nacua, a third-year pro, was eager to put aside his seniority with the Rams. The ascending star wanted to step back and allow Adams — a three-time All-Pro — to lead the way and go first in receiver drills. But when he approached Adams, Nacua's nerves apparently shone through. 'He was saying it almost like he'd been wanting to say it for a long time,' said Adams, who signed with the Rams in March, 'but he didn't really know how to say that.' The situation demanded it, Nacua said. 'There is a respect for him to come in saying, 'I don't want to push you out of the way or take your spot and be like, Oh, I should be up there No. 1,'' Nacua said. 'But it's something that I have a huge amount of respect for his game.' The request also came with a not-so-hidden bonus. 'When I was in the front, I'm trying to sprint as fast as I can so I can turn around and watch him,' Nacua said, laughing. 'So, I was like, 'Hey, I think it'll make my job a little bit easier if you just go first.' ... There's nothing better than seeing him with my own two eyes.' Adams, 32, has been wowing teammates, coaches and fans with skills honed during 11 NFL seasons. The 6-foot 1, 215-pound Adams has amassed 1,000 yards receiving in a season seven times, including the last six in a row. The Rams pursued Adams to replace Cooper Kupp, who was released three days after they agreed to terms with Adams. The two-year deal includes $25 million in guarantees, according to Adams, who has played for the Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets, said during offseason workouts that he felt rejuvenated with the Rams and their 'college-type camaraderie.' He has enjoyed the way coach Sean McVay — 'the mastermind,' Adams said — has conducted camp. 'Well, the 'masterminds' because it's a lot of people involved,' Adams said, 'but it's just been fun. 'The best part for me is just getting to know the guys and hanging out with them every day.' It did not take long for Adams to make an impression with his new teammates. In April, on the first day of offseason workouts, receivers coach Eric Yarber stood before his assembled charges and gave them an impassioned speech. 'I want to get this out of the way,' Yarber began. 'All you guys who were here last year, you learned from Cooper Kupp, one of the best slots ever. 'And now you're about to learn from a future Hall of Famer. You better pick his brain as much as you can while he's here because I'm going to do the same thing.' Adams thanked Yarber for the welcome, and then delivered a message. 'He said, 'You guys are going to learn a lot from me, but don't think that I can't learn anything from ya'll,'' second-year receiver Jordan Whittington said. 'He made that very clear.' Adams is part of a receiver corps that includes Nacua, Whittington, veteran Tutu Atwell — who signed a one-year $10-million contract — Xavier Smith and rookie Konata Mumpfield. Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford has yet to practice during training because of a back issue. But Stafford said in Maui at the end of offseason workouts that Adams was a 'seamless fit' for the offense. With Stafford sidelined, Adams has worked mainly with veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo. The two were teammates with the Raiders in 2023. 'He brought over the same swagger he had in Las Vegas, man,' Garoppolo said 'He's a confident dude.' Read more: 'Call the police.' Jared Verse left inspired by his Aaron Donald workout trauma Yarber is in his ninth season on McVay's staff. During his tenure, he coached Kupp, Nacua, Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and DeSean Jackson, among others. Adams brings experience and a one-of-a-kind skill set. 'He's a bigger receiver that has the feet of a little man,' Yarber said. 'I mean, he's cat-quick, he's got great change of direction, great catch radius and a great feel for the game.' What separates Adams from other receivers is his ability to separate from defensive backs and create space. At the line of scrimmage and while running routes against complex coverages. 'Separation is a big thing that I wanted to work on, and now I've got one of the ultimate separators ever,' Whittington said. 'So having him in the film room sharing that type of information and then just watching him go out there and dominate, it's truly a blessing.' Nacua feels the same. Adams said he dispenses advice to Nacua when appropriate. 'I'm not a walking wise man where I'm just trying to drop little trinkets on him all day, but it's more whenever it comes up,' Adams said of dissecting double-coverage and other schemes. 'That part is actually like some of the most enjoyable parts of this thing for me, the cerebral game.' Adams' influence on Nacua has been obvious to McVay. During a team meeting, the ninth-year coach complimented Nacua on a play, and then asked what he was thinking while running his route. Nacua referenced Adams and a tip he had offered. 'When you have guys that are doing that for each other, that's special stuff,' McVay said, adding, 'when you have teammates that are pushing one another, when there's that mutual respect that exists and that appropriate humility, a lot of good things can follow.' The Rams hope so. If Stafford is physically sound, a passing attack featuring Adams and Nacua could help make the Rams a Super Bowl contender. Adams acknowledged that while all that glitters is not gold, the Rams' foundation under McVay and their personnel and mindset give them an opportunity to be a championship-caliber team. 'This is looking pretty golden over here,' he said. 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.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Seeking to learn, Puka Nacua asks Davante Adams to lead the LA Rams' receiving drills
LOS ANGELES — Although Puka Nacua is one of the NFL's top receivers as he heads into his third season with the Los Angeles Rams, he thinks he still has plenty to learn from the new teammate wearing his old uniform number. Nacua was full of praise and admiration for Davante Adams after just one practice in training camp at Loyola Marymount University on Wednesday. Nacua is determined to soak up the techniques and teachings of the six-time Pro Bowl selection who joined the Rams as a replacement for Cooper Kupp in the spring.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Seeking to learn, Puka Nacua asks Davante Adams to lead the LA Rams' receiving drills
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Puka Nacua is one of the NFL's top receivers as he heads into his third season with the Los Angeles Rams, he thinks he still has plenty to learn from the new teammate wearing his old uniform number. Nacua was full of praise and admiration for Davante Adams after just one practice in training camp at Loyola Marymount University on Wednesday. Nacua is determined to soak up the techniques and teachings of the six-time Pro Bowl selection who joined the Rams as a replacement for Cooper Kupp in the spring. 'I've asked Davante to lead our position group drills,' Nacua said. 'There was respect from him coming in, saying, 'I don't want to push you out of the way, or to try to take your spot,' or that I should be up there No. 1, but it's something (where) I have a huge amount of respect for his game, and I'm blessed to be around people like Coop, and to have Davante come in.' There's also a practical reason for Nacua's invitation to Adams: 'When I was in the front, I'm trying to sprint as fast as I can so I can turn around and watch him. So I was like, 'Hey, I think it would make my job a little easier if you go first.'' Nacua's respect for Adams has been obvious from the day Adams signed. Nacua willingly ceded the No. 17 jersey he had worn for two seasons in Los Angeles, switching to the No. 12 he wore in college. Adams got the ball frequently during the Rams' opening workout, impressing the fans in the stands while catching passes from Jimmy Garoppolo. Matthew Stafford is starting training camp on the sidelines as he recovers from back soreness, leaving Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett in the pocket for the first week. Nacua was observing Adams with admiration, watching everything from his famous release skills at the line of scrimmage to his ball concentration in traffic. 'His illusion of speed and lateral quickness is something I'm trying to add to my game in the way that it fits my skill set,' Nacua said. 'I wouldn't say there's a lot of people that can replicate some of the things that he can do, but I try to understand the movement so I can add it to my game.' But Adams also recognizes the remarkable ascent of Nacua, the former fifth-round pick. Nacua's average of 88.4 yards receiving per game is the second-best in NFL history among non-scab players, trailing only Minnesota's Justin Jefferson (96.5). Nacua has 184 catches for 2,476 yards in just 28 regular-season games for the Rams, but he could be even more dangerous with Adams as his counterpart. Defenses will be unable to focus primarily on Nacua, as they did at times in his first two seasons when Kupp was injured or ineffective, likely allowing Nacua to get into more advantageous matchups for Stafford. The big picture looks good for Nacua, but he's also concentrating on learning the small details from Adams, whose skills he can list in encyclopedic detail. 'I'd say his body control, and obviously his elusiveness at the line of scrimmage,' Nacua said. 'But then his awareness, the rotation of defenders and how to attack leverage on anyone, everything down the field, and then to have the illusion of going the opposite direction of where you want to go. He does a great job, and he explains it so well in the meeting room, so it makes it fun to watch tape and to be like, 'OK, how can I add some of these things to my toolbox?'' Nacua is one year away from the chance to sign a contract extension, but he isn't thinking much about the massive looming payday if he produces another prolific season with Stafford and Adams. 'A little bit, but I try my best to stay completely present where my feet are,' Nacua said. 'It's exciting to see guys push the envelope for the wide receiver game.' ___ AP NFL:
Toronto Star
7 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Seeking to learn, Puka Nacua asks Davante Adams to lead the LA Rams' receiving drills
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Puka Nacua is one of the NFL's top receivers as he heads into his third season with the Los Angeles Rams, he thinks he still has plenty to learn from the new teammate wearing his old uniform number. Nacua was full of praise and admiration for Davante Adams after just one practice in training camp at Loyola Marymount University on Wednesday. Nacua is determined to soak up the techniques and teachings of the six-time Pro Bowl selection who joined the Rams as a replacement for Cooper Kupp in the spring.
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Seeking to learn, Puka Nacua asks Davante Adams to lead the LA Rams' receiving drills
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Puka Nacua is one of the NFL's top receivers as he heads into his third season with the Los Angeles Rams, he thinks he still has plenty to learn from the new teammate wearing his old uniform number. Nacua was full of praise and admiration for Davante Adams after just one practice in training camp at Loyola Marymount University on Wednesday. Nacua is determined to soak up the techniques and teachings of the six-time Pro Bowl selection who joined the Rams as a replacement for Cooper Kupp in the spring. 'I've asked Davante to lead our position group drills,' Nacua said. 'There was respect from him coming in, saying, 'I don't want to push you out of the way, or to try to take your spot,' or that I should be up there No. 1, but it's something (where) I have a huge amount of respect for his game, and I'm blessed to be around people like Coop, and to have Davante come in.' There's also a practical reason for Nacua's invitation to Adams: 'When I was in the front, I'm trying to sprint as fast as I can so I can turn around and watch him. So I was like, 'Hey, I think it would make my job a little easier if you go first.'' Nacua's respect for Adams has been obvious from the day Adams signed. Nacua willingly ceded the No. 17 jersey he had worn for two seasons in Los Angeles, switching to the No. 12 he wore in college. Adams got the ball frequently during the Rams' opening workout, impressing the fans in the stands while catching passes from Jimmy Garoppolo. Matthew Stafford is starting training camp on the sidelines as he recovers from back soreness, leaving Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett in the pocket for the first week. Nacua was observing Adams with admiration, watching everything from his famous release skills at the line of scrimmage to his ball concentration in traffic. 'His illusion of speed and lateral quickness is something I'm trying to add to my game in the way that it fits my skill set,' Nacua said. 'I wouldn't say there's a lot of people that can replicate some of the things that he can do, but I try to understand the movement so I can add it to my game.' But Adams also recognizes the remarkable ascent of Nacua, the former fifth-round pick. Nacua's average of 88.4 yards receiving per game is the second-best in NFL history among non-scab players, trailing only Minnesota's Justin Jefferson (96.5). Nacua has 184 catches for 2,476 yards in just 28 regular-season games for the Rams, but he could be even more dangerous with Adams as his counterpart. Defenses will be unable to focus primarily on Nacua, as they did at times in his first two seasons when Kupp was injured or ineffective, likely allowing Nacua to get into more advantageous matchups for Stafford. The big picture looks good for Nacua, but he's also concentrating on learning the small details from Adams, whose skills he can list in encyclopedic detail. 'I'd say his body control, and obviously his elusiveness at the line of scrimmage,' Nacua said. 'But then his awareness, the rotation of defenders and how to attack leverage on anyone, everything down the field, and then to have the illusion of going the opposite direction of where you want to go. He does a great job, and he explains it so well in the meeting room, so it makes it fun to watch tape and to be like, 'OK, how can I add some of these things to my toolbox?'' Nacua is one year away from the chance to sign a contract extension, but he isn't thinking much about the massive looming payday if he produces another prolific season with Stafford and Adams. 'A little bit, but I try my best to stay completely present where my feet are,' Nacua said. 'It's exciting to see guys push the envelope for the wide receiver game.' ___ AP NFL:
