Latest news with #PukaNacua
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Roster move, roster quality and other LA Rams news for Arizona Cardinals fans to know
Roster move, roster quality and other LA Rams news for Arizona Cardinals fans to know Checking in with the rest of the NFC West, some Rams news from the last week for Cardinals fans to know. We have completed another week in the NFL offseason, and that means it is time to check in with the rest of the NFC West and see what is going on with the Arizona Cardinals' division rivals. What is new with the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams? Below are a few stories from the last week about the Rams that Cardinals fans should know. Great supporting cast The Rams have a solid group of players surrounding quarterback Matthew Stafford, including receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams and running back Kyren Williams. One analyst considers it a top-10 supporting cast in the league. Rams add O-lineman The Rams added veteran offensive lineman David Quessenberry, who has 30 career starts and overcame Lymphoma at one point. But they aren't in top 10 for complete team While one analyst believes the Rams' supporting cast for Staff is in the top 10, does not believe the Rams are a top-10 complete roster. 3rd-year guard named 'X-factor' The Rams have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, but PFF does not have a skill player or a defensive player as their X-factor for 2025. They name third-year guard Steve Avila for that. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Here's why Puka Nacua was excused from Rams' first OTA for a 'pretty cool opportunity'
Here's why Puka Nacua was excused from Rams' first OTA for a 'pretty cool opportunity' Nacua had a trip planned with his mom months ago, so he was excused from Day 1 of OTAs Puka Nacua was absent from the Los Angeles Rams' first day of OTAs on Wednesday, but it's not anything that caught the team off guard. In fact, Sean McVay knew for months that Nacua wouldn't be able to attend the start of OTAs. After the team's first practice on Wednesday, McVay shed some light on the reason for Nacua's excused absence. He said the receiver had a 'pretty cool opportunity' to travel with his mom, which Nacua has shared photos and videos of on his Instagram story recently. Nacua was getting back on Wednesday, which is why he missed practice, but he'll be participating in everything moving forward. 'Oh yeah, this was months ago,' McVay said. 'He's traveling with his family, pretty cool opportunity. Got to be able to go travel with his mom. He was getting back today. He'll be here so he's done a great job of communicating a couple months ago.' One of the places Nacua posted on Instagram during his travels was Samoa, which is a special place for him being of Samoan descent. Though he grew up in Provo, Utah, he's proud of his Polynesian heritage so traveling back to where his family is from was likely incredible for him and his mom. Now that he's back in Los Angeles, expect to see Nacua on the field with his teammates again. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Puka Nacua's rise in L.A. has big money on the horizon for the Rams WR
Puka Nacua's rise in L.A. has big money on the horizon for the Rams WR From Day 3 pick to franchise cornerstone, the Rams' breakout receiver is in line for a huge extension. There's no mystery when it comes to which contract the Los Angeles Rams will need to prioritize next offseason, and the rest of the league will be watching closely. CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan recently broke down the top extension candidate for every NFL team, and when it comes to the Rams, the choice was a no-brainer in Pro Bowl WR Puka Nacua. After just two seasons, the 2023 fifth-round pick has more than earned the attention and a contract that could soon make him one of the highest-paid weapons in football, depending on his production in Year 3. The 23-year-old wideout shattered expectations from the jump. He set the NFL's rookie record for receiving yards in 2023, racking up 1,486 yards on 105 catches, and followed that up in 2024 with 990 yards in only 11 games. Had he stayed healthy, he would've become the first receiver in franchise history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to start a career In just 28 games, he's already tallied 184 catches for 2,476 yards, production that has him on a trajectory rivaling the league's elite. His hands, route running, and after-the-catch ability have transformed the Rams' passing attack and given Matthew Stafford a new go-to weapon. Given the current state of the wide receiver market and how quickly it's escalating, his next contract might not just make him one of the top-paid wideouts in the game. It could rival the biggest deals in the league outside the quarterback position. There's little doubt the Rams understand the value he brings, and based on how things are trending, they could be backing up the money truck very soon. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Rams WR Tutu Atwell finally primed for a breakout year? One NFL analyst thinks so
Tutu Atwell may not have put up huge numbers for the Los Angeles Rams in the last four years, but the team still rewarded him with a one-year deal worth $10 million this offseason – a contract that's fully guaranteed, too. Sean McVay has a vision for the small but speedy receiver, committing to him for at least one more season in L.A. He's coming off his best year yet in 2024, catching 42 passes for 562 yards, both of which were career-highs. Advertisement Heading into 2025, Atwell has a clear path to playing time behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. He's penciled in as the No. 3 receiver on the depth chart, which in McVay's 11 personnel-heavy offense means a lot of playing time. It could put Atwell in position for the breakout year everyone's been waiting for. CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso picked Atwell as one of five players in the NFL who are in a contract year and primed for a breakout, sharing high praise for the Rams receiver. Every coach on the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree wants a small burner to threaten vertically -- and even on jet sweeps -- within the offense -- the Rams didn't make Atwell a top 60 pick four years ago for no reason. The overwhelming majority of attention will be paid to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and rightfully so. That'll leave Atwell as a beneficiary of minimal over-the-top safety help, which is bad news for defenses given his 4.39 speed. In his final year of his rookie deal, Atwell will move into more of a prominent role in the Rams' 11 personnel-heavy attack and continue his upward trajectory as a niche asset who'll perfectly complement Los Angeles' uber-efficient superstar receivers not known for their pure speed. Trapasso noted improvements in Atwell's catch rate (51.4% to 59.1% to 68.9% since 2022) and yards per route run (2.24 in 2024) as reasons he's on track for a bigger year in 2025. It helps that much of the attention on offense will be paid to Nacua and Adams, leaving Atwell in one-on-one situations more often than not. With his speed, Atwell doesn't need to be a high-volume receiver to rack up the yards. He runs a lot of downfield routes where if he gets behind the defense, he could be gone for 50 yards and a score. Advertisement As the No. 3 receiver, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to set a career-high in yards this season. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage! This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams WR Tutu Atwell highlighted as breakout candidate in 2025
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Quentin Lake thinks Rams' 2025 offense will be 'reminiscent of Greatest Show on Turf'
It'd be safe to say the Los Angeles Rams' offense underachieved in 2024. With Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and Kyren Williams surrounding Matthew Stafford, it was supposed to be a big year on that side of the ball. The Rams finished the year ranked 20th in points scored and 15th in total yards, a far cry from 2023 when they were eighth and seventh, respectively. Advertisement Heading into the 2025 season, a bounce-back is expected. Davante Adams joins Nacua to give the Rams a fantastic wide receiver duo, while Terrance Ferguson steps in at tight end to provide another pass-catching threat. Kupp isn't there anymore but Tutu Atwell, Nacua, Williams and Blake Corum are all still in the mix. Quentin Lake has high expectations for that group, making a bold statement while on NFL Network recently. In raving about Adams and what he brings to the offense, Lake said the Rams could be reminiscent of the Greatest Show on Turf era when St. Louis led the league in scoring and yards three years in a row. 'He's a fantastic player. He's been doing it year in and year out, and you can kind of tell he's adding value not only what he does as a player, but as a mentor to the younger guys, too,' Lake said of Adams. 'Teaching these guys how to attack defensive leverages, what to do at the top of the routes. I still think he's one of the best route-runners in the NFL and there's a reason Sean McVay was very adamant about getting him. He just kind of unlocks things in the offense and obviously, we've got our future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford over there. I expect big things because you got Puka on one end, Davante on the other, Tutu Atwell does a fantastic job, too. So we have all the weapons we need, and then Kyren in the backfield. It's going to be reminiscent of the Greatest Show on Turf. I hope we bring that back this year.' As talented as the Rams are on paper, no one should expect them to replicate the production from that 1999-2001 era when everything looked so easy offensively. Nacua and Adams should put up big numbers and Atwell could be poised for a breakout as the No. 3 receiver, but the Greatest Show on Turf had three Hall of Famers at quarterback, running back and wide receiver in Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce. Advertisement Torry Holt isn't a Hall of Famer (yet) but he's an all-time great who should be enshrined in Canton already. Lake's confidence is admirable and encouraging, but he might need to take his expectations down just one notch. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' Quentin Lake says LA offense will be like Greatest Show on Turf
