Rams' Puka Nacua is Hitting His Peak

We are currently less than ten months away from Puka Nacua signing an NFL record-breaking extension that should see him potentially earn figures exceeding the average $40.25 million a year average set by Ja'Marr Chase this summer.

Nacua, one of the NFL's most prolific pass catchers, just turned 24 in May, and with an NFL record-breaking resume and numbers that were matching Chase's per game averages, if the Rams hold off on extending Nacua, it's just going to cost the team in the end as it did for Cincinnati.

With that being said, all signs point to Nacua having the best season of his career. Nacua is taking his two years of knowledge playing with Cooper Kupp and combining it with new tips and tricks he's picked up from Davante Adams.

"I mean, he's got a lot more tools than what... because I wasn't necessarily studying his film before, but I'd seen things from afar, seen the highlights and some of the tape any time I was watching an opponent that maybe they played or whatever, but [he has] a lot more tools than what I even knew before," stated Davante Adams.

"I’ve got a lot of respect for his game and his approach. It's exactly what a young guy in this league should attack with, a veteran coming in that has a lot of experience and knowledge. It just makes it more fun for me on my side and easier for me to share the secrets, the different tools and the small nuances that go into wide receiver play. And he's eager to learn, which also makes it fun too."

“I think the suddenness and the ability to steal leverage at the line of scrimmage has been something that he thrives on and everybody in the NFL knows that's something that is one of his greatest assets and to be able to figure that out and how that works in our route concepts and the timing of our offense," stated Nacua. "So I'd say that's been one of the biggest things.”

Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur spoke about what he's seen from Nacua so far.

“Yeah, what I've seen from him is I think a guy that's just continuing to work on his craft and get better. I've been really impressed with where he was when he came back for phase one. He's always going to put in the work, but I think he was better in phase one this year than he was the year before and just like he was obviously when we first drafted him a couple years ago," he said.

"So for him, just getting into the best physical shape that he possibly can so he can go have the best possible year he can. That's all these guys. That's what we're doing right now, building foundations not just mental, schematic, not just relationships, but physically so that these guys can go into the summer in the best shape possible, continue that trend because that's a scary 40 days for anybody so that when they come back in August, they're in tip top shape, ready to attack it, build to it and then get to September.”

Nacua made sure to state that his return to OTAs helped him become a teacher to some of the younger players on the team like Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek were to him.

Nacua was force-fed the football in 2024 and while that helped his stats, it limited his overall effectiveness. With Adams on the field, Nacua will see more advantageous matchups in 2025.

With the knowledge, skills, and support of his team, Nacua should be on pace for league leading numbers this season.