The Los Angeles Rams lost one of the cornerstones of their offense this offseason, with star wide receiver Cooper Kupp departing the City of Angels to join the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams managed to salvage things by adding star receiver Davante Adams, who is ready for a fresh start after a frustrating season where he split time between the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets.
Many are wondering what the loss of Kupp and the addition of Adams means for the team’s young, emerging receiver Puka Nacua, but Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford doesn’t see much as being in flux.
“On the field, I don’t see his role changing too much,” Stafford said about Nacua, according to Pro Football Talk. “I think he’s done a hell of a job when he is given opportunities to go out there and make plays.
“He’s been great in the pass game and in the run game. He’s a great locker room guy. We love having him around. Cooper was an unbelievable leader for our team for a long time and a great player for us as well, but I think everybody has to be their own person, and Puka’s going to be himself.
“We love him for who he is. I’m just excited for his continued growth, both physically and all that on the field. Yeah, that’s great. As you get your feet wet in this league … this is year three for him.
“He’ll become more and more comfortable with what his routine is going to look like, what his role on our team is, and how to go out there and compete in practice and in games. I’m just excited for him to have another solid year.”
Puka could find himself a very lucrative contract extension if he continues to produce at the level he has in his first two seasons, and if Stafford’s words are anything to go by, that’s probably going to be the reality he finds himself in.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.