Rams WR Puka Nacua leaning on Cooper Kupp to assist him gear up for 12 months 2 – EM2Sporting Update

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Puka Nacua is on his method to being greatest buds with Cooper Kupp.

“I would not think about us greatest buddies, however hopefully I am near it,” Nacua stated. “I feel I’ve obtained to be thought of within the shut good friend relationship, for certain.” 

However the second-year Rams receiver nonetheless has some steps to tackle the journey. 

Kupp invited Nacua to coach with him this offseason at his Southern California house and at first, Nacua did not precisely ingratiate himself to his fellow receiver. In the course of the first week of coaching, Nacua stated he puked on Kupp’s grass due to the extraordinary exercises.

“His conditioning days had been a number of the harder ones,” Nacua stated. “The primary week I got here again out, I feel I threw up day-after-day of the week. And he wasn’t a fan of that as a result of it was on his garden and stuff. He was like, ‘You are throwing up in my bushes Puka, thanks.’ But it surely was tremendous enjoyable.”

Nacua stated he finally obtained again into form, figuring out with Kupp for 2 months after the season. The exercises centered on enhancing mobility and explosive, top-end pace. Bettering his vitamin has additionally been a degree of emphasis for Nacua, with rather less McDonald’s to keep away from the puking after Kupp’s 6 a.m. exercises. 

This week Nacua joined the remainder of his teammates for the beginning of offseason work at Rams headquarters. He’s coming off the most effective performances by a rookie receiver in league historical past. With 105 receptions for 1,486 receiving yards, he completed with probably the most receptions and receiving yards within the NFL. He had seven video games of 100-plus receiving yards, becoming a member of Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) and Ja’Marr Chase (2022) as the one gamers to perform that in their rookie years. Nacua was significantly efficient in opposition to zone protection, ending with 974 yards, based on Subsequent Gen Stats, probably the most by a rookie over the previous six seasons. 

Nacua was chosen as a second-team All-Professional and a finalist for the Offensive Rookie of the 12 months Award, which went to Houston QB C.J. Stroud.

Receivers historically make a soar in growth and manufacturing from their first NFL season to their second. And whereas it will likely be troublesome for Puka to eclipse his 2023 numbers, the previous fifth-round choose nonetheless sees areas to enhance. 

Nacua is fast to level out that he was among the many NFL leaders in drops final season. And regardless that he began all 17 video games and the group’s postseason loss to the Detroit Lions, Nacua, who performed in 87% of the group’s whole snaps, says he needs to enhance his conditioning so he may be on the sphere extra. He has dropped just a few kilos, hoping to be lighter on his toes, and he needs to discover a skilled who can do physique work so he can higher take the punishment of a marathon NFL season.

“I really feel like I am making an attempt to nonetheless attain Cooper’s expectations as a result of he set the usual for us within the huge receiver room, and I feel for lots of receivers within the NFL,” Nacua stated. “To be a triple crown winner, and I do not know what number of huge receivers are a Tremendous Bowl MVP, so the usual continues to be set very excessive, and I do not understand how shut I’m to reaching it. 

“But it surely makes it enjoyable as a result of I do know there’s extra nonetheless to seize. I really feel like final 12 months was a lot enjoyable and I discovered so much. However there’s nonetheless a lot left on the desk. Cooper is the mastermind of working routes, and he was very open and sincere with me on the place I can enhance.” 

Whereas he is been working this offseason, Nacua additionally has been out within the highlight as nicely, attending this 12 months’s Tremendous Bowl in Las Vegas and taking part within the NBA All-Star Celeb recreation in Indianapolis. 

Heading into 12 months 2, the key is out across the league on Nacua. So might the 22-year-old see extra double groups in his future?

“I feel the one time I obtained a double group was in Week 18 in opposition to the 49ers,” Nacua stated. “I feel [teams] had been slightly extra ready for me within the again half of the season. However I belief our coaches and myself within the work we have put collectively as an offense and a crew right here. 

“And we’ll be prepared for any recreation plan that the protection has for us.” 

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Comply with him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.