Random Ramsdom: Will Puka Nacua make an immediate impact?

Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 9/3/23

Happy Sunday. You may be gearing up for Labor Day tomorrow or maybe you are busy with other things. One thing is for sure. We’ll have a full slate of NFL football games next Sunday. Including a game featuring the Los Angeles Rams. Can’t wait.

The possibility of Cooper Kupp losing time is not ideal, but maybe the team will find other ways to succeed. Do you think Puka Nacua will make an immediate impact?

Have a great Sunday, please comment on anything you’d like and thanks for stopping by!

Happy belated birthday to Eric Dickerson!

Rams: 1 sneaky roster cut survivor who will make eye-opening impact in 2023 (clutchpoints)

“In this article, we’re going to talk about how Nacua might surprise everyone with his performance in 2023.

The Rams’ Wide Receiver Squad

First, let’s start by looking at the wide receiver situation for the Rams. Cooper Kupp is the team’s star receiver, but what if he’s not available? Well, that’s where players like Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, and, yes, Puka Nacua come in. They would step up to fill the gaps. Ben Skowronek, who’s usually a depth receiver, might also get more playtime on special teams if Kupp is out.

That said, the Rams’ wide receiver chart is a bit complicated. Jefferson is someone who might still actually get a ton of touches, even if Kupp is healthy. However, the other three options – Atwell, Nacua, and Skowronek – might be just as interesting. Nacua, in particular, could have some great upside.

Meet Puka Nacua

Puka Nacua is a rookie wide receiver drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He used to play college football at the University of Washington, and he was a top-level receiver. In college, Nacua caught 107 passes for 1,749 yards and five touchdowns. However, it’s not just him; football runs in the Nacua family. His father, uncle, and two older brothers all played college football.”

Rams ‘Always Loved’ Kevin Dotson, Attempted Steelers Trade for ‘Most’ of Preseason (fannation/ramsdigest)

“I’ve always loved his game,” McVay said. “I think his toughness, his ability to be productive in both phases, both the run and the pass, his size, some of the ways that they played in Pittsburgh was something that made it a funny evaluation for us. He can play both the left and the right side … (and) certainly adds interior depth for us.”

McVay added that the injury woes of last year serve as a prominent reminder that “you can’t have enough depth” up front, which led to the Rams boasting 10 offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster.

The challenge now facing Los Angeles is trying to get Dotson acclimated to the offense prior to the regular season kicking off on Sept. 10, with his late arrival creating a quick turnaround.

But the Rams tried to make this move happen much sooner – Snead revealed that he tried to trade for Dotson “for most of the preseason,” but Pittsburgh wanted to hold off until it officially survived training camp at full health up front.

The 26-year-old Dotson has long been a target for the Rams, though the process really started after the Steelers signed several offensive linemen in free agency and drafted two more in April.”

Rams WR Cooper Kupp visiting specialist in Minnesota to further understand hamstring issue (nfl.com)

“The star Rams wide receiver is in Minnesota today visiting with a body specialist to further understand the root of his injury, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources.

Kupp first suffered the hamstring injury in a practice on Aug. 1, when he pulled up during a route and left the session. The Rams described him as day to day, but the All-Pro then closed August with a setback.

Although head coach Sean McVay again characterized Kupp as day to day following the subsequent hamstring issue, it is unclear whether or not the WR will be able to return for Los Angeles’ Week 1 opener against the Seahawks.

Rapoport also reported that exercising caution for that matchup is the likely outcome — but he mentioned there remains no firm word on his status.”

The LA Rams believe Stetson Bennett is ready to be QB2. Do you? (ramblinfan)

“If you were in shock and awe over the LA Rams third and final preseason game, the 41-0 drubbing at the hands of the Denver Broncos, you are not alone. But if you concluded that the LA Rams would enter the 2023 NFL season with former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett as the one and only backup quarterback to LA Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford? Then what can I say?

You are stranded on an island all by yourself.

Don’t get me wrong. Bennett simply had a bad game and for a rookie quarterback trying to pilot all of the wheels, levers, buttons, and dials of the high-performance LA Rams offense, that is bound to happen. I’m actually surprised that it did not happen in his preseason debut.

Perhaps the surprise is not that he has earned the QB2 role in the Rams offense, but that he is the lone backup in this offense. Yes, veteran QB Brett Rypien is on the Rams practice squad, and he can be elevated for games three times throughout the 2023 NFL season. But in order for him to backup Bennett, he must be elevated before the game. And quite truthfully, I cannot see that happening without reason.

Backup Bennett is just getting started

In the end, this is Stetson Bennett’s team to co-pilot. Unlike other backup positions, Bennett will not have the opportunity to kick back and observe. He will be on the sidelines, armed with a clipboard, notepad, or tablet, tracking offensive plays called and defensive responses to those plays.”