It may be the offseason and the Rams don’t report for their spring workout program for another two weeks, but Puka Nacua has been hard at work since the end of his rookie year. Even after setting all kinds of records in 2023, Nacua wants to be even better next season, something that’s very possible as he continues to get a better feel for the NFL game.
He and Cooper Kupp have been training together this offseason and as a result, Nacua has slimmed down a bit. He said on Maxx Crosby’s podcast recently that after playing at around 220 pounds last season, he’s already down about 10 pounds this offseason.
“I’ve slimmed down a little bit from what I was. I was pretty heavy,” Nacua said. “The game was physical, I definitely feel like I played the game physical but I feel like I could maybe lose a couple pounds. Last season, I was close to like 220 for most of the season. I was up there. I’m probably around 210 right now. I feel a lot better.”
One of his goals is to be better at beating press coverage off the line, and he can achieve that by improving his lateral quickness thanks to a lighter frame, so that’s the reason he’s trying to shed some weight before Year 2.
Nacua plays a physical style of football and takes a ton of contact with all of the jet sweeps and in-breaking routes he runs, so it’s understandable that he was bulked up as a rookie. But if he can improve his speed and quickness, that could put him over the top as one of the best receivers in football.