Latest news with #Kupp
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Expect A Shiftier Puka Nacua As He Takes On Larger Role For Rams In Year 3
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is already one of the league's best when it comes to making highlight-reel-worthy contested catches on a weekly basis. Now, it's time for him to level up in Year 3. "I would say definitely movement off the line of scrimmage," Nacua told me on what he's worked on this offseason. "The opportunity to work with Davante Adams, if you can get off with a clean release it makes the play work a lot better. So, I would say Coach [Sean] McVay would like how I'm moving at the line of scrimmage. "But also, just to clean up the picture for Matthew Stafford. His ability to put the ball anywhere gives me a lot of confidence that I can run a route and put my foot in the ground anywhere and know that I'm going to be in the right spot. So, the lateral quickness and the ability to move people – whether it's at the line of scrimmage or at the top of the route – has been something that I've been trying to work on." Nacua, who spoke with me courtesy of Gatorade as he welcomed the Gatorade National Players of the Year in an event in Los Angeles last week, has already proven in his young career that when he wants to improve one area of his game, he does so. The BYU product finished with 13 drops during a historic rookie season in 2023, in which he set an NFL rookie record at that time with 105 receptions for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. After that impressive season, Nacua worked on improving the consistency of his hands and had only one drop in 2024. While Nacua improved in that area of his game, he dealt with injuries during the 2024 season. He was slowed by a knee injury suffered during training camp, missing five games, but still finished with 79 catches for 990 yards and three touchdowns. As he looks to be more elusive in 2025, Nacua said he has benefited from having the 32-year-old Adams on the roster and learning from one of the best route runners in the NFL. "His ability to take care of himself and the preparation is very awesome to watch," Nacua said about Adams. "And it gives you a blueprint to follow for the rest of my career. You've seen Cooper Kupp do it and Davante Adams do it now, and it's super cool. His change of pace on the football field is something you don't see from a lot of receivers, so it makes it super fun because after practice, when you watch the tape, you're seeing some bodies fall all over the field. And it's because of No. 17." Even though he's no longer teammates with Kupp (who was released by the Rams and signed with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason), Nacua and Kupp still worked out together this offseason in Los Angeles. Nacua said he appreciates the two remaining close and credits the Eastern Washington product for the productive start to his career with the Rams. "I know he was probably a little upset when I said we ran routes, and he didn't end up showing up at the facility," Nacua joked about Kupp. "So, it's probably something that we're both still getting used to, but it's been such a blessing that we built a relationship off the field as well. "And to be able to see his boys coming around at our workouts and hanging out with him. To be able to talk ball again and check in on him. He's been someone who's helped me in my career. He was right next to me from the moment I stepped into the NFL, so it was someone I enjoy picking up the phone and calling him." Despite the fact that he's produced at an elite level, Nacua still considers himself as the same guy who was drafted by the Rams with the last pick in the fifth round at No. 177 overall in 2023. And even with the departure of one of the strongest voices in the receiver room in Kupp, Nacua said he'll continue to lean on more veteran voices on the team like Rob Havenstein, Tyler Higbee, Stafford and Adams to lead the offense. "I definitely want to be the best and I'm chasing every opportunity when I go out there," Nacua said. "And I want every ball to come my way, as a receiver should say. But I know that I'm going to go out there and just do whatever the coach asks me to do because that's what I'm prepared to do." That said, Nacua does expect improved physicality from L.A.'s offense. McVay said during the offseason that he would like his offense to be more adaptable and versatile for the upcoming season. Part of that means running the ball more consistently. The Rams averaged 104 rushing yards a contest during the regular season last year, which was 24th in the NFL. Even worse, Los Angeles averaged 3.92 rushing yards per play, which was 31st in the league. "For me there's something I love about the game of football, and that's the physicality," Nacua said. "I've mentioned his name a couple times because I see him twice a year, and that's Nick Bosa. When you have an opportunity to block a guy like that, or you get to run a route against Jalen Ramsey or Darius Slay or whoever the corner might be, it makes Sundays really fun. "I enjoy Coach McVay's ability to put guys in different spots and put us in the right place on the football field to succeed. It makes the game of football really fun. Matthew Stafford doesn't miss any opportunity to let the football fly. So, we're going to be all over the place. People are going to be moving around and it's going to look like a well-organized show when the Rams are on offense." Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Cooper Kupp threw out the first pitch at the Mariners game on Sunday
This past Sunday was the annual Eastern Washington University day at T-Mobile Park. Alumni and current students from all over the Evergreen State (including yours truly) made their way to Seattle to enjoy an afternoon of Mariners baseball with their fellow Eagles. Of course, since it was EWU day, a familiar face was on deck to throw out the first pitch: Eastern legend and current Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp. I mean, who else could it have been? For the first time since he was torching opposing defenses on The Inferno at Roos Field, Kupp will once again be playing football in his home state. Naturally, he was not going to miss making an appearance when his alma mater was hosting an event in his new neighborhood. Kupp took the mound sporting a Cal Raleigh jersey, and delivered a strike to the Big Dumper himself. Unfortunately, the Mariners did not fare so well on Sunday. Seattle took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, but a pitching collapse ultimately resulted in an eventual 11-3 blowout loss to the hated Houston Astros. However, the Mariners did win the weekend series against Houston, with victories in the prior two games and cut into their lead in the AL West. Currently, Seattle remains four games behind Houston for first place, but still hold one of the Wild Card spots. Regardless of outcome from Sunday's game, seeing Kupp on the field was a reminder of how great it is to see him "back home" with the Seahawks... and a reminder of what is yet to come for Seattle fans this year!
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
50 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 50
The first one to wear it was by far the best, as we look back at all who wore No. 50 with the Saints. There is only a 50-day countdown until the New Orleans Saints host the Arizona Cardinals to open their 2025 regular season. Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders wears No. 50 for New Orleans, as he goes into his third year with the team and second with that number. Here is a look back at all the players who have worn the No. 50 jersey for the franchise. Saints' History of No. 50 Jake Kupp was the first to wear No. 50 with New Orleans. Selected by New Orleans in the 1967 expansion draft, Kupp was one of the original stars of the first Saints teams. He started the first five games of their inaugural year of 1967 before being released and picked up by the Atlanta Falcons. The Saints brought him back during the 1968 offseason, where he'd be a fixture on the offensive line for the next eight years. Grandfather of former Rams and current Seahawks wideout Cooper Kupp, Jake Kupp appeared in 106 games with 102 starts as a Saint. It is the most by any player to wear No. 50 for the franchise. Kupp is a member of the 25th, 40th, and 50th New Orleans Anniversary teams. In 1992, he and center John Hill were inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame. They were the first two offensive linemen to receive those honors. New Orleans native and LSU star Ken Bordelon was the first Saints defensive player to wear No. 50. He'd also wear it for longer than any other defensive player with the franchise, suiting up in 82 contests over six seasons. Bordelon had 3 interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, along with 2 fumble recoveries and 2 sacks. Jack Del Rio was the first player drafted by the Saints to wear 50. A third round choice in the 1985 NFL draft out of USC, Del Rio went on to have an 11-year NFL career as a player and successful tenure as a coach. Only two of those season as a player were with the Saints, with 2 interceptions, 3 fumbles forced, and 5 fumbles recovered with one touchdown. Del Rio also returned to New Orleans as a defensive assistant coach for two years in 1997 and the 18 players to wear No. 50, only six did so for more than two seasons. Kupp and Bordelon were the first two, with James Allen, Marvin Mitchell, Curtis Lofton, and Andrew Dowell being the others. Ink Aleaga was a Saint for three seasons, but only wore 50 for three games in his first year. Allen was a Round 3 pick in the 2002 NFL draft. He was with the Saints for four years and 48 games, recording an interception and 4 forced fumbles. Marvin Mitchell followed Allen in the 50 jersey. A seventh round choice in 2007, he'd be with New Orleans for 55 games but only two starts. Lofton joined the Saints as a prized free agent signing away from the Atlanta Falcons. He'd start all of his 48 outings with New Orleans over three years and filled up the stat sheet with 392 total tackles. Eighteen of those stops were for loss, including 3 sacks, but he simply wasn't an impactful player for bad defenses. Stephone Anthony holds the distinction of being the highest-drafted player by New Orleans to wear No. 50. The 31st pick in Round 1 of the 2015 NFL draft from the Clemson Tigers, Anthony got his career off to a wonderful start. He led the team with 116 tackles as a rookie, including 5 for loss, while intercepting a pass and returning a fumble for a touchdown. By 2016, Anthony's alarming lack of instincts and awareness was routinely exposed by opponents. New Orleans traded Anthony to the Miami Dolphins early in 2017 for a late-round draft pick. He'd return to the Saints in 2019, wearing No. 58, but primarily played on special teams. Since the Anthony disappointment, four players have worn No. 50 since 2017. Only Dowell, a special teamer, did it for more than two seasons. Khalen Saunders goes into his second year in the 50 jersey for the Saints. Saunders is expected to help improve the middle of a New Orleans defense that helped the team to an abysmal 31st ranking against the run last year.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL offseason power rankings: No. 12 Los Angeles Rams completely turned things around last season
Other NFL team previews: 32. Titans | 31. Saints | 30. Browns | 29. Panthers | 28. Jets | 27. Giants | 26. Raiders | 25. Patriots | 24. Colts | 23. Dolphins | 22. Jaguars | 21. Falcons | 20. Steelers | 19. Cardinals | 18. Cowboys | 17. Seahawks | 16. Texans | 15. Bears | 14. Bengals | 13. 49ers The Los Angeles Rams trailed the Philadelphia Eagles by six points, with the ball at the 13-yard line in the final two minutes of a divisional-round playoff game last postseason. The Eagles beat the brakes off their other three playoff opponents on the way to a Super Bowl championship. In that moment, the Rams had a good shot to win and stop Philadelphia's title run. Advertisement The Rams' comeback fell short, but imagining them in that position was next to impossible a few months earlier. L.A. went into its bye with a 1-4 record. It reportedly entertained the idea of trading Cooper Kupp before the deadline, and while trading Matthew Stafford never seemed realistic, the fact that it was rumored to be a possibility spoke to where the Rams found themselves. The idea of being one key play from advancing to and hosting the NFC championship game was laughable in mid-October. The NFL can change fast, often for the worse and sometimes for the better. Over the past three months of the season, the Rams went from probable trade deadline seller to a contender, and set themselves up to feel good about 2025 as well. [Get more Rams news: Rams team feed] The Rams' young defense continued to improve after a rough start. The offense grew after Puka Nacua and Kupp rebounded from early-season injuries. Close wins started to pile up, and the Rams gained confidence. The 49ers' startling season-long collapse didn't hurt either. Los Angeles won the division, beat a 14-3 Minnesota Vikings team in the wild-card round even though it had to play at a neutral site instead of at home due to fires in Southern California, and gave a fantastic Eagles team its only challenge of the postseason. Advertisement It was all a reminder that Sean McVay is one of the best head coaches in the NFL. Taking a team that started 1-4 to the second round of the playoffs isn't an easy task. "You guys hear me say the word gratitude, but just appreciation," McVay said after the season, via "The journey was hard, but it was worth it. There was a lot of fulfillment. "To come up short … it's a cool reflection of the team to be in that position, but it's also really hard because it just seemed like a lot of things were going to maybe line up for us to be able to host an NFC championship." Advertisement Maybe this season the Rams go further. They suddenly have a fun, young defense, which made the transition after Aaron Donald's retirement a little easier. Stafford is at an age in which his play can deteriorate suddenly, but he was good again last season and has Nacua and new addition Davante Adams (who replaces the released Kupp) to work with. There is enough talent on both sides of the ball, and a top-five coach in McVay. If last season showed anything, it's that the Rams will never be down for long if McVay is still around. Offseason grade Cooper Kupp is a franchise icon and in time, his career will be celebrated in Los Angeles. But Davante Adams is a better player now. Even though Adams is 32, his production is still very good. Cutting Kupp and signing Adams helps L.A.'s offense, probably by a significant amount. Defensive tackle Poona Ford adds size to a run defense that had some rough days last season. A major priority of the offseason was re-signing left tackle Alaric Jackson, and the team got that done with a three-year, $57 million deal. However, Jackson experiencing blood clots in his lower leg is a big concern. That's why the team signed veteran D.J. Humphries. The Rams also reunited with center Coleman Shelton in free agency. They didn't have a first-round pick, which isn't unusual. This time the Rams made a smart move to trade their first-round pick and a third-rounder to the Falcons for second- and seventh-round picks this year and a 2026 first-round pick. That's a good investment. The Rams' draft class itself ended up OK anyway. Tight end Terrance Ferguson (second round) could have an impact right away, defensive end Josaiah Stewart (third round) is another promising young piece on defense, fourth-round pick Jarquez Hunter is a name to watch at running back and linebacker Chris Paul Jr. provided good value as a fifth-round selection. Advertisement Grade: B- Quarterback report Matthew Stafford turned 37 years old in February. While it's not worth running down the history of 37-year-old quarterbacks, it's an age when many start to fall off. Just because Tom Brady played well until age 45 doesn't mean anyone else will. But Stafford hasn't recently shown any major signs of decline. Stafford had a typical season for him, with 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 93.7 passer rating. His numbers have held steady at that level for three seasons, and he should have a similar 2025 season. Having Puka Nacua and Davante Adams to throw to will help. There were questions about whether Stafford would return to the Rams this season, but he got a two-year, $84 million deal. That made all sides happy. Unless Stafford hits the age cliff this season, he should remain one of the NFC's best quarterbacks. Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford had another successful season together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2024. (Photo by) (Nic Antaya via Getty Images) BetMGM odds breakdown From Yahoo's Ben Fawkes: 'Matthew Stafford is back at QB after some offseason trade rumors, and that alone makes Los Angeles a contender. The Rams are a hefty favorite (-180) to make the postseason at BetMGM. Oddsmakers have it as a two-team race in the NFC West, as Los Angeles has the second-best odds (+185), right behind the 49ers at +160. Los Angeles is favored in 13 games and has to travel only once to the East Coast between Weeks 4 and 13. With the infrastructure of Sean McVay and Stafford, I'd wager on the Rams making another trip to the playoffs." Advertisement Yahoo's fantasy take From Yahoo's Scott Pianowski: "It's important to recognize when a fantasy candidate has more or less real-life value than fantasy value; you need to mind that gap. Puka Nacua could be one of those guys, perhaps more valuable in the real world. "The Rams haven't unlocked Nacua as a touchdown scorer (just 10 in 31 career games, including the playoffs), and they had little success with Nacua around the goal last year. And now Davante Adams joins the offense, a player put on the Earth to score touchdowns. Nacua also has more injury risk than the average player — he missed six games last year, and all four of his college seasons were injury-riddled. I understand the upside of Nacua — if healthy, he has a fair chance to lead the league in receptions. But he's currently commanding a Top 10 pick in Yahoo leagues, and I won't sign off on that." Stat to remember The Rams nailed their 2024 first-round pick of outside linebacker Jared Verse. As a rookie, Verse led the NFL with 66 quarterback hurries via Pro Football Focus. That was four more than any other player. It was 10 more than Myles Garrett, 22 more than Micah Parsons and 38 more than T.J. Watt. Verse won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Advertisement The next step for Verse is turning more of those hurries into sacks. Verse had just 4.5 sacks last season. He was disappointed in that number. It wouldn't be a surprise to see his sack total double or maybe even triple in his second season. "The biggest thing I realized was how many sacks — and not even just sacks but big plays — I missed out on," Verse said, via the team's site. "Dropping in coverage, I could have done this; or rushing the pass, I could have done that. Even in the run game a couple of times, there were things where I'm a little too far inside, I'm a little too far outside, and I could have made a big impact play. So realizing that this really is a game of inches — whether it's just stopping the ball or actually just doing your job — there's a couple of things I could've done better." Burning question Can Kyren Williams continue to produce? When the Rams drafted Blake Corum last year, they indicated that Williams' workload would be lessened. That didn't happen. Williams had over five times as many carries as Corum (316 to 58). No other Rams back had more than 20 carries. In an era of running back committees, Williams is a throwback. Sean McVay clearly trusts Williams, who is productive without being explosive. Williams had just two 20-yard runs last season, tied for the fewest in the NFL among backs with more than 801 yards (Rico Dowdle was the other). He didn't have a single 40-yard run. Yet Williams averaged a reasonable 4.1 yards per carry. The Rams know what they're getting when they hand Williams the ball. This year Los Angeles drafted Jarquez Hunter, using a valuable fourth-round pick on him after spending a third-round selection on Corum last year. That indicates the Rams would like to have more flavors in their backfield than just Williams. We'll see if that happens, or McVay reverts to overloading his reliable starter. Advertisement Best-case scenario Los Angeles' offense will likely be good again. Davante Adams could make it even better than last season. But the Rams' biggest growth potential is on defense. The Rams were really young there last season. Defensive linemen Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske; outside linebackers Byron Young and Jared Verse; inside linebacker Omar Speights; and defensive backs Kamren Kinchens, Quentin Lake and Kam Curl are all under 27 years old. The Rams gave up 314 rushing yards to the Eagles in Week 12, but after that their defense ranked 10th in EPA (expected points added) allowed per play, including the postseason. It was sixth in EPA allowed against the pass after Week 12. There are still questions about the run defense and the cornerback position, but it's reasonable to believe a very young defense improves after last season's strong finish. If L.A.'s defense grows and Matthew Stafford remains at his level, the Rams could win the NFC West again. And as we saw last postseason, they could be a very tough out. Advertisement Nightmare scenario It's natural to focus on the Rams' surge after their bye, and ignore the 1-4 start. But that bad start happened too. The Rams also allowed Saquon Barkley to rush for an Eagles record 255 yards in a Week 12 game, were 26th in yards per rush allowed, yielded 29 passing touchdowns to tie for the fifth most in the NFL and were 31st in yards per rush. A lot of offseason focus has been on the Rams being close to beating Philadelphia in the playoffs, but they also trailed 28-15 with less than five minutes remaining before a late rally. Maybe that game wasn't as close as we like to remember, and perhaps we're choosing to ignore some of the Rams' holes going into this season. They won eight games by seven or fewer points, and that's hard to replicate. They had a point differential of -19. Many advanced stats had the Rams being about in the middle of the NFL last season. For many NFL teams near the middle, the difference between being celebrated and ignored is catching a few timely breaks to turn 50-50 outcomes in their favor. If the breaks don't go the Rams' way this season, they might be nowhere near another NFC West title. The crystal ball says Sean McVay is a bankable asset. He will always get the most out of his roster. Even though there are some reasons to believe the Rams might regress, I'm willing to give McVay the benefit of the doubt and believe he can guide a quickly developing defense and a strong offensive core to another winning record. The 49ers and Rams are back-to-back in these rankings, and not much separates them. As stated in the 49ers' preview, the NFC West race could come down to Week 18 (unfortunately the final meeting between the Rams and 49ers comes in Week 10). I'll give the Rams a very slight edge in the division for now, but it feels like a 50/50 proposition.
USA Today
29-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Seahawks news: Excitement for Sam Darnold, Shaq Griffin returns, more for Cardinals fans
A look at some news from the last week about the NFC West rival Seahawks that Cardinals fans should know. We have made it through another week of the NFL offseason and are 10 weeks away from the first Sunday of the regular season. As such, it is time to check in with the Arizona Cardinals' division rivals in the NFC West — the LA Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks — to see what has been going on with them. Below are a few stories about the Seahawks from the last week the Cardinals fans should know about. They have a top-5 backfield? The Cardinals feel good about their running back room with James Conner, Trey Benson and Emari Demercado. PFF believes the Seahawks' group of Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet and more is a top-five unit. Kupp excited for Darnold Two of the biggest question marks for the Seahawks in 2025 will be the play of quarterback Sam Darnold and the play of receiver Cooper Kupp (assuming he stays healthy, which has been an issue the last few seasons). Kupp has nothing but good things to say about Darnold and is excited to play with him. Potential cuts the Seahawks might eye As we get closer to training camp and eventually the regular season, scores of players will be cut, both good and not so good. Justin Melo names three potential cuts from other teams that Seattle could be interested in. Seahawks, Shaq Griffin reunite Cornerback Shaquill Griffin was drafted by Seattle in the third round in 2017 and played four seasons there, making the Pro Bowl once. He played fo four teams in the last four seasons but has returned to his first team. He signed with the Seahawks this week. It's not like Calais Campbell rejoining the Cardinals, but it is cool for Seahawks fans. Free agent O-lineman named Seahawks' missing move This part of the offseason is always about speculation, lists and rankings. In a list of one final move for every team to make before training camp, it is suggested that the Seahawks boost their offensive line with free agent Brandon Scherff. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
