Rams News: Eric Yarber Speaks On Puka Nacua’s Body Transformation After Training With Cooper Kupp

The Los Angeles Rams are poised to have one of the best offenses in the 2024 season after investing in their offensive line and backfield.

The Rams beefed up the interior by bringing back Kevin Dotson and signing Jonah Jackson in free agency, but they also drafted Blake Corum in the 2024 NFL Draft to create a dynamic one-two punch with Kyren Williams. With a strong running game and offensive line, Matthew Stafford will have his chances to carve teams up through the air.

Cooper Kupp is back healthy after dealing with injuries in 2023, but there’s also Puka Nacua who is coming off an historic rookie season where he broke several receiving records. Nacua took full advantage of his opportunity in the offense with Kupp missing time to start the year, and now is primed to take on even more responsibility.

Wide receivers coach Eric Yarber had to be pleased with Nacua’s rookie year but he told him he needed to work with Kupp in the offseason to take his game to the next level, via Sarah Barshop of ESPN:

“The first thing I wanted him to do is hold on to Cooper Kupp’s coattails and train with him and do everything he does,” Yarber said. “And he took that to heart.”

Yarber also noted how much weight Nacua lost and what it’s done for him physically:

“His body is totally different,” Yarber said. “He looks just like Cooper. He’s lost so much body fat and gained so much lean muscle, which enabled him to move more efficiently now. And he has better body control. But he did exactly what I said.

“And you’re seeing some of the results right now.”

Nacua himself noted he lost about 10 pounds earlier this offseason and it showed during OTAs as he looked noticeably slimmer on the field. Yarber clearly understood what working with Kupp could do for Nacua and now the team should reap the benefits once the 2024 season kicks off.

Although it’s going to be hard for Nacua to replicate his counting stats from his rookie year, he should still be an effective receiver on the field.

Rome Odunze chasing after Rams’ Puka Nacua’s rookie receiving record

Before going to BYU, Puka Nacua played for Washington where he was teammates with Chicago Bears rookie Rome Odunze. Odunze was one of the most highly-touted receiver prospects in this year’s draft and is looking to break the Rams star’s rookie receiving record.