Puka Nacua has established himself as one of the top wide receivers in all of football, and with Matthew Stafford returning as the Los Angeles Rams quarterback, the fourth-year wide receiver could reach even greater heights next season.
Stafford knows a thing or two about throwing to generational talents as he previously formed one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos with Calvin Johnson on the Detroit Lions.
Johnson recorded an NFL-record 1,964 receiving yards in 16 games during the 2012 season and thinks Nacua can eventually top that number, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:
“He’s still got Matthew [Stafford], so I think he’s got a shot,” Johnson, the former Lions star, told the Detroit Free Press at his fourth annual celebrity golf outing Monday. “If he stays healthy, that dude’s a killer out there.”
Johnson believes Nacua has a bright future and said he would try attending the game that he potentially breaks his receiving record in:
“That would be kind of dope,” Johnson told the Free Press. “I’d have to go to that game if he did that, cause I like Puka. He’s getting some crap out of his system that’s just a young guy, just learning, but I think he’s an awesome, dynamic receiver.”
Nacua is coming off his best season yet with the Rams, catching an NFL-best 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games (15 starts). The 25-year-old was able to put up those numbers despite missing a full game and parts of two others due to injury.
If Nacua is able to stay healthy and avoid getting into trouble off the field next season, he should have a good chance to surpass Johnson and etch his name in the NFL record books.
Quentin Lake: Puka Nacua ‘in a really good spot’
It’s been a rough offseason for Nacua, who is currently dealing with a lawsuit after allegedly biting a woman on New Year’s Eve while also checking into a rehab facility in Malibu at one point to get right.
But Nacua is making progress as he rejoined his Rams teammates for organized team activities (OTAs) and appears to have a clear head on his shoulders.
Quentin Lake said Nacua is doing well and praised him for all the growth he has shown as a person.
It sounds like Nacua is taking the right steps to better himself both as a person and football player, which is great news for him and the Rams going into the 2026 season.