It’s only a scrimmage but Rams star didn’t break a sweat exposing the Cowboys

It's easy to be distracted by all of the shiny new offensive baubles that have been added to the Los Angeles Rams offense. The team signed WR Davante Adams and WR/PR Britain Covey, re-signed WR Tutu Atwell, drafted TE Terrance Ferguson, WR Konata Mumpfield, and RB Jarquez Hunter, and restocked the team's 90-man roster by signing undrafted guys after the 2025 NFL Draft.

In all of the new introductions and familiarizing ourselves with the team's new players, have we missed the opportunity to celebrate the return of last year's offensive stars? In the rush to discover new talent, have we temporarily placed the respect and homage due to present heroes on the back burner?

One such player who is long overdue for a bit of praise is Puka Nacua. After all, the 24-year-old is returning for his third NFL season. He has averaged 1,200 yards and five touchdowns per season so far. And if healthy in 2025, he can certainly put up 1,500 receiving yards and perhaps as many as 10 touchdowns in 2025.

Related: New angle of jaw-dropping Puka Nacua catch will haunt the NFC West

And he's got something to prove this year.

Cowboys accidentally prove Puka Nacua is impossible to cover in the end zone

It was amazing to see how easily Rams WR Davante Adams was shredding the Cowboys' secondary. While some fans applauded Adams' surprisingly successful debut, others pivoted to a position of throwing shade at Nacua.

What a confusing reaction. How can Adams' success in a joint scrimmage possibly prompt fans to toss shade at the third-year star? Let's set the record straight. Nacua had no problem creating separation in the Cowboys' secondary. And Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had no trouble finding him in the end zone.

Need proof? Here you go:

The receiver has been the guy who draws the highest frequency of double teams in coverage. That makes sense because he's arguably the most effective receiver on the team in putting up yards after the catch. And while it's safe to assume that the Rams have strategies on the drawing board to get him open, those innovations will not be exposed to defenses during a joint scrimmage.

It wasn't just the offense, either. The defense did its thing early and often, embarrassing Dak Prescott and the Cowboys at every turn.

But what we can see is Puka Nacua picking right up where he's left off. Despite catching passes from a backup quarterback and despite playing in a vanilla offense, he just continues to catch passes. He looked really solid in his first scrimmage. He'll only be more unstoppable when the season begins.

As always, thanks for reading.

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