Patriots fans can dream about Puka Nacua but Rams' reality says no

The Los Angeles Rams swung for the fences in the biggest way possible, acquiring star pass rusher Myles Garrett in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. While landing Garrett is obviously a huge acquisition for the Rams, there will likely be some major ripple effects for the roster moving forward.

One such ripple effect could be the future of Puka Nacua. Will the Rams still extend him now that they'll be paying Garrett's salary?

Obviously, if Nacua becomes available on the trade market, teams will be chomping at the bit to land him. Could the New England Patriots enter the fray? Sara Marshall, Musket Fire site expert, laid out how a Nacua trade involving the Patriots would make a ton of sense for the defending AFC champions.

"Although there wasn't any indication that the Rams were willing to move on from him... the latest reporting suggests they might be willing to let him go now, since they don't appear all that invested in keeping their young talent around for the long haul," Marshall wrote. "But that's where the Patriots can slide in and take advantage of that mistake. Imagine how incredible an offense they could have with Brown and Nacua as the top receiving targets for Drake Maye.

"If that doesn't make them a legitimate threat in the AFC, it's difficult to say what would be. It would almost certainly put them on the radar across the league, no matter what they accomplish in 2026, and set Maye up for superstardom sooner rather than later."

Patriots fans chomping at the bit to land Rams WR Puka Nacua

It makes perfect sense why Marshall and other Patriots fans would float this narrative. Nacua is easily one of the best wide receivers in the game and if the Rams aren't going to make extending him a priority, other teams gladly will. The Patriots are a young team that seemingly overachieved in 2026, reaching the Super Bowl but losing to the Seahawks.

They were clearly overmatched by Seattle's ferocious defense. The hope for the Patriots is that they'll keep building on that success. Nacua could help them do just that.

The fact of the matter, however, is that the Rams probably won't let Nacua go unless it's for an absolute king's ransom. It appears that this team could be loading up for a two-year window with Matthew Stafford at the helm and if so, that means Nacua isn't going anywhere.

Even so, it won't stop other teams from dreaming. Inserting Nacua into any offense would have a dramatic impact for the better. Well, keep dreaming.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow