Cooper Kupp Compares Puka Nacua To Los Angeles Rams Ex Robert Woods
Cooper Kupp has played alongside plenty of fellow receivers in his time with the Los Angeles Rams, but his most consistent running mate was definitely Robert Woods.
Woods joined the Rams as a free agent in 2017, which just so happened to be Kupp's rookie season. For the next five years, the pair would go on to be the Rams' main receiver duo and one of the better ones in the league. Woods unfortunately couldn't join the Rams in their Super Bowl 56 run after suffering a torn ACL earlier in the season, but that doesn't erase all he did for the franchise.
The Rams have been looking for a new partner for Kupp since parting ways with Woods last offseason, and they seem to have finally found one in rookie Puka Nacua. Calling Nacua just Kupp's partner is actually disrespectful, as the rookie has had one of the best starts to his career of any receiver. Heading into Week 6, Nacua leads the league with 46 receptions and is second in receiving yards with 572.
Although Kupp has only played with Nacua, he already sees some of Woods' game in the rookie, a comparison that coach Sean McVay made earlier in the week.
Kupp and Nacua together before a preseason game against the Denver Broncos.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
“I mean their games are real similar, slasher mindset, physical, tough mentality. All that stuff is there," Kupp told reporters on Thursday. "I think you see that reflected. I think it's both a part of our room. This is what the expectation is to come in to be a part of the room here and what the expectations are and how you play the game. Puka’s done a great job embodying that and then letting it go on the field.”
Finding a receiver to replace Woods, who had 4,626 yards and 23 touchdowns in his time with the Rams, is never easy, but Nacua has been just that good in his first handful of games. For Kupp, having a receiver of that caliber to play alongside once again is very welcome.
"It's fun to play off of guys and just see guys play games and come from different backgrounds and have different tools," Kupp said. "It's fun. It's hard because even just this last week, there's been so much turnover in seven years, but it has been a blessing."
After spending last year with the Tennessee Titans, Woods, 31, is now with the Houston Texans. Although the Rams are now in their second season without Woods, they get a little reminder of what he meant to them whenever Nacua runs by in that same No. 17 jersey.
"It is something kind of cool about that seeing 17 back out in the field again,” Kupp said.
