The Annual League Meeting of the NFL offseason began on Monday in Phoenix, Arizona. Numerous head coaches interviewed: Sean McVay from the Los Angeles Rams spoke about quarterback Matthew Stafford, his attitude towards traded draft picks – and the latest headlines from wide receiver Puka Nacua.
Nacua was one of the best wideouts ever last season alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks). However, while JSN made headlines a few days ago with a new record deal, Nacua was hit with a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles: a woman accuses him of making anti-Semitic statements and biting her shoulder. The player’s lawyer, for his part, speaks of false accusations and an attempt at blackmail.
McVay emphasized that he has trust in his top performer: “You hold him in your arms and help him become more mature. I’ll wait for all the facts before I make a judgment in this situation. But I’ve known him for three years now and can say that I trust his heart. I trust him as a person.”
The team has discussed whether the matter could impact a possible contract extension, McVay admitted. “His performance on the pitch is outstanding, but with that comes the responsibility of representing the team in all areas. He knows that. That’s what is expected of him.” He hopes that for Nacua it is “an opportunity to learn and grow. And we hope that he will be a Ram for a very long time.”
Nacua is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026. In three seasons in the NFL, he has 313 catches for 4,191 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Sean McVay: Davante Adams trade was a topic
Sean McVay on…
… quarterback Matthew Stafford (38): “The big challenge is that on the one hand you want to take advantage of the opportunities while you still have him. But you also can’t be naive. He will be able to play as long as he wants, maybe even into his 40s, and I wouldn’t have a problem with that. […] Sooner or later we won’t have the luxury of having him, and that’s an incredibly important position.”
… Stafford’s backup: “Jimmy (Garoppolo) is making his decision right now. I would love to have him back. Of course there’s a connection to Kirk (Cousins) too. […] Jimmy or Kirk, I’d love to have them both with us.”
… a trade from Davante Adams (33): “We didn’t really discuss it, but we talked about how we could bring in other players and how that would influence Davante. I spoke to Davante about it. If it had been the best thing for the team in our eyes, we would have done it. But it wasn’t like that. That’s why I’m happy that things are moving forward with him. […] He is a grown man. I think he understood that it was part of the business. But he also knows that at the end of the day, he’s a Ram because that’s what’s best for us.”
… the Browns’ proposal to trade draft picks for five years in advance: “The chance of this going through is zero percent. I respect the courage of [Browns-GM Andrew Berry]”There are very good reasons for this, but you can bet that won’t happen.”
… the trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie: “We love our picks! But we’re not afraid to get great players in different ways to help us. Sometimes it’s a good decision [einen Erstrundenpick zu traden]. There are various ways to build a team. We want to be creative and not limit ourselves to just one tactic, but rather compete in different ways.”
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