Puka Nacua's Contract Is More Complicated Than You Think

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]What up? What up? What up? Welcome to Believe in Rams presented by FanDuel Aaron Karelli back with you joined by my dear friend, finger on the pulse, the athletics Rams insider, Nate Atkins.

[00:00:13]Nate, how are you doing? Thank you for hanging out with us. I know it was a holiday. It's been it's been busy for you despite the off season.

[00:00:20]>> It has been busy. I think we're finally hopefully into a clear here. It's been it's been something ever since, you know, moved here week one and then covered 20 games of this team that runs all the way to the final four and then we have Matthew Stafford MVP, Matthew Stafford return, Trent McDuffy trade, Ty Simpson pick.

[00:00:39]>> Y >> it's been a lot, but you know, now we are finally through past the draft, past the schedule release, finding out that the >> Rams are going to lead the league in uh prime time games as you see my dog trying to make a little cameo on this video. Um, yeah, we're >> we're finally into the calm, I guess, I think, for a season where >> kind of everything's under the microscope for this team that has Super Bowl aspirations and Super Bowl expectations and a lot on the line.

[00:01:08]>> I mean, it's so interesting. I think people at home are are the anticipation and if you set it up properly which your article on New York Times and the athletic you you know you have such a great you know finger on the pulse when it comes to the Rams the moves that they're making you don't even have to be a football fan and the way they they you know less needed and Shawn McVey and the rest of the organization kind of like highlevel tackle the craziest parts of the business side of sports.

[00:01:40]And one of the biggest talking points and it's as you mentioned in the article it is such a good read um go check it out on the athletic or the New York Times or even follow Nate. How about just do that? follow him on X because the thing you wrote in the article and we'll get to there's a handful of free agents that they now have to sort of navigate but the biggest not so obvious hurdle because we knew Stafford was coming back but resigning his deal now that it's over there's still some very big question marks and I think the thing that's the most interesting about the team is the position Stafford sort of put them in it's a blessing and a curse first and formost most let's just talk about Stafford's deal. As you mentioned, it is a formality, but can you give us a little bit more context on on what it means?

[00:02:31]>> Yeah. So, the you know, we came into this off season and the big question was first, will Matthew Stafford be back?

[00:02:37]And then he answered that really quickly at his MVP announcement said he's coming back for another year. And at that point, it became an expectation that there'd be a new deal. Both because Stafford is coming off of an MVP season and wanted, you know, rightly so, some reward for that to be baked into his current contract. And also the fact that he just always prefers to have, you know, an extra deal or extra year on the deal beyond the one he's playing in.

[00:03:02]that's, you know, to avoid what happened last year where it went, it just dragged out and he had to kind of look around at other teams and was a little bit in limbo and u just the spot that a lot of, you know, grown people who have kids and families don't necessarily want to be in each offseason. So, we always kind of knew that it was going to happen this way. It always made sense that it was going to be a one-year extension, just add a another year to uh the deal that he signed last year that would go through this year. and now it goes through next year and then have some kind of pay bump with that. And so the reported numbers from ESPN are uh 55 million for next year with the chance to get up to 60 million in incentives. I'm guessing that is you know we'll see that when the contract is actually posted exactly what the incentives are, but very likely that's tied to a lot of the things he just did either MVP all pro um you know leading them far in the postseason all that kind of stuff. So, uh, he was set to come in, uh, this year as a very kind of mid-level quarterback salary. That's just kind of how quarterback salaries have gotten where, um, you know, 45 million can be, um, a good quarterback salary, but not one of the top ones. And so, um, bumping that to if it's 55 to 60 next year with the cap rising, it's it's a higher level if he ends up playing into next year. But it's it comes down to how much he can keep this MVP form. it's still going to be a nice enough deal for them if he can come close to that. And then the other question that's just out there that that we'll just have to see play out is how much longer he wants to play. And you know, it's always possible that they get to the end of this season and you know, if they were to win the Super Bowl, could he decide that this is the perfect way to end a career? I could see that you could have >> something force a decision with injury or health, you know, late in the year for a guy who's now 38 years old and would be 39 for next year. Or there's certainly a world where he could play two or maybe even three more years depending on just how that body feels with the back that he's managing and how much he's able to keep up what he just did last year. You know, I remember coming off last year when we were waiting to get the official announcement from Stafford, you know, and every time I'd be asked, you know, do you think he'll retire and my answer was always, I just can't see this competitor walking away from being this great but also this close to the Super Bowl. You know, it was just the perfect opportunity to run it back. So, that's what they did this year. He wanted a little bit of uh extra security to that that he has earned with the MVP. And then the timing of it just got interesting because in the middle of them negotiating this contract, they decide to draft the future quarterback at number 13 and Ty Simpson. So I was curious to see >> would that play into this. Um I I don't know if it did at all. I know Stafford always has gone for, you know, the most money he can get uh from a team based on his market value and what he's earned.

[00:06:04]And I I think he did that again with this deal. So, it just adds some nice clarity for him and also for the Rams who are trying to forecast into the future as they decide on other agents what is possible. And again, that is still a moving picture because >> if Stafford retires after this year, that's 55 to 60 million that will open up next year. But obviously, as of right now, they have to operate as if you know he will be here making that much money.

[00:06:31]So, at least at least it gives them sort of um I guess you'd think about like a floor of what they can offer other guys.

[00:06:38]Uh if you're expecting Stafford to be back, they know what the numbers are.

[00:06:41]And then in the event that he isn't back, I think that'll give him a chance for some of these free agents next spring to re-evaluate and maybe see how many they can fit in.

[00:06:51]>> Here with Nate Atkins of the Athletic, finger on the pulse when it comes to the Rams. And like you said, Nate, great point you make. You know, I think it's either the cushion of figuring out the future, which the Rams, it's like they have an elite quarterback, they just don't know how long he's going to want to play. And per over the cap, I believe he's tied with Justin Herbert with, according to the ESPN contract numbers, he's 52 and a half million annually.

[00:07:21]So, like you said, he's now, you know, eight eight ranked tied for for eighth among the top 10 NFL quarterbacks, which feels like if you've just won the MVP, uh, eight should be maybe even a little higher, but of course, they're basing it um off of his age and the future of of Stafford for how long he can not only does he want to play, but also how long can he play. I'm sure he'd love to play as many years as he can, but you know, you've mentioned his disc issue. It was an issue during training camp last year.

[00:07:54]I think it's also managing his commitment to the game, getting that close, like you said, and watching him and Devonte after uh the NFC Championship game. You know, you just you can only imagine how exhausted and how much effort gets put in uh by these players to, you know, take it all the way and then to be that close and not be able to make it. Um, okay. So, what this means is, and on your article, they have a handful of other guys that are a major priority.

[00:08:26]And I'm just glad I don't have to deal with it. And I know Les and Sean and the rest of the organization for the Rams are just much smarter when it comes to crunching numbers and breaking down the future and forecasting. But, you know, when you look at those six guys, which we'll get into, who do you feel and what position do you feel is the utmost priority since Stafford is is now is signed up?

[00:08:52]>> Yeah, I think the most fascinating position is definitely offensive line just because four of the five starters are going to be free agents after this year. It's kind of crazy to think about at one position them all stacking that way, but that's just the way that it's gone between the drafts that they hit on and also, you know, they end up signing Kevin Dodson and free agency and just the way these deals have overlapped. All the starters except for Eric Jackson are entering a contract year. And so it gets very interesting when you look across the board there and especially when you consider two of them are starting guards. And so you have a team here that is, you know, they're evaluating that up against, you know, having to look at paying Puka and Byron Young and possibly Devonte Adams if there's, you know, a world where he could, you know, extend it one more year if that's what he wants to do. If he can maintain enough of his play this year the way that Stafford is trying to, uh, it just it gets very interesting that way to see how they want to manage that. You know, they drafted Keegan Trost out of Missouri in the third round, and the idea in drafting him was get a backup who can play just about every position. So, you have that versatile depth. It'll be interesting to interesting to see just if he has any opportunity to show anything that could give him a chance to replace one of these players in a year from now or if that ends up being something they look more to next year's draft for just because it's hard to envision all four of those offensive linemen signing new deals. That what that would do if they were to do that.

[00:10:28]That would mean you're paying five different offensive linemen at essentially a market rate. That's hard to do if you have an expensive quarterback the way they do with Matthew Stafford. So, I think these guys are very much >> it's interesting because they're competing as a team to go out and win the Super Bowl and there's no group that has to play together better than the offensive line.

[00:10:49]>> But in a way, they're kind of all auditioning against each other to see who can stay here because this is a franchise that guys love playing for.

[00:10:57]They want to stay in. Uh they just had they were just number one in the NFL in points scored. Um they have the veteran quarterback who makes their lives easier with the >> Nexi makes it the line. It's a really good situation for these guys, but the market reality is that some of them I think will will find a way to stay and some of them will have to go elsewhere.

[00:11:19]So, I think about a guy like Warren McClendon is in a very interesting spot where he just kind of came out of nowhere as a fifth round pick. Stepped in for uh Rob Havenstein. Shout out to uh the other, you know, leg of this podcast who's not here today. Uh Warren got that chance, stepped in and played super super well down the stretch last year, but in sort of a shorter sample.

[00:11:42]You look overall, it was like half a season of actual snaps and it was really good. So, how much can he sustain of that this year? The interesting thing is if he has the same year this year that he did last year, obviously the Rams would be glad to take that. That means they're they're going to reap the rewards and and push for a Super Bowl.

[00:11:59]But he's going to make a lot of money in the open market if he is doing that again just because of how important tackles are, how hard they are to find as ready players, how many teams don't want to trust that to a rookie in the draft unless they're picking in the top 10. So War Mlennon is the guy that has a chance to explode his value from just being a fifth round pick backup this time a year ago.

[00:12:23]You look around and there's more than 20 tackles in the NFL making 20 million or more and he's going to put himself in that conversation if he can repeat it.

[00:12:33]And so you have you have situations like that and then you have the two guards in Kevin Dodson and Steve Aila where it's just hard for many teams to pay two veteran guards who command money the way they do. Uh the teams that tend to do that are, you know, these teams that run the ball like crazy and and really build it that way. Uh that's the Rams like to run the ball, but they are they're a balanced team if not a pass first team for as long as Stafford is here. Um, but at the same time, you know, you really like to have that firm pocket protected for a veteran like Stafford. So, I think it's, yeah, likely they will sign one of those guards and then let the other one go. And so, which one that is >> kind of depends on obviously how they play, but also who looks healthier at the end of the year. There's just a lot up in the air right now. and they they want to find a way to keep this offensive line affordable and mostly intact um and not have to replace four starters in a year from now. So, they've got a lot out.

[00:13:35]>> I mean, it's wild, Nate, because if you think about it, too, when you look at the offensive line unit, it's not like it's a running back or a wide receiver.

[00:13:43]They operate as a cohesive, you know, high chemistry community of men, large men in the trenches. And like you said, you're protecting staffer. That is the number one utmost priority for the offensive line. So when you're putting guys together, it's about putting the group.

[00:14:03]It's not just one individual that can be a stud. You have to sort of figure out who works together as a unit and what that looks like. But you know what else is very interesting that you said is the fact that it's offensive line that feels like a priority. When I think about priorities for the for the Rams and you put this also in your article, go check it out new york times.com.

[00:14:28]They did not select an obvious wide receiver that became for all of us what we thought they were going to do. So, they get a tight end, another tight end in the second round out of Ohio State in Max Clair. You don't feel like who do you feel is the is the clear-cut wide wide receiver three?

[00:14:50]>> I don't think it is clear-cut right now.

[00:14:52]I think what they're trying to do is build a competition for uh CJ Daniels, their new sixround pick versus Jordan Jordan Whittington, Kennata Mumfield, and Xavier Smith. and just see if within that competition if one guy can rise above the other or if they just end up kind of being equal pieces who offer something a little different. So you think about Jordan Whittington is a big time blocker on the move. U you know CJ Daniels certainly looks like a guy who can block out of the slot, make some contested catches. Kanata Mumfield is a little more of your traditional outside receiver if you're looking for someone to, you know, take some snaps off of Devonte Adams or fill in for an injury.

[00:15:34]And Xavier Smith's a little bit more of maybe your gadget type player. And so they're trying to figure out does either one guy rise up and become that clear-cut third option or do we have kind of a group of different skill sets that we're going to trust Shawn McVey to find different uses for? And so I think what they ended up doing uh when they chose not to go wide receiver in the first round to take the quarterback of the future, they knew it could play out this way where they're waiting until day three to take a wide receiver and then they don't know who their wide receiver three is going to be. And so I think that has played into moving into a little more of the 13 personnel with Max Claire in the second round and bringing back Tyler Higgby. They're clearly going to use a lot of that again this year.

[00:16:19]They felt like it was very helpful for Matthew Stafford to work under center and play action. I think they they thought it brought the best out of Warren McClendon to kind of have that extra help blocker uh especially in the run game where he's uh he's he was really great in pass last year, but he's still developing as a run blocker and so they helped him out with tight ends.

[00:16:40]They're trying to lessen the need for that third wide receiver. The thing that they can't control though is if an injury happens to Monte Adams or Puka Aua like this offense is still so built around those two guys on the outside stressing defenses together.

[00:16:57]>> So they're trying their best to lean on that a little less I think by having 13 personnel. I think they plan to run the ball a little bit more this year. Hope for another step out of Blake Cororum.

[00:17:07]Uh but at the end of the day, they are they are banking on the health of Puka and Devonte and that's very hard to predict and control. Uh so this is a situation where I think they're going to get into October so that they can first figure out who is their best option at wide receiver 3 and then do they need an upgrade on that in the event that Devonte or Puka gets hurt. And that's where I think trade deadline guys will be very interesting for this team. It's just going to be it'll be an interesting spot if they're trying to navigate in that October and Devonte and Puka are currently healthy because it's a little hard to bring in some veterans and ask them to just sit and wait for an injury.

[00:17:52]You know, that's not what everyone is necessarily looking for right now. So, uh those guys that are looking for a new team that, you know, they they're often looking for an opportunity. So, it it was a hard puzzle to totally figure out.

[00:18:04]That's why they they explored some different options. they explore trading for AJ Brown and trading out Devonte and getting one of these guys under contract because this is another position where the top two options are free agents after this year. So, it is it is really interesting. It's it's just an interesting spot overall when you've got all these offensive players entering contract years and then you're trying to figure out how much longer your quarterback is going to play, which then decides when your first round pick is going to play. It's just one of those like they're trying to set themselves up to can we go win the Super Bowl this year and then let that stuff >> figure itself out and so they're trying to build a complete enough roster within that to allow that to happen organically rather than, you know, force panic moves and and that's what they're hoping it can happen for them.

[00:18:55]>> That's that's that's right. That's what's so fascinating about if you just look at this organization and how pretty seamless they run they run you know they get guys in the third round, fourth round, fifth round. um they find these sort of like hidden gems in the draft and then they make these big pushes as you wrote in your article about you know McDuffy uh basically they got him for uh you know the a first round pick they're paying him a lot of money for that as well but when it comes to Puka I think I have a lot of questions and I know we can't get to everything in time but your over under on what you think. And by the way, FanDuel predicts they're going to win the Super Bowl if you go on. They are the number one team, top team.

[00:19:49]They've been this way on FanDuel sports book for weeks now. O over the Seahawks that they're going to go to the Super Bowl. They are likely to, you know, win the big game. I hate saying that, by the way, but that is what Vegas is predicting if all goes to plan. But the big question mark when it comes to Puka is, is he going to get the same kind of contract uh JSN got with the Seahawks this off seasonason? Do you see Puka getting signed to a long, you know, to a contract extension with the Rams this off season?

[00:20:25]>> Um, that is absolutely the wait and see contract here. The rest of these, they're all kind of wait and see in a way because they're trying to figure out the priority, the hierarchy of these guys. Puka is interesting in this because on just a player level, he's by far number one. I mean, by far, he's the best player in this list. It's such an important position. It's so critical to the present and the future with Matthew Stafford and Tai Simpson. Everything about it on paper and on the field says, "Pay this guy now. Don't even think about it." The way the Seahawks just did, they win the Super Bowl and it was like a week later they paid Jay and massive money. That's how this was supposed to go. But it's held up by the fact that things have been a little interesting for Puka off the field, let's say. Uh, you know, he spent time in the holistic care facility this off season trying to correct a lot of stuff that I think a lot of people know about just dating back to the New Year's Eve Eve incident, the live streamer incident, just some things off the field that they're hoping he can grow through and become that face of the franchise player. Because the reality is right now Matthew Stafford is the face of this franchise.

[00:21:35]>> But if they sign Puka, he's going to become the face of the franchise.

[00:21:39]>> There will be a time when if they do that, Stafford isn't here and Puka is.

[00:21:43]And that's that's going to be your national star.

[00:21:46]>> And that image matters to them. And that's why it's not a coincidence that the big move they made this off season was for Trent McDuffy. and they brought in a Walter Payeyton man of the year type community force who's from LA who comes out and says I want to be the leader of this team, the voice of this team, the face of the community. Like they're they're trying to set this up and show >> Puka in addition to all these other players like this is what we look for.

[00:22:11]The this is the mix of >> onfield accomplishment and off-field professionalism and and representation that we're looking for. And so with Puka, he's he's got to earn that. and it takes longer than just a few weeks in a holistic care facility and coming back for OTAAS.

[00:22:29]>> The there's a long pattern that he's trying to undo with new behavior. And so I think it's very unlikely that we're going to see a puka extension before the season starts. I think the likeliest scenario is this goes into next off season. And I think that's true for a few of these contract guys. Partly because like I said, they got to know if Stafford's coming back to know whether or not an extra $55 million will be available next year. But with Puka specifically, I think they want to just give him that runway to finally put it all together, be that all pro player, that league leader in receptions on the field, and just back it up by just being simpler off the field. I don't think they want to take away his joy and charisma and all the stuff that makes him a great player and a guy that they truly do love in the building. They just need it to mature. They need it to round out and not not create negative headlines so that if they do give him that extension, which they want to and he wants, that he can be that face of the franchise player and it can all work in harmony the way it's supposed to. But it's just something that's going to take time. these, you know, anybody who goes to a rehab facility for any issue that would get you there.

[00:23:42]>> It it isn't ever as simple as you came out of rehab and it's fixed. There's they give you a plan. They give you steps that there's it's ongoing work that carries out of that that Puka is in right now. And so I think this is going to be one of the biggest tests of Shawn McVey and his evolution as a coach is that this guy came into the league as this offensive wizard, this, you know, maximizer of offensive talent. And yet he's realizing that like they've already hit the ceiling of that with Puka to take a fifth round pick to league leader in receptions, you know, and all pro.

[00:24:17]And yet that didn't lead them to the contract. It's going to test Shawn McVey in the other ways he's grown over the years as a leader, as a head coach, as someone who's got his own family and can kind of be more of a mentor to some of these guys. This is going to be his number one priority as he works with individual players is getting Puka to really dial in, lock in on this moment, knowing that there is a JSN contract for him out there if he's able to meet all of this. The tricky thing with this is Puka is the guy in this list that also has the most leverage because for all you want to say about concerns off the field, the production on the field is so strong. The off the- field stuff, not to excuse any of it, but it hasn't been it hasn't risen to the level of um criminal actions, criminal charges, and it hasn't been something that has kept him off the field or affected him on the field. just the very week that he had the whole streamer incident, tried to sneak streamers into the facility, criticized the officials, got fined, he went out and had 12 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle against the number one defense. And so it's very easy to see in a year from now if they don't pay, some team's going to some team, all it takes is one team to say, you know what, >> we don't have any receivers. We don't have anyone for our quarterback to throw it to. we need to win right now and we will just deal with some of that stuff that happens off the field. Those great players get that kind of leash. And so they're trying to, you know, with so many of these guys in their building and outside their building like they did with Trent McDuffy, they weaponize who they are and where they are. A lot of guys want to live in uh Southern California. A lot of guys want to play for Shawn McVey with Stafford. They just don't have that same advantage with Puka because he feels and right rightly so that he can go be a star anywhere and get paid a star anywhere and he's kind of got his own platforms. He doesn't really he doesn't need this infrastructure as much as you know to produce on the field as maybe some others do. Um, at the same time though, what they're hoping he'll see is this is this can be the perfect place for you because of the culture, because of some of the leaders, and because of what Shawn McVey is trying to show him is he can be that mentor to get him where they all want him to go, which is the more mature, fully realized professional face of the franchise version. So, I think this is going to be a story that will track pretty much all season long. And it could be a guy that they, you know, with one of these guys, I think the franchise tag is very much going to be on the table just because it's hard to extend them all. And so you could see extend them all at the same time.

[00:27:00]>> That all out. So you could see a world where they could just add a year to Puka's deal on the franchise tag and play this out a little longer. They could franchise tag him and trade him if they're at that point next year where they're not sure they want to extend him, but they want to get value for one of the best players in the NFL. And this applies to other players as well. I could see, you know, you could see them see franchise tagging Byron Young and saying, "We don't really have the money to pay multiple of these edge rushers for long periods, but let's go take one more run at a Super Bowl." And so what they do franchise tag will be be very interesting as well. I think that's going to enter the puka conversation as well.

[00:27:42]>> Well, that's why all of this yet again becomes such an interesting storyline for LA because in the article when you put they were considering AJ Brown, maybe they would trade and make a deal, you know, Devonte Adams. Also, you could think maybe they're creating more insurance for in the event something with Puka becomes an issue because as you mentioned, Devonte or a Puka, the depth is is dramatically or at least the talent on the roster is dramatically different when you see the numbers both of those guys produced last season. and Devonte being number one in touch in receiving touchdowns and and Puka in receiving yards. I mean, they're they just both produce the mo, you know, in in comparison to any other players in the NFL. How much of that is Stafford and how much of that is a lot to do with the fact that they're just incredible talent get separating from the ball and making things happen for the Rams. And the problem is I think the Rams are so passionate about the concept of culture that if they sign Puka and he hasn't shown some type of like character evolution and he you know we know he the team loves him and he from my very you know limited vantage point as a media member seems to be beloved and well-liked and a likable high and actually has high character. So, how much of this is youth and, you know, maturing and how much of this could potentially be problematic?

[00:29:25]The Rams don't want to give him a long-term contract until he really does show that the word the Rams care so much about, which is character, right?

[00:29:34]Character, culture, all of those things.

[00:29:36]So, I agree with you. It it'll be very interesting. the Rams want to see him show up in the way they believe he can, but when it doesn't impact his numbers on the football field, even when he does something that happens, it's really hard to, you know, let a let a talent a wide receiver like that um move on. So, I I hope it works out. He seems like a a really good young man. Um beyond the talent on the football field, he does seem like So, we'll see. I mean again these are these are the conversations and the question marks that I can't even imagine the dialogue going on inside the ri the you know the four quarters four walls of the rims and and they're highlevel conversations because that's the part to me that this team is it's it's so complex. It's you're planning for the future and you're you know trying to win now. How much of that do you feel like and then I know we need to wrap up but how much do you feel like I mean you have Jared Verse, you have Byron Young, you have Kobe Turner, now you have the defensive line. How much of a concern planning for the the now impacts preparing for the future if you're the Rams?

[00:30:51]>> Yeah, it's a tricky puzzle. You know, these are what they call like luxury problems. You know, you want to be in a spot where >> too many good players to keep rather than a spot that some teams are in where they're like, how the heck are we gonna find enough good players to win this year? Uh so this is just what happens when when teams win at this level. And es if they can cap off their dreams and win a Super Bowl, they're going to see, you know, a cost to that. You lose guys when that happens because the the players that go in the playoffs and make those clutch big time plays on the biggest stage, they're auditioning for 31 other teams in addition to their own and that just gets players paid. And if you want an example for that, >> the Rams a couple years ago signed Cam Curl for almost nothing out of Washington. And he was a good player there in a in a not great situation.

[00:31:42]came over here, had a good first year, had a better first year la or second year last year, but you know, it wasn't quite a Pro Bowl season for him, but he goes out there and they're in Chicago in the divisional playoffs and they look like their season's just about toast after Caleb Williams makes that crazy throw. He converts a fourth down.

[00:32:02]They're on the move and he goes and he freelances, reads a play before it's snapped and picks off a pass, gets the ball back to Stafford >> who drives down and gets him to an NFC title game. And now Cam Curl comes out and his deal is like 12 a.5 million a year for three years as a safety. Like he just exploded his value. And it wasn't all about one interception, but that was sort of the cherry on top of this is a really good player who maybe went underappreciated for all the different things that he did that weren't flashy and now he's added that flash to his game.

[00:32:36]>> So, you look at a team like the Seahawks just won the Super Bowl. Those guys love playing there, too. But Kenneth Walker wept in free agency uh to go to the Chiefs because, you know, you just can't keep everybody. Uh, and so that's that was some of the logic in going and getting a Tai Simpson was that at a certain point if these if the Rams keep drafting well enough that they have multiple players in this spot where they're not sure who they're going to pay, the eventual world they want to get into when the time, you know, needs to arrive is to have that quarterback on a rookie deal. then you could all of a sudden retain if that's where they were this year and your quarterback instead of making you know 40ome million is making in the teens or less than that uh less than $10 million depending on where he was drafted. That's you know that can be 30 plus million dollars more to keep multiple of these guys that right now they're not sure they can keep. It's a trade-off because obviously you're thrilled to have Matthew Stafford. You have the MVP of the league. you're not at, you know, if they wanted to, they could just move off that and go to the rookie quarterback. They obviously don't want to do that. They're, but they are accepting that to really chase their dreams with a a quarterback this experienced and this high paid, you're going to lose some guys along the way.

[00:33:55]And they've had to deal with that over the years, whether it's players or oftentimes coaches. That's going to happen again, too. I promise you, if they go win Super Bowl, >> you're going to see one of these guys hired as a head coach. if not could be both both coordinators could end up getting head coaching jobs. Seahawks just had that with Clint Kubak uh going to the Raiders. So there there is attrition to winning a Super Bowl.

[00:34:19]That's kind of what you have to accept.

[00:34:21]And so that was the interesting balance that they were entering this off season is how much do you put how much do you go all in on this Super Bowl?

[00:34:29]a world where they just say, "You know what? We'll deal with the losses and all the the guys that'll have to get paid and go elsewhere. If we have a second Super Bowl in five years and we maximize Matthew Stafford, that's worth it." And that's I think a good amount of their thinking. That was Trent McDuffy. And you know, but they're but what they're trying to do with every move they make right now is a mix of both. And I think why Trent McDuffy became the perfect solution for in their eyes is that he was both. He was >> the allp pro cornerback to bring in for this year's push. Trade the picks. Get the veteran. Don't mess around with the rookie. At the same time though, this is a guy they signed for four more seasons to be the face of their defense. The he should be the best player on their defense right now. Uh he's the most accomplished player on their defense right now. And they're going to have him for the next four years. And so they're trying to identify these players that can be a mix of both, at least in the ones they're going to invest highly in.

[00:35:26]And so that was the the fascinating path they took to Tai Simpson was understanding optically it was going to look like you are not going in on this year's team but you know long term they saw it as a way to be able to keep more of these players and also fill a role that they frankly valued higher than I think a lot of people which is that backup quarterback spot. You know they tried on Jimmy Garopppolo, they reportedly tried with uh Joe Flacco.

[00:35:55]They tried with Kirk Cousins. They weren't finding that that highlevel experienced playoff veteran that they wanted. And so ultimately they said, "We're gonna take the number two quarterback in the draft and he can fill a mix of both roles. Give Stafford time off in the summer, get some reps that way, >> be a talented enough player to be our backup, but really be here for the long term." And so we will see how they thread that needle. It's going to be fascinating though because it could go any number of ways. There's a perfect world scenario where they win the Super Bowl this year and Stafford rides off into the sunset and then you move on to the cheap quarterback and you have all this money to keep your guys that normally Super Bowl teams lose. That would be perfect. There's also a situation where they get caught in the middle where they fall just a little bit short and they didn't quite have enough out of their receiver group to push it over the top and they never end up winning a Super Bowl with either of the quarterbacks that they now have in the room. and they're looking back on this era thinking really really successful but we just never got that second ring to be like a historic all-time memorable run. Uh and then there could be a mix of the two. You know the likelier scenario I think is somewhere in the middle where um there's there's a give and take to it. You know they can can win a Super Bowl but they can lose guys. They're not going to be able to control the timing perfectly with the quarterback handoff.

[00:37:18]Um, that's always what's fascinating with these is like the timing never works just perfectly where the moment you want Ty Simpson to step in is the moment that Matthew Stafford decides, I'm done playing this game I've played my whole life and enjoyed my whole life.

[00:37:32]Like, they're going to have to deal with the timing as it unfolds. That's not all in their control. And what they're trying to do is set themselves up enough to maximize whatever that timing ends up being to at least get one of these scenarios to really work in their favor and not get caught in the middle.

[00:37:50]>> I mean, this is why even if you're a football fan, if you're not a football fan, following the Rams this season is such a a project of like of just unique challenges of juggling. What do you do in this in this scenario? And not on and and the other thing is the Rams have to feel the pressure. They have seven prime time the most in the NFL this season at seven. They're going to Melbourne. I mean, there is nothing about the Rams schedule if you just look at it that is consistent whatsoever. The second most air miles traveled. You know, it's going to be and you're in the NFC West, the number one division. And where's the Super Bowl hosted this year?

[00:38:36]>> And it's in LA. I mean, what other how keep them coming. What other things about the Rams that just feel like it is mustwatch TV? The NFL is all in. FanDuel sports book is all in. And yet we have Nate Atkins of The Athletic breaking down a lot of question marks. We just we don't know yet. And so we'll see uh with regards to Devonte, we'll see with regards to Puka and all these other things that they're trying to work out in the meantime who's the wide receiver three, who's going to be the punt returner. I can't wait. I can't wait. Um Nate, you're the best. Uh you got to go check out his article on New York Times.com. Follow him on X. And uh we appreciate you. Thank you. Oh, by the way, I forget to always say this. Thank you for listening. Do not forget to hit the subscribe button, leave a fivestar rating, write a review, give us some love. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Nate, you're the best.

[00:39:47]>> Awesome. You, too. Thanks for having me.

[00:39:49]>> Appreciate it. All right, guys. Thanks for listening.