Washington’s defense is staring at a problem it knows well: Puka Nacua.
Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones didn’t need a scouting report to understand what the Rams’ top target brings. Nacua has been one of the league’s most productive receivers across his four NFL seasons, leading all NFL receivers with an average of 95.1 receiving yards per game over that span. That number isn’t tied to one hot stretch, either - it covers his entire four-year run in Los Angeles.
On Thursday, Jones was asked how Washington can slow down the Rams’ leading receiver, and the answer started with how often Sean McVay moves Nacua around.
“Oh, they do a great job the way they move him; the way they utilize him,” Jones said. “He’s in the run game, because he is physical,” Jones said.
That versatility is a big part of the challenge. Nacua helps in the run game with his second-level blocking, and the Rams have also used him as a ball carrier. In 2025, he ran ten times for 105 yards and five rushing first downs.
But the real damage comes when the ball is in his hands as a receiver. Nacua works the middle of the field, takes short catches, absorbs contact, and still finds ways to turn routine plays into bigger gains. Even after missing the next two games following an injury in the opener, he still finished with 56 receptions, 26 receiving first downs and three touchdowns.
“Not only that, they give him the ball in so many places on the football field. You have to know where he is at all times.
And he’s really dangerous once he has the ball in his hands. So sometimes getting him the ball quicker allows him to become (like) the running back after he has caught the ball.
So, our guys having the awareness of where he is and then having the ability to swarm and hunt.”
And the production backs up the reputation. Nacua led the NFL in the 2025 season with 129 receptions, 80 receiving first downs, a receiving success rate (70.5%), and 107.2 receiving yards per game.
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