While many NFL analysts are not onboard just yet, the LA Rams passing attack is positioned to be one of the most dangerous aerial offenses in 2024. This in not conjecture, homerism, or simply some pie-in-the-sky outlook. This is simply a matter of examining historic facts, and then projecting that history to what we know about the future.

Right now, the future of the team’s passing game is awfully bright.

Even now, as alarmists raise concerns about the long-term future of veteran QB Matthew Stafford with the LA Rams, nobody is paying attention to less obvious factors that the team has invested to aid Stafford’s role with this offense. The team has arguably the best one-two wide receiver group.

Let’s begin by saying that it’s been clear that neither veteran QB Matthew Stafford nor All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp have been the same since their phenomenal 2021 NFL season. In that year, Cooper Kupp nearly broke the NFLs All-Time Single Season Receiving Record. And Stafford was the guy throwing him the football.

Neither Stafford nor Kupp could stay healthy in 2022 and 2023, leading many NFL analysts to view the pair as waning in their productivity. But both are healthy in 2024, and that means that if they can stay healthy through 17 games, records are at risk of being broken this year. But the funny part of that is that Cooper Kupp is not the only wide receiver who has elite star power in this offense.

There is another.

Puka Nacua is prepared to be even better in Year 2

It’s almost laughable how preseason rankings have all but forgotten how gifted this Rams passing attack can be. Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is the lone quarterback who has thrown to the three most significant receivers in terms of single season records in NFL history. Cooper Kupp is the only active player who has flirted with setting the All-Time Single Season Receiving Record.

And Puka Nacua set the NFL All-Time NFL Rookie Receiving Record.

That is quite a bit of firepower on one team, and that is merely the two top receivers on the roster. If you combine Nacua’s 2023 season with Kupp’s 2021 season performances, you end up with a combined 3400+ yards and 22 touchdowns. Just from two receivers.

So who will be the team’s most targeted receiver in 2024? Here is how Matthew Stafford answered that question:

Can this team truly feature two wide receivers? While not easy to do, the team did manage to have a balanced attack when Cooper Kupp teamed up with former teammate Robert Woods. Each receiver put up more than 1100+ yards apiece in 2019. I think that the combination of Kupp and Nacua can do much better in 2024.

Some have asked whether Nacua can follow up that record-breaking season with a similar level of productivity in 2024. While you may have your doubts, he certainly approached this year like a professional, ensuring that he not only was mentally set to play a tougher game this season. He trained extremely hard with his veteran teammate Cooper Kupp, got down to 212 pounds, and looks better than ever on the football field.

Even though it feels like a safe harbor to lower expectations for Nacua, what if he plays even better? After all, he caught 105 of 160 targets in 2023. What if he improved his catch rate from 65 percent to 75 percent? He would have caught 120 passes for another 225 yards. No additional targets. Just a more efficient and effective wide receiver.

So far, we have limited our scope to just two receivers. But what happens if we turn our attention to another area of promise for 2024?

Let’s turn to the talented tight ends

The team has invested quite a bit to ensure that the tight end position not only does not suffer the early season absence of TE Tyler Higbee, but that it may actually be upgraded with the development of second-year tight end Davis Allen, the return to health of TE Hunter Long, and the arrival of TE Colby Parkinson.

As it stands now, Davis Allen is incredibly effective, but underutilized. Hunter Long is promising, but seldom healthy. And newcomer Colby Parkinson is new to the offense, and will take time to get acclimated and synched up to the rhythm and timing of his new team.

Still, we know that TE Tyler Higbee will eventually return to the roster. And in the meantime, reports over the achievements of the other options at the position have been glowing. In fact, even Stafford has gotten into the act by proclaiming this tight end group as having as much talent as any he has worked with over his 16 season NFL career:

It’s not about boasting a roster that sets records at every position. It’s about a complementary group of players who cohesively work to win games for every guy with the football, there must be 10 other players willing to block for that ball carrier.

When it comes to the current selection of tight end, whether it’s Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, or Hunter Long, the team has ensured that they excel at blocking first and foremost. Even as the offensive line seems to struggle with training camp injuries, the team has the resources to deploy two tight end sets as a staple to this offense until the offensive line stabilizes and starters return.

This team has been in tight spots before, and that has led to the emergence of very talented players. I’m okay with the NFL touting the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs in the offseason. Nobody wins anything in August.

But come September 2024, the Rams aerial assault will be ready. And if you ask me, I don’t think that any NFL team is taking this offense seriously enough.

Thanks for reading.