The Los Angeles Rams have several loose ends to tie up, including regarding All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua’s future with the organization.
Nacua is in the final year of his rookie contract.
The Rams do not have some of the mechanisms that would enable to them to keep Nacua like they would with some other star players. However, they still have several tools at their disposal that could allow them to continue kicking the can down the road.
Puka Nacua Reminder Paints Clear Picture for Rams
GettyPuka Nacua drew strong comments as his future with the Los Angeles Rams remains uncertain.
Nacua led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards per game in 2025, tallying 129 catches and 1,715 yards for the Rams. He finished second behind Davante Adams, who led the league with 14 touchdown grabs, notching 10 of his own.
While Nacua’s off-field troubles have overshadowed the impact he has on the field this offseason, they have not erased them.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton called Nacua the Rams’ “biggest contract extension decision.”
“From a fifth-rounder out of BYU in 2023 to an elite wide receiver, Nacua is going to reset his position market,” Moton wrote on June 20. “The 25-year-old also currently holds the all-time record for receiving yards per game (95.3). ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler doesn’t expect the Rams to extend Nacua or any of their 2027 free agents this year after absorbing Myles Garrett’s contract in a blockbuster trade, though he didn’t completely rule out new deals for any of those players.”
Since Nacua was not a first-round pick, the Rams do not have the benefit of a fifth-year option. It would give them more runway to make a final determination. They have he franchise tag, and can use that up to three times, but it will be expensive regardless.
Over The Cap projected a $27.3 million tag for receivers in 2027.
That would tie for 17th in average salary at the position, per Over The Cap. It would still be well below where Nacua’s extension is expected to land.
Spotrac projected Nacua’s market value at over $40 million annually, using a four-year, $160 million contract as an example deal. That would be a landmark for the Rams at the position. It would also tie Matthew Stafford for the richest deal in franchise history.
For the Rams, the decision on Nacua is as complicated as any.
The off-field concerns are only part of the problem. Nacua’s physical play style also puts him at a higher risk of injury in a league where the rate is, at least colloquially, 100%.
Puka Nacua Gets Clear Message After Off-Field Issues
GettyPuka Nacua’s future with the Los Angeles Rams continues to be a source of intrigue.
The Rams have shown nothing but support for Nacua. That includes teammates and head coach Sean McVay. The receiver checked himself into a rehabilitation facility during a portion of the offseason program.
However, McVay has also made it clear that the Rams expect Nacua to conduct himself better off the field.
McVay called Nacua’s play “amazing.”
“With what the play has dictated and determined there is a responsibility in terms of representing all things,” McVay said in his response to a question about hesitating to extend Nacua, per the LA Times’ Gary Klein in March, “not exclusive to just that.”
McVay has since expressed optimism with the direction the Rams have seen Nacua go in this offseason, including his participation in organized team activities.
However, the Rams have yet settle their looming business with Nacua.
Rams Get Timely Reality Check About Puka Nacua Amid Uncertainty