Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
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Puka Nacua #12 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before the NFC Wild Card Playoffs against the Carolina Panthers.
Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua is in the spotlight once again, this time amid news of Seattle Seahawks star Jaxson Smith-Njigba signing a historic contract extension.
That leaves Nacua as the most obvious candidate for a potentially market-resetting deal.
However, the situation around Nacua has remained quiet so far, and the wait for a decision could extend quite a while longer, despite him and the Rams having a new potential baseline for negotiations.
Puka Nacua Gets Critical Update on Rams Contract Talks
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
GettyPuka Nacua #12 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before facing the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Smith-Njigba reset the market with a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension, and the Rams’ pending talks with Nacua became part of the discussion almost immediately.
However, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo expects actual developments to be further out.
“Puka Nacua … was neck and neck with JSN last year as far as production and in their candidacy for Offensive Player of the Year. But my expectation, based on the conversations that I have had, is it’s a different situation with Puka and the Rams,” Garafolo said on “Good Morning Football” on March 23.
“The Rams have got a lot of young guys that they have to pay, and a lot of other business to conduct as well. So, the expectation on my end is that the Puka deal is going to take a while and could be further into the summer before we see something happen there. In the meantime, JSN helping all receivers by raising that bar to over $42 million per year in his extension with the Seahawks.”
Nacua has outproduced his draft classmate, Smith-Njigba, during their NFL careers, albeit with a better coaching staff, front office, and quarterback.
However, Nacua has also drawn unwanted attention.
Puka Nacua’s Off-Field Activities Loom Large Amid Extension Eligibility
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
GettyPuka Nacua #12 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before facing the Baltimore Ravens.
Nacua’s impact on the field has been juxtaposed with his polarizing actions and comments off it, potentially providing more context to the Rams’ decision to sort out other business before addressing arguably their best player.
The NFL fined him $25,000 for comments saying officials will make up bogus calls to garner camera time during games.
He also apologized after planning an antisemitic TD celebration with streamer Adin Ross.
Nacua has been a frequent presence at events this offseason, and his dating life has been in the public eye for varying reasons as well. The Rams can also point to Nacua’s injury history and how his physical playing style factors in.
He played in all 17 games as a rookie, but has missed seven games over the past two years, six of those coming during the 2024 campaign.
Rams Have Other Matters to Address
Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
GettyByron Young #0 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a sack against the Tennessee Titans.
Nacua may be the highest-profile player whose contract situation the Rams will eventually need to address, but he is not the only one.
Fellow starters Byron Young and Kobie Turner, both of whom are in the final years of their respective deals, join him. Moreover, 2024 draft picks Braden Fiske and, even more, former Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse will soon need new pacts.
The Rams signed trade acquisition Trent McDuffie to the richest cornerback deal ever.
Both sides in the talks between Nacua and the Rams will have strong points and counterpoints when the time finally comes.