The Los Angeles Rams have been making a lot of additions this offseason and spending a ton of capital and money already.
Trent McDuffie was acquired with a first-rounder and a few other picks and was shortly thereafter given a huge $124 million four-year deal. McDuffie is far from the only one seeking a big deal, as Puka Nacua is in the final year of his rookie contract.
He's one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, but according to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue, the Rams have some uncertainty and concern about spending a massive amount of money on the polarizing WR soon.
Rams face uncertainty on Puka Nacua contract extension
"But it's my understanding that their concerns significantly increased - especially about Nacua's well-being - as the offseason continued," Rodrigue writes. "...The Rams made it clear publicly and even more firmly behind the scenes in recent weeks that Nacua will have to correct his off-field behavior to earn the type of contract his league-leading play would typically merit."
This update from Rodrigue is a noteworthy one, as the Rams have set a firm line in the sand when it comes to a contract extension for Nacua beyond 2026.
While they would like to keep him around for a long time, as his on-field play is among the best in all of the NFL, they aren't going to do so unless they're comfortable with his standing on the field.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba got a massive $168.6 million deal over four years, and Nacua's new deal, if he were to get one, would fall in a similar range.
More: Puka Nacua, Byron Young, other 2023 draft picks expected to be extended by Rams
The Rams are not going to spend that much money on a player that they aren't confident in, both on and off the field. That would be the case with any player, and with that much money, it becomes all the more important.
This situation will be one to keep a close eye on, as Rodrigue's report also notes how the Rams might even be open to the possibility of a franchise tag next offseason to keep Nacua around for one more year without committing to him long-term.
And a trade cannot be ruled out either, as Sean McVay and Les Snead haven't been afraid to part with good players at the right time.
Nacua's extension will be a storyline for a lot of the next year, and at least for now, it's going to be a topic worth putting on the shelf until some things change for the better with Nacua this offseason.
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