Two weeks into Los Angeles Rams training camp, Puka Nacua does not have a contract extension.
Several players are entering the final year of their rookie deals without a new contract, but the star wide receiver situation stands out.
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The 2023 fifth-round pick has turned into a superstar in just three NFL seasons. Nobody expected the BYU product to become this good, this fast. Last season, Nacua led the league with 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping the Rams reach the NFC Championship Game.
His level of play warrants a record-setting deal alongside division rival and fellow 2023 draft classmate Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million extension with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
General manager Les Snead knows that.
Les Snead talks Puka Nacua extension process
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"He's evolved into one of the best," Snead said. "It seems like, 'OK, that's a pretty simple contract because it's pretty self-explanatory where you fall in the ecosystem and the hierarchy.' But there are also so many variables ... that go into that, that make it more complex than it would seem on the surface level."
One variable centers on whether the Rams can trust the 24-year-old with such a commitment. His off-the-field issues appear to have lessened the urgency to lock him up long term, including an ongoing civil lawsuit alleging he made antisemitic remarks and bit a woman during a New Year's Eve incident — coming about two weeks after he was accused of making an antisemitic gesture on a livestream.
Nacua appears to be taking ownership of his mistakes, a sign of maturity. He has been fully focused during camp, improving as a player and controlling what he can control. He has also described the field as a safe space, a way to separate himself from his personal issues.
McVay has taken notice of that growth but continues to stress the importance of also representing the franchise well off the field — a reason the team appears to be in wait-and-see mode on an extension.
"The play on the field is amazing, and then with what the play has dictated and determined, there is a responsibility in terms of representing all things, not exclusive to just that," McVay said. "He knows that. Those are the expectations, and we're hopeful that ... this will be an opportunity for him to learn and grow, and we are hopeful that he's a Ram for a really long time. But he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to just the production on the field."
