Puka Nacua is currently without a long-term contract extension as he enters the final year of his rookie deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
While a new contract was expected to be a priority for the Rams this offseason, the two sides have not come close to reaching an agreement.
Despite the lack of progress, Nacua recently made it clear that he wants to stay with L.A. in the long term. He also never considered holding out from Rams training camp workouts, as many other players in his position presumably would have.
“No, not really,” Nacua said when asked if he thought about holding out. “I think the game of football is a safe place for me, and I enjoy that. There have been things outside of my control that I think have impacted the way I’ve been able to kind of focus and enjoy this game of football. But coming out here and seeing that jersey No. 12 hung up in my locker is something that I don’t take for granted and being around this group of guys,
“I think of all the guys that have reached out in this offseason to be there by my side, and then when we’re here in the meeting rooms, just the the level of connection that I feel like I have with all the guys out there. (It) has never crossed my mind that I don’t want to be out here with these guys.”
Nacua has established himself as one of the top wide receivers in all of football since being drafted by the Rams in 2023.
He is coming off his best season yet with the Rams, catching an NFL-best 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games (15 starts). The 25-year-old was able to put up those numbers despite missing a full game and parts of two others due to injury.
Although a new deal hasn’t yet been reached, the Rams know how special of a talent Nacua is and will almost certainly try to finalize one at some point.
When the dust settles after that, the Rams will likely make Nacua the new highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. The Seattle Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba set the record earlier this offseason when he signed a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension.
Rams’ Justin Dedich’s hand injury not considered serious
The Rams are already down an important contributor in training camp as guard Justin Dedich was placed on the non-football injury list with a broken hand suffered around the Fourth of July.
That immediately led to speculation it could’ve been fireworks-related, but head coach Sean McVay clarified Dedich should make a full recovery and play this season.
