Puka Nacua

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua checked into a treatment center in March, raising questions about his ability to participate in the team’s offseason program.

Those questions were answered on Tuesday by head coach Sean McVay, who said that Nacua was in attendance at the start of offseason workouts on Monday and would be a “full participant” moving forward.

“Great to be able to see him,” McVay added (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop). “Looks great. He’s doing really well.”

Nacua, 24, was a fifth-round pick in 2023 who quickly emerged as one of the best receivers in the NFL. He posted 105 receptions for 1,486 yards as a rookie, leading all players from his draft class and ranking among the top 10 wideouts in the league. He was limited to 11 games in 2024, but roared back in 2025 with a league-high 129 receptions and 107.2 receiving yards per game.

But in March, Nacua was sued by a woman who accused of him of biting and harassing her. He had already checked into rehab by then, with the expectation that he would return to the team by OTAs in May. The fourth-year wideout’s legal matters remain up in the air, but he is trending to hit that timeline.

Rams general manager Les Snead said on Tuesday (via Pro Football Network’s Myles Simmons) that Nacua was “doing really, really well” and expressed confidence in his ability to grow and mature.

“One of the more fulfilling things about being in sports, is dealing with a subset of people that are still getting there,” Snead added. “But to see people like Puka grow…it’s one of the reasons, if not the main reason, you do it. It’s definitely one of the reasons that makes this more fulfilling than anything.”

Fellow 2023 draftee Jaxon Smith-Njigba received a record-setting $42.15MM per year extension this offseason, which sets a very clear market for Nacua. But the Rams may prefer to wait and ensure he can put his off-field issues behind him before they give him a deal worth more than $150MM.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua checked into a luxury treatment center in Malibu, Calif., in early March, Edward Lewis of the California Post reports.

The center specializes in helping patients battling drug and alcohol addiction, chronic pain and mental health issues, Lewis writes. Nacua is “scheduled to be there for a while longer,” attorney Levi McCathern told Lewis. He is there to focus on “personal growth,” per TMZ.

A woman recently accused Nacua of biting her twice, making an antisemitic remark, and exhibiting “rude or vulgar, threatening, violent, and harassing conduct” on Dec. 31, 2025. However, Nacua had already been in the facility for “a substantial period of time before any of these allegations broke,” according to his attorney.

The alleged victim dropped a request for a temporary restraining order against Nacua, but she filed a lawsuit against him last week. Although McCathern has accused her of “continu(ing) to make up stories trying to turn this minor episode into big dollars,” the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is investigating her claims, per Lewis.

With the Rams’ OTAs scheduled for May, Nacua will be back “in plenty of time,” McCathern revealed to TMZ. One of the NFL’s premier receivers over his three-year career, Nacua earned first-team All-Pro honors and his second Pro Bowl nod last season. The 24-year-old became eligible for a contract extension this offseason.

Fresh off a Super Bowl-winning campaign in which he took home Offensive Player of the Year honors, Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba agreed to a record-setting extension on Monday. The recipient of a four-year, $168.6MM deal, Smith-Njigba leads his position in total value, guarantees ($120MM-plus) and average salary ($42.15MM). With JSN’s future secure, the Rams’ Puka Nacua is now the highest-profile receiver in the market for an extension.

Based on production, Nacua has a case to approach or surpass Smith-Njigba’s contract this offseason. Since bursting on the scene as a fifth-round pick in 2023, Nacua has averaged 121 catches, 1,619 yards and seven touchdowns per 17 games. Smith-Njigba, a first-rounder in that same draft, has averaged 94/1,184/seven per 17 contests.

Both players posted career-best seasons in 2025. Despite missing one game, Nacua led the NFL in receptions (129) en route to a first-team All-Pro selection and his second Pro Bowl bid. Smith-Njigba paced the league in yards (1,793), leading to a first-team All-Pro pick and Pro Bowl honors for the second time.

Considering the Seahawks already had Smith-Njigba under control via his $23.85MM fifth-year option for 2027, they had plenty of time to reach an extension agreement. The team still acted quickly in locking up its No. 1 receiver. The Rams do not have the same luxury with Nacua, who is ineligible for a fifth-year option and could become a free agent next March. Nevertheless, an extension is not imminent. If it happens, it likely won’t occur until “further into the summer,” per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, who points out that the Rams also have several other extension candidates to worry about.

General manager Les Snead already handed newly acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie a mammoth payday earlier this month. Now, along with Nacua, Snead still has to consider potential new deals for MVP-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive lineman Kobie Turner, outside linebacker Byron Young, guard Steve Avila and right tackle Warren McClendon. For now, though, Snead is more concerned about other issues.

“I don’t think the Rams are looking to do extensions right now,” an NFL agent told Eric Williams of Fox Sports. “They’re focused on adding to the team only, and players under contract are under contract.”

As the Rams mull an extension for Nacua, they will have to monitor the fallout of an incident that allegedly took place on Dec. 31, 2025, TMZ reports. A woman applied for a temporary restraining order against Nacua and accused him of biting her twice, making an antisemitic remark, and exhibiting “rude or vulgar, threatening, violent, and harassing conduct.”

Levi McCathern, Nacua’s attorney, told TMZ it was just “horseplay,” though he seemingly confirmed Nacua bit the accuser in saying that it “left nothing more than a temporary mark.” He vehemently denied Nacua made antisemitic comments, however, and accused the woman of trying to shake down his client for millions of dollars. A judge denied the alleged victim’s request for a temporary restraining order, but there is a hearing scheduled for April 14.

The 2026 offseason could prove to be a rather busy one for the Rams. Clarity on the Matthew Stafford situation will be critical, while members of the team’s 2023 draft class are now eligible for extensions.

That group includes star wideout Puka Nacua. As things stand, Nacua is on track to enter the 2026 campaign as a pending free agent. Working out an extension to prevent a potential departure has been seen as a priority for some time now, and general manager Les Snead recently spoke about the pending negotiations on a new deal in Nacua’s case.

“He’s evolved into one of the best,” Snead said (via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times). “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’s also so many variables… So again similar to a few players that we’ve had in the past… that have been at that level in the ecosystem, you’ve got to begin communication and begin working through it to come up with a win-win solution.”

It would come as no surprise if Nacua and his camp pushed for a market-topping deal this spring. Ja’Marr Chase worked out a Bengals extension averaging $40.25MM per year last offseason. The NFL’s salary cap was set at just over $279MM for 2025. It will exceed $300MM in 2026, something which will no doubt continue the inflation of certain position’s markets. Nacua is of course a strong candidate to benefit from the upward movement in the cap ceiling.

The former fifth-round pick broke out with a stellar rookie season, collecting second-team All-Pro honors along the way. Nacua was limited to 11 games in 2024, but he remained healthy this year en route to another hugely productive campaign. The BYU product led the NFL in receptions (129) and yards per game (107.2); that helped earn him a first-team All-Pro nod along with a second Pro Bowl invitation. Any long-term pact worked out in Nacua’s case will surely move him near the top of the financial pecking order amongst receivers at a minimum.

The Rams have fellow WR Davante Adams on the books for 2026. He is expected to remain in place at a cap charge of $28MM, although Nacua inking a monster extension would lessen the chances of Adams being retained in the future. Los Angeles has several other ascending players to consider extending, such as defensive tackle Kobie Turner, guard Steve Avila and edge rusher Byron Young. Finding room for them, as well as Nacua, will prove to be challenging.

Snead, like head coach Sean McVay, recently signed a Rams extension. He will be tasked with keeping the team’s core intact for as long as possible, and efforts on that front will include a push to extend Nacua over the coming weeks or months.

Puka Nacua has remained one of the league’s top receivers in 2025. The coming offseason will be the first during which a Rams extension will be possible, and signs are pointing to one being worked out.

The Rams view a new Nacua contract as a priority, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (video link). That comes as little surprise, of course. The 2023 fifth-rounder has been a star since arriving in the league. Nacua has increased his yards per game average every year in his career; entering today’s action, it stands at 98.8 for 2025.

Given that elite level of production, a central question in this case will be tied to finances. Nacua certainly has a case to become the league’s top earner at the receiver spot, especially given the expectation the salary cap will see another notable jump in 2026. For now, the position’s market includes nine contracts averaging $30MM or more per season.

Justin Jefferson led the way with an AAV of $35MM until Ja’Marr Chase finalized his Bengals extension this past spring. Chase’s pact averages $40.25MM per year and includes just under $110MM in total guarantees (with a large portion of that fully locked in). It will be interesting to see if Nacua, 24, can approach the top spot in the WR pecking order once his second Rams contract is worked out.

On that note, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes the Nacua talks will be closely monitored around the NFL. Many in the league feel the receiver market has surged at too high of a pace, and a leveling off period could be in store as a result. If not, Nacua is among the wideouts who could move the bar even higher. In any case, negotiations between Los Angeles and the Pro Bowler will make for one of the team’s top storylines during the 2026 offseason.

The Rams moved on from Cooper Kupp in March, ending his decorated eight-year run with the team. Fellow veteran Davante Adams was signed as a replacement on a two-year, $44MM contract. That investment has paid major dividends, with Adams scoring 14 touchdowns and counting in 2025. Tutu Atwell was retained on a one-year pact, but it would come as little surprise if he were to depart in free agency after the season.

Without any long-term deals at the receiver spot, Los Angeles should be in line for a massive commitment in Nacua’s case. The BYU product hopes to retire by the age of 30, meaning he may only play on two NFL contracts in his career. The second one could be in place relatively soon, depending on the progress of extension talks.

OCTOBER 17: Nacua has been ruled out for Week 7, to little surprise. With the Rams’ bye upcoming after their London game, the team will have additional time to evaluate his recovery timeframe.

OCTOBER 13: The Rams improved to 4-2 on the year with their win yesterday. Los Angeles lost wideout Puka Nacua along the way, however, and he may be sidelined for a stretch.

Nacua exited the game against the Ravens before briefly returning in the second half. Overall, the league’s receptions leader logged just 27 snaps, by far his lowest total of the campaign. Nacua is dealing with an ankle sprain, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. As a result, at least one missed game could be in store.

The Rams will play the Jaguars in London next week. Los Angeles’ bye will follow that contest, so the team could elect to keep Nacua out of the fold for one contest and then evaluate him upon return from the international game. Of course, any missed time in this case would be critical for the Rams’ offense and their ability to keep pace in a highly competitive division.

Even with his limited output on Sunday, Nacua has amassed 616 yards and a pair of touchdowns through six games this season. The third-year pass-catcher is thus averaging nearly 103 receiving yards per contest, another increase in that department early in his impressive career. Nacua averaged 87 yards per game as a rookie before upping that total to 90 last year.

Maintaining his current production would help the 24-year-old’s case for a massive extension as early as this coming offseason. Nacua is playing out the third season of his four-year rookie pact, but an early (and lucrative) commitment on the part of the Rams would come as no surprise. On the other hand, the former fifth-rounder was limited to 11 games last season so an extended absence in 2025 could hinder his earning potential.

A lengthy spell on the sidelines should not be expected given today’s report, but ankle sprains can linger into multi-week absences. For now, the Rams will move forward with a receiving corps still featuring Davante Adams and Tutu Atwell. Los Angeles also has Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson available at the tight end spot.

Further updates on Nacua will be worth watching for as the Rams prepare to fly to London. At least one missed game would be in store if a cautious approach were to be taken, but clarity on Nacua’s recovery timeline will be key.

Puka Nacua enjoyed a stellar rookie season, and he followed it up with a strong campaign in 2024. The Rams wideout is positioned to operate as a foundational member of the team’s offense for the foreseeable future, but he recently provided insight on how long he intends to play in the NFL.

“I know I want to retire at the age of 30,” Nacua said during an appearance on the Join the Lobby podcast (video link). “I’m 23 right now, I’m going into Year 3 — it wouldn’t even be 10 years. It’d be maybe seven or eight. I think of Aaron Donald, to go out at the top, I think it would be super cool.”

Donald retired last spring at the age of 32. The future Hall of Famer had already won a Super Bowl along with three Defensive Player of the Year awards by that point, leaving him with little more to accomplish in the NFL. Donald’s success also made him one of the league’s all-time leaders in terms of career earnings, a list Nacua is obviously a long way from joining. The latter has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

Selected in the fifth round in 2023, Nacua set new NFL records for receptions (105) and yards (1,486) by a rookie receiver. He was limited to 11 games this past season, but he averaged 90 yards per contest, a slight increase in his output compared to his rookie campaign. The BYU product has seen Cooper Kupp released this offseason with the Rams bringing in Davante Adams as a replacement.

That will give Los Angeles a different look in the passing game, but Nacua will still be counted on to play a major role in the team’s offense. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is in the fold for at least one more season, so expectations will remain high for the unit. Nacua could play his way into a lucrative extension as early as next offseason, but his second contract could prove to be his sole lucrative deal if he holds firm on his career plans.

“The injuries are something you can’t control [as] part of the game, so you never know,” Nacua added. “Hopefully, the rest of the career can go healthy, but you have shoulder surgery, you have knee surgery, you have ankle. By the time my kids could be 18, I could be barely walking if you play the game and sustain all the injuries and stuff like that, but I want to retire early.”

For the time being, Nacua should be able to enjoy a highly productive career as long as he remains healthy moving forward. Even if that takes place, though, his tenure with the Rams could prove to be relatively short-lived.

NOVEMBER 3: Nacua is officially active for Week 9, a positive sign for the status of his knee. The Rams’ offense will welcome his presence in a key NFC West contest.

NOVEMBER 1: Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua exploded off of injured reserve with seven catches for 106 yards in Week 8, but his status for Week 9 is up in the air after sustaining a knee injury in practice on Thursday.

Nacua injured the same knee that forced him on injured reserve to start the season with a PCL sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, causing plenty of concern in Los Angeles. The second-year wideout did not practice on Friday and will be listed as questionable for the Rams’ Week 9 tilt with the Seahawks, according to The Athletic’s Jordan Rodrigue.

Head coach Sean McVay insisted that there was no structural damage to Nacua’s knee, which has been hurt three different times over the past few months. McVay did not rule out Nacua for Sunday’s game and added that he doesn’t expect the injury to hamper his star receiver for the rest of the year.

If Nacua is unable to play on Sunday, the Rams will hope that Cooper Kupp can build on his positive return from injured reserve last week. The veteran wasn’t as explosive as his younger counterpart, but he still put together a statline of five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Tutu Atwell and Demarcus Robinson, who have both stepped up in the absences of Nacua and Kupp to lead the Rams in receiving yards, will stay ready for a featured role in the passing game if Nacua sits out.