With the 2026 NFL season nearly here, Puka Nacua’s status remains unsettled as the league continues to sort through his ongoing legal situation.
For now, the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver has avoided the commissioner’s exempt list, according to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero. That designation would have put him on paid administrative leave while the NFL reviewed a serious legal matter or a personal conduct policy issue. On Sunday, three other players landed on that list: Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathan Cooper and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Terrion Arnold.
Even without that move, Nacua’s case is still being reviewed by the league, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday. Schefter had said on Aug. 11 that Nacua could be suspended for the Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 10 in Australia.
“Right now, there are some things going on behind closed doors that we don’t have full access to, that are going to have a significant impact on the season, depending on how these conversations go,” Schefter said at the time.
The offseason has already been a difficult one for Nacua, the former BYU and Orem High standout. He entered a “holistic care facility” to get professional help after a stretch of controversies late in the 2025 season.
In March, a Los Angeles woman filed a civil lawsuit accusing Nacua of “forcibly” biting her shoulder and making an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” during a New Year’s Eve outing, according to the court document obtained by ESPN.
Two weeks ago, a Los Angeles County judge set the civil trial date for March 27, 2028, with a final status conference scheduled for March 14 that same year.
Nacua spoke publicly about seeking help in early June, when he addressed reporters for the first time since entering rehab.
“Something that I feel like I’ve learned is, it’s OK to ask for support,” Nacua said, per the Los Angeles Times. “And then to recognize the platform that I have in being a professional football player, and trying to use that for the betterment of myself and for those around me.”
His on-field availability has also been a storyline this month. Nacua missed a significant portion of training camp in August because of soreness in his psoas, the deep core muscle that serves as a primary hip flexor. He exited a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 11 because of tightness and discomfort.
Nacua returned to practice Sunday, according to numerous reports.
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BYU Freshmen Are Already Pushing For Roles That Could Matter Fast
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The most interesting part for BYU is not just that those freshmen made the chart, but how many different ways they could matter as the season unfolds. Some are already positioned to factor in sooner than later, while others appear to be developing toward heavier work as fall camp observations and coaching staff comments continue to shape the picture. For a team trying to build depth and keep pace over a long season, having that many first-year players in the conversation this early is a sign the roster may be younger, and more open-ended, than usual. [Read more 🡒]
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The chart also gives a glimpse at the young talent and open jobs that will define the early part of camp, with true freshman Legend Glasker listed at receiver and a battle brewing at Rover linebacker. Siale Esera and Jake Clifton are both in the mix there, and the spot is one of several where BYU is still working to see which pieces fit best as the 2026 season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Landed On A Big 12 List Fans Wont Like
BYU enters the new Big 12 season with a level of expectation that is hard to ignore, and that alone says plenty about where the program sits now. Among the league teams being sized up before kickoff, the Cougars are in a conversation with programs like Texas Tech, Houston, TCU and Utah as clubs that could end up under the microscope if the season does not unfold the way outsiders think it should. The concerns are the usual ones this time of year: a demanding schedule, coaching changes around the league, and the kind of roster turnover that can make preseason optimism feel fragile in a hurry.
For BYU, the challenge is not just living up to the buzz, but avoiding the kind of slide that makes a promising year look disappointing by the end. The Cougars have enough pieces to justify belief, and the fact they are being discussed alongside other Big 12 teams with real aspirations only sharpens the pressure. Still, the list they landed on is a reminder that in a conference with so much change and so many unknowns, reputation can turn quickly if the early results do not match the expectations. [Read more 🡒]