Puka Nacua is heading into camp without a second contract, but the Rams receiver apparently won’t be taking the usual hold-in route.
That was the message from Sean McVay on Saturday, when the coach said Nacua is expected to be on the field with everyone else.
“Oh, he’ll practice, yes,” McVay told reporters on Saturday when asked about Nacua. “My understanding is everybody’s going to practice and be ready to go.”
It’s a notable development for a player who has already put together three stellar seasons and is now a little more than seven months from free agency. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, holding out has become far more difficult, so most players chasing a new deal show up to camp and work around the edges rather than stay away entirely.
Nacua is set to make $5.767 million this year, a number that looks tiny next to the new standard at receiver. Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who entered the league in the same draft class as Nacua, recently landed a deal worth a record-setting $42.15 million annually.
But Nacua’s case is more complicated than simple market math. Off-field issues that surfaced during the offseason have changed the landscape around his next contract, even as he has expressed gratitude for the support he’s received from the Rams.
The latest reporting on the matter raised the possibility of Nacua entering a diversion program, which could create a suspension under the Personal Conduct Policy. That would make negotiations far trickier. A suspension would likely wipe out his guarantees unless a future deal specifically excludes the incident tied to the lawsuit and possible diversion program.
Even then, that kind of protection would not come cheap. If the Rams were willing to build that exception into the contract, they would almost certainly demand a lower overall number in return.
None of that changes the fact that Nacua has outperformed his current salary by a mile. He has been every bit as good as Smith-Njigba, if not better, and at his peak, there may not be a receiver in the league who is more dangerous.
His representatives have surely pushed for the kind of long-term security his production has earned. But if that security comes with an asterisk because of the unresolved off-field situation, it isn’t really security at all.
For now, the path forward is pretty clear. Nacua has to keep playing, keep producing and hope his physical style doesn’t lead to an injury that dents his future value. He also needs the off-field matter resolved as cleanly and quickly as possible so he can chase the contract he already deserves after the 2026 season.
The only other wrinkle is the franchise tag, which the Rams could use if they choose. For receivers, that number sits well below market value.
What this all lays bare is the financial cost of off-field misconduct, alleged or otherwise. Even if Nacua is eventually cleared, the allegation alone has already complicated his push for a deal that matches his performance. And it leaves him in the uncomfortable position of playing for far less than he’s worth while putting himself at risk of the kind of injury that could keep him from ever cashing in the way he should have.
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