As a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft, receiver Puka Nacua is in line for a significant and lucrative contract extension from the Rams this offseason.
But the talented receiver has also been making the kinds of headlines the organization surely does not prefer over the last few months.
At the annual league meeting on Monday, Rams head coach Sean McVay said that the team has been aware of Nacua’s situation since the incident happened on New Year’s Eve. While the club is continuing to let the process play out, McVay again expressed his confidence in Nacua as a player and a person.
“You guys know, I trust this kid’s heart,” McVay said. “Love him, put your arm around him, want to continue to help him grow. And, really, get all the appropriate facts before I rush to judgment on that particular situation. But I will say, knowing this guy for three years, is I do trust his heart. I trust the human being. And I want to be able to put my arm around him.”
Even so, is there concern within the organization about Nacua, given that the club is likely about to pay him a lot of money?
McVay said the team has had “conversations” surrounding that.
“Puka would be the first to tell you, he and I have a close relationship. We communicate clear, open, and honest,” McVay said. “The play on the field is amazing, and with what the play has dictated and determined, there’s a responsibility in terms of representing all things — not exclusive to just that. He knows that. Those are the expectations. And we’re hopeful that will be something that, this is 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.”
While McVay acknowledged that a lot was thrown at Nacua quickly when it comes to being a pro, the head coach added, “I also think he’s built to be able to handle it.”
“I think that in a lot of instances, when you have the right heart, when you have people like his mom, his brothers, his coaches, his teammates — you’ve got a lot of people who love him and want to be able to help him continue to grow,” McVay said. “And, shoot, I had the same thing. I think about a lot of instances, even in this role, you’re growing up in the midst of it, becoming a man. And that’s exactly what we’re witnessing with him. And I want to help him become the best human being he can possibly be, because I do believe better people make better Rams. And I trust this kid’s heart, like I said.”
Whether or not Nacua continues to earn that trust is to be determined. But, as McVay said, Nacua’s performance means that he’s earned a raise. Despite playing 16 games in 2025, he led the NFL with 129 receptions. His catches also led to a league-leading 80 first downs, and he was No. 1 with 107.2 receiving yards per game, finishing with 1,715 yards with 10 TDs.
Nacua is headed into the last year of his four-year rookie contract, and is currently set to make $5.77 million in base salary. In his first three seasons, Nacua has caught 313 passes for 4,191 yards with 19 touchdowns in 44 career games.