The Los Angeles Rams won’t sign Puka Nacua to an extension until they believe that the All-Pro receiver has matured enough to stop the off-field issues that have marred his character over the past year, according to a report by The Athletic.
Which begs to ask the question of the Rams front office and coaching staff: “If you think there’s even a chance that Puka will let you down that much, why don’t you trade him for good draft picks while you still can?”
If there’s truth to this report by Jordan Rodrigue, that the Rams are “significantly” more worried about Puka’s behavior than they were four months ago, then Les Snead, Kevin Demoff, and Sean McVay are playing with fire when it comes to the player’s value tanking in a year if they don’t trade him and then try to put him on the market over another crash out.
Advertisement
Four years ago, the Texans traded Deshaun Watson to the Browns for three first round picks despite a long list of pending lawsuits against the quarterback over sexual assault allegations, not to mention a looming contract extension. Puka’s character concerns are of a different nature and he’s a 24-year-old receiving superstar who might be the best player in the NFL at his position, so it’s not out of the question that the Rams could trade him for multiple first round picks.
Especially given the uncertain quality of the prospects in the 2026 draft class.
The report states that the team is glad that Puka at least checked himself into rehab, with no expectation of the receiver leaving any time soon according to his lawyer.
Why wouldn’t the Rams use that time to gauge the price that other teams are willing to pay for Nacua’s services on the trade market?
Advertisement
It would save L.A. the trouble of paying him $42-$45 million per season at a time when they are supposedly “significantly” concerned, according to Rodrigue, and they would be able to increase their draft capital after having acquired Trent McDuffie from the Chiefs for a first round pick and a contract extension.
Nacua’s off-field issues is a story we’ve been covering since February, before the news was close to the fever pitch that it has reached now, and there’s no telling at this point if we’re only looking at the tip of the iceberg.
If what we’ve seen is all there is to see, then Nacua’s first three seasons are legitimately on par with the best players to play the game and the Rams are crazy to trade him.
That shroud of mystery is also why the Rams still have an opportunity to trade him for multiple first round picks.
Advertisement
The team reportedly questioning his ability to rebound before they give him a contract extension is an admission to other franchises that Puka hasn’t been trustworthy. The less that Snead let other teams know that, the better it is for the Rams. This is already becoming a story that the Rams should want to shut down before it goes further than this.
If not, then a trade is what should happen.
Virtually every team in the NFL can use a Puka Nacua who is mentally sound and not getting into situations off of the field that embarrass his franchise.
There are also several teams with multiple first round picks, including the Jets, the Browns, the Chiefs, and the Dolphins. All of those teams have a need at receiver. The Jets, Browns, and Dolphins could especially use a receiver who elevates their quarterback.
Advertisement
Would the Miami Dolphins not consider trading pick 11 for Nacua? Would the Browns entertain trading pick 6 for Nacua, knowing how bad the Browns are at drafting players?
Would the Texans trade picks 28 and 38 for Nacua?
Would the Jets trade picks 16 and 44?
There are so many possibilities at hand that the Rams must be having those conversations too, not just the ones where they’re telling Puka Nacua that they’ll wait.
Because if they wait too long, the best draft pick that has happened to the Rams since Aaron Donald could also be the biggest opportunity that slipped through their hands. And if they have no doubt about Puka’s ability to emerge from this story as a vindicated hero, then they should be working harder to deny these claims by The Athletic.