The Los Angeles Rams selected Puka Nacua with the 177th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Despite being a fifth-round selection, Nacua was an instant success for the Rams.
He has had three great seasons to start his NFL career, and is likely to get a massive contract extension in the offseason. Here are the details on Nacua’s rookie contract with the Rams:
Puka Nacua’s Contract Breakdown
Similar to other rookies, Nacua signed a four-year deal after getting drafted. His contract value for the entire four years is $4.08 million, with an annual average salary of $1.02 million.
The 24-year-old wideout will enter the final year of his contract next season, and the Rams will hope to sign him to an extension sooner rather than later.
Ja’Marr Chase is currently the highest-paid receiver in the league with an annual average salary of $40.25 million, and his total contract value is $161 million. Based on that, Nacua’s new contract could be over $170 million, as he is expected to become the highest-paid player at his position.
Nacua, along with his quarterback, Matthew Stafford, was recently named to the All-Pro first team, which further strengthens his case to get a better contract than Chase.
In 16 games this past regular season, the Rams star recorded 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns on 166 targets. He averaged 13.3 yards per reception and an impressive 107.2 receiving yards per game.
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So far in his career, Nacua has proven himself to be one of the best receivers in the league. The Rams have enjoyed his services on a cheap rookie deal, but it is now time for Sean McVay and Co. to pay their star player the money he deserves.
Los Angeles Rams’ Stats and Insights for Wild Card Round
Team: The Rams committed three turnovers in a loss to the Panthers, 31-28, in Week 13. Matthew Stafford committed all three with two interceptions and a fumble. The Rams had the ball inside the Panthers’ 25 on two of the turnovers.
Playoffs: The Rams are 3-4 away from home, including Super Bowl LIII, in the postseason under Sean McVay. They are 5-1 when playing at home, including Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium, under McVay.
QB: Matthew Stafford had his best postseason PFSN’s Quarterback Impact (QBi) score of 85.5 (B) in the 2021 Wild Card game against the Arizona Cardinals. He has had a C or better in every postseason game with the Rams.
OFF: Puka Nacua finished the regular season with the best PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact (WRi) for the second straight season. It’s the third-best WRi season since 2019; his 2024 is the fourth-best WRi.
DEF: The Rams had the fifth-best DEFi this season, which is impressive considering the top three teams have had a top 20 DEFi score since 2000. The last three seasons, the Rams have finished 19th or worse in DEFi.