If Puka Nacua continues performing at his current pace, the Los Angeles Rams will soon need to pay up to keep him around.
According to Spotrac, the contract analysis site projects Nacua’s next deal could exceed $36 million per year, locking him in with the Rams through 2030.
Through the team’s 3-2 start, Nacua leads the NFL in both receptions (52) and receiving yards (588), marking one of the most impressive three-year stretches in league history—particularly for a player drafted 177th overall out of BYU in 2023.
Currently, Nacua is playing on a bargain contract worth just $1.03 million this season. He’s under team control through 2026 but can hit free agency in 2027, as his fifth-round rookie deal doesn’t include a fifth-year option.
Puka Nacua’s Second Contract Will Make Him One Of The Highest-Paid Non-QBs
Nacua is on track for 177 receptions this season — a total that would obliterate Michael Thomas’ single-season record of 149 catches set with the New Orleans Saints in 2019. He’s also pacing toward a 2,000-yard season, which would surpass Calvin Johnson’s all-time record of 1,976 yards from 2012.
Even if he falls short of either milestone, his emergence as one of the league’s elite receivers is expected to earn him a massive second contract, according to Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti.
“The 2023 fifth-round pick has gone from an unknown to a record-setting wideout and household name,” Ginnitti wrote in his early extension projections. “Nacua is averaging seven receptions and 93 yards per game through just over two seasons and will be eligible for an extension this offseason. Our model values him at four years and $146 million ($36.5 million annually).”
That $36.5 million average would make Nacua the NFL’s second-highest-paid receiver, trailing only Ja’Marr Chase of the Bengals ($40.5 million). It would also place him among the top eight highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the league — though that ranking could shift as new deals are signed each offseason.
Puka Nacua’s Second Contract Could Set Records
Chase became the league’s highest-paid wide receiver following his spectacular 2024 campaign, where he hauled in 127 passes for 1,708 yards, earned his first All-Pro selection, and finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting.
Now, with Puka Nacua on pace to surpass not only Rams franchise marks but also records that rank among the best in NFL history — notably Cooper Kupp’s 141 receptions and 1,906 yards from 2021 — he could redefine the wide receiver market and surpass Chase’s value.
Micah Parsons recently secured a deal averaging $46.5 million per year, illustrating how top non-quarterbacks are being compensated. Wideouts rank among the most coveted positions, with Chase, Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, and Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb all sitting in the top 10 highest-paid non-quarterbacks.
Nacua’s case for a record-breaking contract is strengthened by his production — he owns the second-highest receiving yards per game in NFL history, trailing only Jefferson and ahead of Chase. That argument becomes even stronger considering he’ll be eligible for his second contract earlier than both Jefferson and Chase were, since his rookie deal lacks a fifth-year option.
Be the first to comment