Puka Nacua has been the subject of many stories over the last three years, both really positive and really negative. We know the Los Angeles Rams have been aware of the negative stories that get reported
, but how many haven’t reached the media or the public yet? At least a few, according to Colin Cowherd, and that why it’s been so difficult for the Rams to come to a decision on his future with the team.“(The Rams) have been putting out fires behind the scenes for three years (for Puka). You’ve read
about some of them,” says Cowherd.
How much worse could it get?
As the Rams go into Sunday’s game against the Raiders without Davante Adams, they are also unsure if Nacua will be able to go either after suffering a calf injury in practice. Nacua already missed two games earlier this season and he also missed six games in 2024. Nacua left several games in 2025 and miraculously only missed one game.
If that’s all the information you had, it would be easy to let Puka walk over $40-$45 million in annual salary when he’s a free agent in 2027. Even without Cowherd’s alleged extra issues we don’t know about.
But it’s not that easy.
The Rams are so clearly a worse team without Puka Nacua and on the field they need him more than he needs them. If L.A. doesn’t want Puka, other teams will. He’ll get paid either way, he’ll get targeted 10-15 times per game when he’s healthy on any team. Matthew Stafford targeted Puka 24 times against the Bills.
Les Snead is already looking at a roster that probably won’t — and definitely shouldn’t — bring back Davante Adams next year. They don’t know if Stafford will be back after this season. We don’t even know if Sean McVay will coach the team in 2027.
Without Puka, the Rams would definitely be in the running for least-talented offense in the NFL.
On the other hand, what if Nacua’s injuries are never going to stop? What if Cowherd’s trying to not-so-subtly tell us that Nacua is facing more serious allegations?
We don’t know what the Rams are going to do We apparently don’t know what Puka Nacua already did.
