Puka Nacua is just another football player this week. The Rams couldn’t ask for anything more.
Starting organized training activities in Woodland Hills, the Rams got back to on-field workouts in 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills, meaning that finally Matthew Stafford can start throwing passes to Puka again. In the midst of a tumultuous year off of the field, including a rehab stint, Nacua is able to focus on football for now.
The next question for Puka Nacua and the Rams, if he stays out of trouble, is how much the team is willing to pay him on a contract extension. Nacua is eligible to be extended for the first time in his career and as a former fifth round pick is a historically-good bargain for the franchise. That’s not a discount that the receiver would love to keep giving the Rams.
The next question becomes, if the Rams drag their feet on an extension because of Nacua’s off-field behavior, will that turn into a holdout?
For the time being, Nacua told the media that teammates continue to support him and he knows it’s okay to ask for help when he needs it.
On the contract situation, Nacua said it’s “not on his mind”. That’s still a little hard to believe. But at least he’s where he needs to be if he wants to get a new deal soon.
