Puka Nacua checked into rehab earlier this year and his lawyer said at the time that he had no plans to leave until he was ready to go and Monday’s report that the star receiver is present at the Rams facility implies that he’s ready. Gary Klein of The LA Times reported on Monday that Puka is present for the first day of L.A.‘s offseason program, presumably ending his stay in rehab for the time being and preparing for the 2026 season with his team.
The Rams have had to contemplate the best plan of action moving forward with Nacua, including what his trade value might be, given that he is now extension eligible for the first time in his career in 2026. For a former fifth round pick, the raise for Nacua on a deal comparable to the four-year, $164 million contract signed by Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason is surely weighing on his mind.
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That’s a reason to get sober and straighten out as a football player. It’s also a cause for concern on L.A.‘s side as to assessing how serious Nacua is about giving the NFL his full attention off of the field and away from the team, versus how important it is for him to merely survive this patch until he’s officially signed an extension with guaranteed money.
Even a contract extension at this point could have language in it that would prohibit the receiver from having any sort of incidents, less the deal could be voided and he could even owe money back to the team if he gets in trouble.
For now, it appears that Puka is ready for the next step, which is showing the team that he’s concentrating on his football career and how to get better for 2026. How many steps until the Rams feel comfortable those incidents are totally in his past?
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