Predicting What a Puka Nacua Extension Could Look Like as NFL WR Market Explodes

With massive deals given out to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Drake London and Christian Watson this offseason, Nacua has the opportunity to truly break the bank.

Puka Nacua is eligible for a contract extension. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

It’s the offseason for wide receivers in the NFL.

After a 2025 season that saw him haul in 119 receptions for a league-leading 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns, win the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award and help lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl LX victory over the Patriots, Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed a record-breaking contract extension in late March—$168.6 million over four years, including $120 million guaranteed. The deal will pay him an average of $42.15 million per season, the highest in NFL history. 

This spring has also seen the Falcons extend star Drake London on a four-year, $141 million deal, and the Packers lock up Christian Watson for an additional four years and $110.5 million. These moves come one year after both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins re-upped with the Bengals, Garrett Wilson signed an extension with the Jets and DK Metcalf was traded for and re-signed by the Steelers.

Needless to say, NFL wide receivers are continuing to get paid, which brings us to the next player in line for an extension: Puka Nacua.

Nacua, 25, was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 draft and has developed into one of the best wide receivers in the sport since. Over his first three seasons, the former BYU Cougar has not only been elected to two Pro Bowls but also earned his role as the leading target in a high-flying Los Angeles offense. 

RELATED: Jaxon Smith-Njigba Extension Sets Up Three High-End NFL Wide Receivers to Cash In

In 2025 specifically, Nacua in a league-leading 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, led the league in receiving yards per game (107.2) and earned first-team All-Pro honors while helping quarterback Matthew Stafford win his first career NFL MVP award.

Now, as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Nacua is eligible for an extension. So what could a deal look like for the 25-year-old? Let’s examine.

Comps for a Nacua extension

Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are among the top-paid wide receivers in the NFL. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The past several offseasons have seen CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Chase and Smith-Njigba cash in on market-setting deals—each just barely taking the top spot over the other in terms of average salary per year. Here’s a look at where they stack up against one another, per OverTheCap.com.

Player, Team	Average Per Year	Total Contract Value	Guaranteed Money
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks	$42,150,000	$168,600,000	$120,067,996
Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals	$40,250,000	$161,000,000	$109,800,000
Drake London, Falcons	$35,250,000	$141,000,000	$100,000,000
Justin Jefferson, Vikings	$35,000,000	$140,000,000	$110,000,000
CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys	$34,000,000	$136,000,000	$100,000,000
DK Metcalf, Steelers	$32,999,882	$131,999,529	$80,000,471
Garrett Wilson, Jets	$32,500,000	$130,000,000	$90,000,000
A.J. Brown, Patriots	$32,000,000	$96,000,000	$84,000,000
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions	$30,002,500	$120,010,000	$77,000,000
Nico Collins, Texans	$30,000,000	$60,000,000	$57,000,000

As we mentioned above, Nacua is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s most elite wide receivers and as such will ultimately be paid like one in due time. That said, the Rams could wait to offer him a lucrative contract (based, in part on some of his off-the-field issues) and instead decide to visit the negotiating table at a later date, either midseason or next spring. 

Nacua, for his part, holds considerable leverage, given his performance last season. Los Angeles is clearly in win-now mode after acquiring Myles Garrett, and the wide receiver is undoubtedly a part of their plan to compete for a Super Bowl title in 2026. Knowing that, Nacua could theoretically hold Los Angeles’s feet to the fire this summer and hold out until a deal is done. That doesn’t seem to be a part of his plan, however. 

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Nacua said late last month, when asked if he’s comfortable playing this season without a contract extension. “I enjoy playing football. It’s the biggest dream come true. To be able to be out here and play for this organization specifically has been awesome. I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. It’s been fun to be out here and be around these guys. Like I said, I’ll let all those things handle themselves.”

The verdict

While the timeline for Nacua to be extended remains uncertain, it’s reasonable to project a deal in the range of four years, $180 million—paying him an average of $45 million per year. As for the guarantees, expect him to break the $100 million mark like the rest of his pass-catching counterparts.

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