Just as it looked like the Los Angeles Rams were starting to pull themselves out of the fire, they suffered another major setback. After a significant injury to Davante Adams that is expected to keep him sidelined for a long period of time, their other star receiver, Puka Nacua, also suffered a brutal blow.

As a result, he is expected to miss time, although the Rams had not yet placed him on injured reserve as of Wednesday. That leaves the Rams extremely vulnerable, especially offensively. From a long-term perspective, one analyst is unsure whether Nacua will now get a blockbuster extension.

Analyst Isn’t Fully Buying Into Puka Nacua

Whenever he’s been healthy, Nacua’s production has been undeniable. A fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, he put up 1,486 yards and 6 touchdowns as a rookie, before suiting up for just 11 games in 2024.

Last year, as he put together another healthy campaign, he tallied over 1,700 yards and 10 touchdowns, finishing atop PFN’s Wide Receiver Impact Metric.

This season, even as the Rams have dealt with offensive inconsistency and sit at 5-4 through nine weeks, Nacua has been individually excellent, tallying 715 yards and four touchdowns in seven games.

But after missing two games earlier in the season, this latest injury has cast doubts about his feasibility as a WR1 in the long run. Colin Cowherd pointed to those concerns and was unsure about the Rams giving him a major extension in the offseason.

“Puka is out. Boy, I’ll tell you, from the injuries to the off-field drama, and that’s just the stuff we know about, I don’t think they’re signing Puka Nakua,” Cowherd argued on his podcast. “I really don’t.”

Cowherd was referencing a series of off-field issues that have followed Nacua since late 2025. In December, Nacua apologized after making an antisemitic gesture during a livestream, saying he did not understand its meaning at the time.

Months later, a woman filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of making an antisemitic remark and biting her shoulder during a New Year’s Eve gathering. Nacua, through his attorney, strongly denied the antisemitic allegation, while his attorney characterized the biting incident as “horseplay.”

Nacua also voluntarily entered a rehabilitation facility during the offseason and later spoke publicly about seeking help and making changes in his life.

Separately, a potential misdemeanor battery matter stemming from the alleged biting incident has been handled through a pre-filing diversion process; as of September, no criminal charge had been filed. The Rams have publicly acknowledged that off-field conduct is something they weigh in contract decisions, adding another layer to any extension talks involving their star receiver.

Still in the final year of his rookie deal, Nacua is already eligible for an extension and could become an unrestricted free agent in 2027 if the Rams do not reach a new agreement with him. With his division counterpart, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, becoming the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history in March, the BYU product will be hoping for similar compensation.

But the injury concerns are getting harder to overlook. And if the Rams can’t stay afloat in his absence and then shift it to another quarterback afterward once he comes back, then their expectations of a Super Bowl could end up in smoke.

That would significantly derail their plan, and with Stafford’s long-term future still being handled on a year-to-year basis, it could force the franchise to make a major decision about their superstar wide receiver as well.