Puka Nacua is coming off of one of the most productive seasons in NFL history, leading the league with 129 receptions and averaging 107.2 yards per game for the Rams as a 24-year-old All-Pro receiver. But at a time when a contract extension should be obvious to everyone in the media, Nacua’s recent history off of the field has opened the door for criticism of his persona, skepticism of his ability to stay healthy, and comparisons to Antonio Brown from some.
That includes Dan Hanzus, former host of the NFL Network’s Around the NFL podcast, who said on his “Heed the Call” podcast on Tuesday that the Rams would be “insane” to extend Puka Nacua rather than trade him while they can still get a first round pick. Co-host Marc Sessler, also a former employee at the NFL Network, agreed that Puka’s stock has dropped in his eyes as a squeaky clean person off the field six months ago, but not necessarily that L.A. should trade him.
“Brilliant player. Obviously. But you are insane if you let him continue on with the Rams — as long as Matthew Stafford is the quarterback and playing at a high level (then keeping Puka is OKAY) … but you will rue the day that you give this man an extension,” said Hanzus. “You trade this man for a first round pick and let someone else handle the Antonio Brown portion of his career. I feel 100-percent certain this to be true.”
Sessler says that he feels completely different about Puka compared to the start of the 2025 season, referencing several videos that have come out since the Super Bowl that would appear to show Puka slurring his words or acting drunk in public, allegedly.
“Is there a player who six month ago, in terms off-field and demeanor, and after the six or seven drunk videos and bizarre videos since then, I feel completely different about this guy.”
But Sessler says that it has not gotten to the point where the Rams should trade Puka now and Hanzus clarifies that he believes the team should wait until after Stafford declines. Except that Hanzus’s timeline doesn’t really make any sense because Puka Nacua is going to holdout for a new contract this year.
Call this a hunch too: It would be surprising if Puka practiced at all this year until he gets a contract extension.
SI’s Connor Orr is the guest on the show and mentions that the Rams have been able to find great receivers under Les Snead like Cooper Kupp and Puka, so believes maybe they could do it again to replace Puka.
For what it’s worth, being able to get more than a first round pick for Puka Nacua is a given. Even though it’s been almost impossible trade receivers for first round picks, Nacua is 24 and there are plenty of teams that would treat it as an opportunity to add a perennial Offensive Player of the Year candidate without thinking twice about his partying or Twitch streaming appearances.
If you put an offer in front of the Chiefs right now, they might even give you the ninth overall pick and next year’s first round pick for Puka Nacua.
But a trade is almost certainly not going to happen. That would be virtually unprecedented for a player of his age and caliber. Although we did see it happen to Micah Parsons last year, the Cowboys weren’t winning anything with him and the sides were far apart on negotiations. The Rams are winning and they need Puka and everyone seems to get along. Maybe if there’s a stalemate in negotiations, but that’s a long ways from happening.
Trading Puka? Now that’s what would be insane.
