Rams' head coach Sean McVay confirms that star wide receiver Puka Nacua will participate in training camp as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
This morning, the Los Angeles Rams reported for training camp and are beginning preparations for what they hope to be a very strong 2026 season.
With the Rams reporting, there was media availability with head coach Sean McVay commenting on a variety of topics, with one of them being about superstar wide receiver Puka Nacua entering the final year of their rookie deal.
On the topic of Nacua's extension, McVay informed reporters that he will participate in training camp as he looks for a new deal.
Negotiating with Nacua may be the most important extension for the Rams based on the fact that he has become one of the most dynamic players in the entire NFL and could reset the market for receivers with his looming extension.
While the Rams have expressed the desire to extend Nacua, he has not necessarily made it easy with his off-the-field issues that have grabbed several headlines this offseason, including having to check himself into a treatment center.
McVay Offers Update on Pending Contract Situations
McVay also had comments on the contract situation as a whole for the Rams and whether or not he has talked to the players involved in those talks.
"We've had a lot of internal dialogue and discussions, and there's been a lot of moving parts. I've talked to those players about it. They're obviously very important to us, the ones that you're referring to as are the guys that are not in contract situations. I know that our group has had some conversations with agents," McVay said.
As is the case across the league, the Rams are currently in the middle of negotiating contracts to extend the players they have drafted to do what they can to build sustainable success. This offseason, the primary focus is the 2023 draft class, which includes Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Steve Avila, and Warren McClendon Jr., in addition to Kevin Dotson, whom the Rams brought in via trade in 2023.
Turner and Young have become staples of the Rams defensive line and are poised for another strong season in 2026 that could see their best performance yet with star edge rusher Myles Garrett now on the defensive line.
Avila, McClendon, and Dotson have also been very reliable for the Rams in their roles on the offensive line. Protecting Matthew Stafford is crucial, and with the success that all three have shown on the offensive line, Los Angeles may have no choice but to figure out a way to extend each one.
The Rams may have to hold off on these extensions and prioritize Nacua's extension for a few different reasons, with the main one being based on a potential Aaron Donald return, as McVay alluded to.
"If Aaron comes back, what does that look like? There's a couple of moving parts, but the answer to your question is yes," McVay said.
When Donald retired, he was owed $30 million, making the Nacua extension a lot more difficult. This is assuming the former Rams defensive end wants a contract that is close to the owed amount.
With the amount of money that Nacua and his agent may be targeting, having Donald's situation figured out is a bit more pressing.
With the understanding of the contracts the Rams have to negotiate, it is possible that Donald could make his decision a lot sooner, so the team can get some of these contracts done before the season rather than having to work through them throughout the season.
Following the negotiations surrounding Nacua and potentially Donald, it will also be interesting to monitor who the Rams choose to extend next. As previously mentioned, Turner, Young, Avila, McClendon, and Dotson have all earned extensions, but how these talks are managed will definitely be a storyline to watch.
