How much will Puka Nacua make in 2024 (and when can he sign an extension)?

The LA Rams still have WR Puka Nacua on the (very) cheap for 2024, but he'll eventually cost the team a pretty penny.

I don't think that anyone could have asked more from rookie WR Puka Nacua in 2023. Not only did he step up for the team in Game 1 against the Seattle Seahawks for 119 yards on 10 of 15 receptions, but he finished off the season with a performance in the 2024 NFL playoffs of 181 yards and a touchdown, catching 9 of 10 passes against the Detroit Lions.

Despite being the 177th player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Nacua set several NFL All-Time Rookie Receiving Records in 2023. By all rights, Nacua should have earned the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, but his modest Round 5 selection, and the fact that he was not a rookie quarterback, compelled the selection voters to turn to Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Still, let's be clear. Nacua was the fourth-ranked NFL receiver in 2023, which is a lofty perch for a rookie receiver. He outperformed such NFL household names as Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown, or San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk. But he is only a fraction of their cost,

And on that topic, he will remain one of the NFL's best bargains in 2024 as well.

How much money will Puka Nacua earn in 2024?

Nacua is entering his second year for his four-year rookie contract, The contract, per Spotrac, was originally four years at $4.09 million, which averages out to $1,021,244 per year.

Nacua's base salary was $750,000 in 2023, and that will increase slightly to $915,000 in 2024.

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That will account for 0.39 percent of the LA Rams total salary cap in 2024.

When is Puka Nacua eligible for a contract extension?

When will the Rams have an opportunity to extend Nacua? Well, the current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA prevents drafted players still on rookie contracts from negotiating new deals with their respective teams until after their third season at the pro level.

Even if they wanted to, the Rams couldn't engage in extension talks with Purdy's camp until after the 2025 season.

That means Nacua will still only cost a fraction of a fraction of the LA Rams' total cap this year, although his eventual cap hit after an inevitable extension is going to be hefty. The going rate for free agent wide receivers this year is well over $20+ million per season and for less productive players. The Rams have at least two more years of Nacua at a bargain basement cost before they will need to figure out ways to meet his fair market value of $25 million or more per year.

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