Ever since the Los Angeles Rams selected Puka Nacua with the No. 177 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, he has been one of the best wide receivers (and stories) in the NFL.
It is rare for a fifth-round pick to come in and have the type of success Nacua has enjoyed over his first two seasons. Let’s examine Nacua’s contract, salary, and net worth.
Puka Nacua’s Contract and Salary
On June 20, 2023, Nacua inked a four-year contract worth $4,084,977 with Los Angeles. The deal featured $244,980 in guarantees and a $244,980 signing bonus.
This season, his base salary is just $915,000 and with his prorated $61,245 signing bonus, his cap hit is just $976,245.
He is easily one of the biggest bargains in the NFL. For reference, he is the 191st-highest-paid wide receiver in the league.
Nacua is earning less than wide receivers like Arizona Cardinals WR Andre Baccellia, Cincinnati Bengals WR Kendrick Pryor, Carolina Panthers WR Dax Milne, Jacksonville Jaguars WRs Austin Trammell, and many other virtually unknown players.
Nacua signed a standard rookie deal that is customary for his draft slot, and outside of the signing bonus, there is very little room for negotiation when it comes to rookie contracts in the NFL.
Nacua’s net worth is currently estimated to be roughly $1 million. Through two NFL seasons, he has earned $1,909,976.
Rams vs. Eagles Game Preview
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- Time: 3 PM ET
- Channel – NBC
The winner of this game will play the winner of the other NFC Divisional round game between the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders. Whichever team holds the better regular season record will play host to the Conference Championship.
The Eagles started September off with some hiccups, going into their week 5 bye with a 2-2 record. However, they reeled off a 10-game winning streak on the other end, securing the NFC East division title with weeks to spare.
Since 2000, the average Super Bowl participant allowed a first down on 37.4% of third downs and a touchdown on 52.3% of red-zone trips during the regular season. The Eagles and Lions are the only two remaining NFC teams meeting both these benchmarks.
Philadelphia’s defense has been a consistent strength this season, with an average Defense+ grade of 79.9. The Eagles are an undefeated 14-0 when their Defense+ grade reaches 75 or higher, including an 81.8 mark in last week’s win over the Packers.
The Eagles’ running game has also taken a significant leap forward this year, led by Saquon Barkley. Philadelphia’s running backs are averaging 17.5% more yards per carry after first contact, compared to last season.
The Rams have played four games against playoff teams since their Week 6 bye — they’ve scored an average of 30.3 points in those games.
But on the darker side, the Rams had a -1.12 average point differential during the regular season. In the 21st century, the 2011 Giants are the only team to advance to championship weekend after posting a negative point differential during the regular season.
However, a close game won’t scare the Rams. They had 15 games this season decided by 10 or fewer points, the most in the league. This holds the same for the Eagles, who hold a 7-1 record in clutch games in 2024.
Based on 10,000 simulations run by the PFN Playoff Predictor, the Eagles have a 63.2% win probability heading into the game.
