Puka Nacua

Rams’ Puka Nacua Aggravates Injured Knee, To Play In Week 9

November 3rd, 2024 at 2:15pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

NOVEMBER 3: Nacua is officially active for Week 9, a positive sign for the status of his knee. The Rams’ offense will welcome his presence in a key NFC West contest.

NOVEMBER 1: Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua exploded off of injured reserve with seven catches for 106 yards in Week 8, but his status for Week 9 is up in the air after sustaining a knee injury in practice on Thursday.

Nacua injured the same knee that forced him on injured reserve to start the season with a PCL sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, causing plenty of concern in Los Angeles. The second-year wideout did not practice on Friday and will be listed as questionable for the Rams’ Week 9 tilt with the Seahawks, according to The Athletic’s Jordan Rodrigue.

Head coach Sean McVay insisted that there was no structural damage to Nacua’s knee, which has been hurt three different times over the past few months. McVay did not rule out Nacua for Sunday’s game and added that he doesn’t expect the injury to hamper his star receiver for the rest of the year.

If Nacua is unable to play on Sunday, the Rams will hope that Cooper Kupp can build on his positive return from injured reserve last week. The veteran wasn’t as explosive as his younger counterpart, but he still put together a statline of five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Tutu Atwell and Demarcus Robinson, who have both stepped up in the absences of Nacua and Kupp to lead the Rams in receiving yards, will stay ready for a featured role in the passing game if Nacua sits out.

Rams Activate WR Puka Nacua From IR

October 24th, 2024 at 3:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

As it turns out, Puka Nacua did not need an extended ramp-up period to return from his knee injury. The Rams will have him ready to go for tonight’s Vikings matchup.

Los Angeles is officially activating Nacua from IR, a move that will come just two days after his return designation. The second-year player has missed most of this season, but just as Cooper Kupp returns, the younger of the Rams’ two receiver standouts will be back as well.

Nacua is unlikely to see a full workload, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter stops short of confirming he will play tonight. It would certainly be unusual for a team to take the step of activating a player for a Thursday-night game only to determine he is not ready. The Rams plan to play Nacua, per Schefter, and will determine how much he will be used based on pregame warmups.

The Rams have played most of this season without Kupp and Nacua, the latter of which suffering a PCL sprain — an aggravation of a knee injury sustained in training camp. This has been a key driver of the Rams’ 2-4 start.

Nacua was perhaps the central difference-maker in the Rams going from a retooling squad to a wild-card entrant in 2023, setting the rookie record for receiving yardage (1,486). Nacua played in all 17 games as a rookie and helped the Rams put the Lions on the ropes in Round 1. As this year’s Rams squad clings to hopes of returning to the playoffs, and interesting all-hands-on-deck opportunity emerges thanks to some timely injury returns.

Missing much of camp, Nacua returned from the knee issue in time for Week 1. He only made it through 25 snaps in the Lions rematch, leaving the game after catching one pass for four yards. As Kupp trade rumors circulate, Nacua’s performance tonight — against a 5-1 Vikings team — may determine how eager the Rams are to part with the former All-Pro. The Rams dropping to 2-5 would make them a more logical seller, putting Matthew Stafford in limbo — from a long-term perspective, at least — as well. The Kupp-Nacua tandem can aim to prevent this reality from taking shape with an upset tonight.

Tutu Atwell leads the Rams with 332 receiving yards, with rookie Jordan Whittington checking in with 201 and Demarcus Robinson with 198. Moving this trio down the depth chart will benefit Sean McVay‘s team, though part-time Nacua usage would keep some of the tertiary targets as regulars.

Kupp is coming off of his latest ankle injury, one that has seen him sidelined since Week 2. He was a full practice participant this week. He and Nacua played 11 games together last season, combining for eight 100-yard outings in that time. The Rams will hope their returns spark an offense still missing multiple starting O-linemen. Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and Joe Noteboom remain on IR, joining safety John Johnson. As was the case in 2022, the Rams are running short on injury activations. They are down to four with 10 games to go, though it is understandable the team is taking a short-term approach here given its sluggish start.

Rams Designate Puka Nacua For Return

October 22nd, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Puka Nacua continues to make his way back from the knee injury that has defined his second NFL season. The Rams wide receiver made a big step toward a return Tuesday.

The Rams have Nacua back at practice, with the team announcing he has been designated for return. The rookie-year standout now has 21 days to be activated. Of course, this comes as the Rams look into trading Cooper Kupp. But Nacua, who is signed through 2026, remains a key part of the team’s future.

After seeing Nacua’s breakout begin while Kupp was on the mend with a hamstring injury, the Rams have been without both their top guns in the passing game for most of this slate. Nacua aggravated a knee injury sustained during training camp. He made it back for Week 1 but went down in that Lions matchup with a PCL sprain. A recent report (from ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler) indicated the Rams were targeting November for a Nacua return. This would point to a lengthier ramp-up period.

The Rams continue their season Thursday against the Vikings; they are unlikely to have Nacua available, and Kupp’s status will be a key storyline to monitor ahead of that contest. Los Angeles rebuffed Kupp trade inquiries last season, but at 2-4 and having seen Kupp battle injury issues since signing his second extension, the team is gauging the market for the former All-Pro. A trade coming to fruition would cut short the Kupp-Nacua partnership, which showed promise last season.

A fifth-round gem, Nacua set a rookie record with 1,486 receiving yards while adding six touchdowns during a 105-catch season. The BYU product played in every Rams game last season, displaying a physical style that paired well with Kupp’s finesse game in the slot. Nacua, 23, will be expected to reprise his role as a top Matthew Stafford target. There will be no debating Nacua’s place in the Rams’ WR hierarchy if they move on from Kupp before the November 5 deadline.

Nacua and Kupp played 12 games together last season. None of the contests involved both receivers clearing 100 yards, but the two combined for eight 100-yard efforts during their time together. It does not seem like the Rams are committed to moving Kupp, but if they receive a strong enough offer, the team will be looking for a receiver to complement Nacua. The latter’s health the rest of the way stands to shape how the Rams approach this position in the offseason as well.

Rams To Place WR Puka Nacua On IR; Nacua To Miss Five To Seven Weeks

September 15th, 2024 at 7:35am CST by Ben Levine

SEPTEMBER 15: Nacua is expected to miss five to seven weeks, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. While the wideout could still return as early as Week 7, this timeframe puts him in danger of missing that Week 7 bout with the Raiders as well as the Rams’ Week 8 contest against the Vikings (which is a Thursday night game).

SEPTEMBER 9: Puka Nacua‘s knee injury will keep him off the field for the next four weeks. Coach Sean McVay told reporters that the wideout will be placed on injured reserve. The Rams have a bye during Week 6, so the earliest Nacua can return to the field is Week 7.

McVay also revealed that Nacua’s latest injury is a continuation of a nagging knee issue that forced him to miss several weeks during training camp. McVay said Nacua aggravated his knee injury in a “more significant” manner (per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic), and the wideout was officially diagnosed with a PCL sprain. The second-year wideout hauled in four catches last night before limping off the field during the second quarter. He briefly returned to the contest before exiting for good.

The 2023 fifth-round pick set the NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486), earning him All-Pro and All-Rookie team honors. He only got into 12 games alongside Cooper Kupp in 2023, and the Rams will now be extra reliant on the 31-year-old wideout over the next month. Both Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson saw increased roles following Puka’s exit on Sunday night, and tight end Colby Parkinson also contributed four receptions.

The Rams’ injury issues don’t end there. Offensive lineman Steve Avila suffered an MCL sprain and is also a candidate for injured reserve, per Rodrigue. Avila is also on track to miss at least four games, Rodrigue adds, even though the team has not yet placed him on IR yet.

The 2023 second-round pick earned All-Rookie team honors after starting all 17 games as a rookie, but he could end up missing a handful of weeks during his sophomore campaign. Avila started at left guard last night and was later replaced by sixth-round rookie Beaux Limmer, who bumped Jonah Jackson from center to left guard. Jackson will move back to LG, McVay said. The Rams signed Jackson to play left guard but shuttled him to center recently; a four-year Lions starter, Jackson played LG for nearly his entire time in Detroit.

Left tackle Joe Noteboom is week-to-week with an ankle injury. The lineman was limited to 27 snaps before being replaced by practice squad callup AJ Arcuri. Starting right guard Kevin Dotson didn’t miss a snap last night, but McVay said the lineman is day-to-day while recovering from a lateral ankle sprain.

Latest On Rams’ Receiving Corps

October 6th, 2023 at 8:40am CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 6: Unsurprisingly, given his practice participation so far this week, Kupp is poised to take the field in Week 5. Dianna Russini of the Athletic reports Kupp is expected to play on Sunday in the absence of any setbacks taking place in the next two days. The All-Pro is currently on a snap count at practice, though, as the team remains cautious with the return process. Presuming his workload sees an incremental increase in the immediate future, Kupp will be in line to make his 2023 debut.

OCTOBER 5: Cooper Kupp took a major step towards his return to the field. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the Rams star wideout was upgraded to a full participant at practice today.

While it’s still uncertain if Kupp will see the field for Week 5, it’s undoubtedly a good sign that he put in a full day’s work on Thursday. The receiver was designated for return by the Rams yesterday, and he was later listed as a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice. The Rams technically have 21 days to activate Kupp from injured reserve, but his participation at practice points to him being activated way before that October 25 deadline.

Kupp has been dealing with hamstring injuries that forced him off the field for most of training camp, and his subsequent placement on injured reserve meant he’d be sidelined until at least Week 5. While the Rams will surely lean on Kupp to determine when he’s fully ready for game action, coach Sean McVay indicated that the timing of Kupp’s activation would be a collective decision.

Fortunately for the Rams, the offense hasn’t missed a beat without their All-Pro receiver. Rookie fifth-round pick Puka Nacua has been a revelation, with the wideout setting a number of records through his first four games in the NFL. Yahoo’s Jori Epstein explored how the BYU product ultimately landed in Los Angeles as the 20th wide receiver off the board.

As the writer notes, Nacua’s issues with missed games likely contributed to his late-round grade, and he also had an underwhelming 40-yard-dash performance during his pro day. Fortunately for the prospect, the Rams have never been all that interested in those pro-day performances, and the team was still intrigued with Nacua’s ability to make tough catches and his willingness to block both defensive ends and defensive backs.

The Rams seem to have hit on their late-round pick. Nacua has hauled in 31 catches through four weeks, an NFL record. When Kupp comes back, Matthew Stafford will have a number of worthy targets to throw to.

Injury Notes: Clark, Dulcich, Eagles

September 14th, 2023 at 7:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Clark will be sidelined for a few weeks. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Broncos defensive end will miss “a couple weeks” after suffering a hip injury during yesterday’s practice.

Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like this is a long-term issue, and there’s been no indication that Clark will land on injured reserve. Per Rapoport, the veteran is considered week-to-week.

The former Pro Bowler was cut by the Broncos back in March before eventually landing in Denver. As Troy Renck of Denver7 notes, Clark has struggled to establish a role in Denver, with the 30-year-old serving as a situational pass rusher during the season opener. Clark finished that contest with a pair of tackles while appearing in 25 defensive snaps.

This comes with Baron Browning sitting on PUP, so Clark’s role could be made even more uncertain when his teammate returns. A few weeks off the field probably won’t help his case for a significant role in Denver.

2022 ended Clark’s three-year stretch of earning Pro Bowl nods, but he was still productive with the Chiefs. In 15 games, the pass rusher compiled 39 tackles and five sacks. He showed up during Kansas City’s run to a Super Bowl championship, collecting another seven tackles and 2.5 sacks in three games.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

Greg Dulcich is once again dealing with a hamstring injury. After missing seven games for the Broncos during the 2022 season, the tight end will once again miss multiple weeks while dealing with a hamstring injury in the same leg, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The organization intends to take it slow with Dulcich, meaning it could be a bit before he returns to the field. The 2022 third-round pick finished his rookie campaign with 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns.
A trio of Eagles players were ruled out early for Thursday Night Football. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported yesterday that running back Kenneth Gainwell (ribs), cornerback James Bradberry (concussion), and safety Reed Blankenship (ribs) would all be sidelined for Philly’s Week 2 matchup against the Vikings. The Eagles did get some good news, however, with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox being declared active for tonight’s game after being listed as questionable with a rib injury.
Rams wideout Puka Nacua didn’t practice today thanks to an oblique injury, according to Schefter. The rookie fifth-round pick was a standout during his NFL debut, garnering 15 targets from Matthew Stafford. Nacua ultimately finished the contest with 10 catches for 119 yards. With Cooper Kupp sidelined, the Rams may need to dig into their wide receiver depth against the 49ers.
Patriots cornerback Jack Jones landed on injured reserve before the season opener, keeping him off the field for at least the first month of the season. Per Albert Breer of TheMMQB, the 2022 fourth-round pick has an injury split in his contract, meaning the organization can lower Jones’ base salary from $870K to $475K as long as he sits on IR. That ends up being a loss of $22K per week for Jones.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/20/23

June 20th, 2023 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s late-round draft pick signings:

Los Angeles Rams

TE Davis Allen (fifth round, Clemson)
WR Puka Nacua (fifth round, BYU)

The Rams are slowly chipping away at their draft pick signings, agreeing to terms with two of their four fifth-round picks today. Allen saw a jump in receptions during each of his four seasons at Clemson, culminating in a 2022 campaign where he hauled in 39 catches (for 443 yards and five touchdowns). The rookie will compete for backup reps behind starting tight end Tyler Higbee.

Nacua spent two seasons at Washington before breaking out at BYU over the past two years. Across those two campaigns, the wideout collected 1,787 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns in 21 games. He’ll serve as a back-of-the-depth-chart option during his rookie campaign.