Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua could miss between 5-7 weeks, depending on how quickly his PCL injury heals, sources told ESPN.
Nacua reinjured his knee during last Sunday night’s overtime loss to the Detroit Lions and was placed on injured reserve last week.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said it was possible that Nacua could be sidelined the minimum four weeks that he is required to miss by being placed on IR. The Rams have their bye in Week 6, so the earliest the second-year star could return would be Los Angeles’ Week 7 home game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
But now the Rams’ thinking, according to sources, is that Nacua’s status for the games against the Raiders and the following Thursday night at home against the Minnesota Vikings also could be in jeopardy.
The Rams want to make sure they’re careful with Nacua and not rush him back. The team wants to do whatever is needed to ensure there are no more setbacks to the injury that Nacua initially suffered early in training camp.
The Rams find themselves in a situation similar to the one they faced last year, when they opened the season without standout wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who missed the first four games due to a hamstring injury. With Kupp out, Nacua went from being a fifth-round pick out of Brigham Young to a breakout NFL star, setting records last season for most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) by a rookie in NFL history.
The Rams will need veteran wide receivers Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson to step up to replace Nacua. Robinson had four catches for 42 yards against Detroit while Johnson finished second on the team behind Kupp in both receptions (five) and yards (79).
