Sarah Barshop reports that Sean McVay expects the Los Angeles Rams to avoid putting Puka Nacua on Injured Reserve. Barshop’s tweet indicates that it’s “semantics” that Nacua is missing IR. likely with regard to the Rams only having so many IR sports and too many players being injured. There is also the chance that the Rams are thinking Nacua can suit up in Week 14 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Week 14 may be the earliest Nacua rejoins the Rams as they reportedly expect him to miss “extended time”.
Whatever the reason(s), Nacua may have avoided a mandatory missing of four games by staying off IR.
On the season, Nacua has in some ways been the Rams offense with over 700 receiving yards and four touchdowns. The veteran wide receiver has also hauled in 70 catches on 94 targets. Davante Adams is the only other receiving weapon “close” to Nacua with 30 receptions, 480 yards and matches Nacua with four touchdowns of his own.
The only other receiver on the Rams with 30 or more receptions is Kyren Williams and he’s a running back.
There are real questions for what L.A.’s offense will look like without Nacua and at the time of this report from Barshop, the Rams may only have to live that realm for a few weeks, with Nacua expected to be back than initially thought.
Of course, if Terrance Ferguson can have an injury setback, so can Nacua. Nacua isn’t out of the woods yet in terms of how much time he’ll miss, but reports are more optimistic on Wednesday then they were Sunday after Nacua’s injury was first reported.
