After Puka Nacua went down with a knee injury and turf toe on Sunday, Sean McVay said the Los Angeles Rams would probably place him on injured reserve. Two days later, McVay pivoted and said the Rams weren't going to put him on IR due to roster semantics.
One day after that, the Rams announced that Nacua was placed on IR, changing their minds for the second time. Regardless, Nacua was always expected to miss at least a month, but there's a slight difference between putting him on IR and leaving him on the active roster because of the bye week.
Players who are put on IR must miss a minimum of four games, not four weeks. That means Nacua will be on IR for Weeks 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, because Week 11 is a bye. So when is he eligible to return?
When will Puka Nacua return from IR?
The
earliest Nacua can come off IR and play is in Week 15 when the Rams face the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 20 at home. He will miss games against the Cardinals, Packers, Chiefs and 49ers, which is a brutally difficult stretch for the Rams.
Now, McVay hasn't given a specific return timeline for Nacua, only saying that he'll miss "at least a month." It's not as if McVay said the Rams expect Nacua to be back in Week 15.
If he does return in Week 15, he'll face the Cowboys, Seahawks, Buccaneers and Seahawks again in the final four-game stretch. Hopefully the Rams can stay above water until then, making his eventual return meaningful.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: How long is Rams WR Puka Nacua out after being put on IR?
