The Los Angeles Rams could be in danger of not having Puka Nacua against the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football” in Week 2.
“Puka Nacua was not on the field for the portion of practice open to reporters,” the LA Times’ Gary Klein reported in a post on X in what was the first of many to share the unsettling news for the 0-1 Rams.
According to the official injury report, Nacua did not practice in any capacity due to a hip injury.
That is a new issue. Additionally, fellow wide receiver Jordan Whittington was also a non-participant, while Davante Adams upgraded to full participation after a veteran rest day.
Each of Kam Curl, Omar Speights, and Nate Landman all remained limited, which is a positive sign, all things considered. But Nacua and the other DNPs will have one more opportunity to show signs of progress on the practice field.
The Rams are 3-4 without Nacua since he entered the league.
Rams Could Miss Puka Nacua vs Giants on ‘Monday Night Football’
That includes a 35-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London in Week 7 during the 2025 regular season.
In addition to Kam Kinchens doing side work, The OC Register’s Benjamin Royer reported that Aaron Donald appeared to go through a full session during the period that was open to the media for viewing on Friday.
Still, Nacua’s status looms large now.
The Rams are already without Myles Garrett, and remain uncertain about Donald, so losing Nacua would be par for an unfortunate course.
Nacua dealt with a psoas muscle injury in training camp and the preseason. But he played in the Rams’ season-opening loss to the 49ers. Nacua had five receptions for 74 yards in that humbling defeat.
Rams Face Unfortunate Reality With Puka Nacua
While Nacua could still suit up on Monday night, the Rams must also accept that this is a byproduct of rostering the physical receiver. Nacua missed one game last season and still led the NFL in receptions and yards per catch.
He could frequently find himself in the trainers room, though, given how much he relished the physical side of what the Rams ask him to do.
That is the elephant in the room as he plays on the final year of his rookie contract.
In addition to the off-the-field concerns that have cropped up in the past year-plus, Nacua durability will remain a constant concern. The Rams are still expected to extend Nacua at some point, but how they protect themselves will be worth monitoring.
LA’s more immediate concern, though, is that he was not present for practice, at least what the media saw.
The injury report will be key with one more official practice before game day.
LA Rams Trigger Alerts With Unfortunate Puka Nacua News