The Rams got the kind of injury news every contender wants in August: Puka Nacua’s scare on Tuesday turned out to be minor.
Nacua left the joint practice with the Cowboys after groin soreness surfaced during the session, and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport later reported that he was pulled as a precaution. Sean McVay didn’t provide an update after practice, which naturally opened the door to concern, but the latest word points to a short-term issue rather than something far more serious.
That matters a lot for Los Angeles. Groin soreness is annoying.
A torn groin is a whole different story, and one that can wipe out a season. The Rams can breathe easier knowing they appear to have avoided that worst-case outcome.
They’d much rather have Nacua on the field for all 17 games anyway. The 25-year-old has already established himself as one of the league’s most productive receivers, coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 129 receptions and averaged 107.2 receiving yards per game in 16 games. The 2023 fifth-round pick’s production helped quarterback Matthew Stafford win his first league MVP.
There’s also plenty riding on Nacua’s 2025 season beyond the box score. He’s in line for a contract extension, and Spotrac estimates his market value at $40.2 million annually on a four-year deal.
If he keeps putting up numbers like that, it only strengthens a Rams team that already has massive expectations. Los Angeles is being viewed as a serious Super Bowl threat after trading for defensive end Myles Garrett, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year, from the Cleveland Browns. DraftKings Sportsbooks listed the NFC West team at +550 for Super Bowl LXI odds as of Tuesday night.
A major injury to Nacua would have been a brutal setback to those plans. Instead, the Rams appear to have dodged the disaster and gotten out of the day with only a minor scare.
In Other News...
Rams Suddenly Have A Puka Nacua Problem They Can't Ignore
Puka Nacua's week took an unwelcome turn at Rams practice, where the wideout exited early after dealing with an unspecified injury. Sean McVay did not have much clarity afterward on how serious it might be, which is hardly the kind of update Los Angeles wants with its preseason opener against the Chiefs looming and a receiver room built around Nacua and Davante Adams.
The timing is especially awkward because the Rams are trying to sort out their early-season offensive rhythm, and Nacua is central to that plan. Adding to the concern, NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Nacua is also among several players who could be facing a suspension, leaving Los Angeles with more uncertainty than it probably expected around one of its most important playmakers. [Read more 🡒]
Rams May Already Regret Letting This Young O-Lineman Go
The Rams offensive line depth has already become a point of concern, and the timing makes one roster decision from last year look a lot more notable. Among the cuts that included linebacker Chris Paul Jr. and offensive lineman Willie Lampkin, the Lampkin move stands out because the undrafted lineman had shown the kind of interior versatility teams value, working at both center and guard before his preseason injury changed his path.
For a Rams team still sorting through options up front, especially at center, Lampkin looks like the sort of developmental piece that could have helped stabilize the back end of the line. Instead, he ended up elsewhere after the preseason, and now Los Angeles is left to wonder whether parting with a player who could handle multiple spots was a little too aggressive for a group that cant afford many more questions. [Read more 🡒]
Puka Nacua Just Put The Rams Offense In A Tough Spot
Puka Nacuas training camp work came to an abrupt stop when the Rams wide receiver went down with a lower-body injury and left practice early with medical staff. For a team already counting on him to be a central piece of the passing game, any interruption in camp matters, especially when the offense is still trying to build rhythm and get its top options on the field together.
Sean McVay confirmed the injury but stopped short of offering specifics, leaving Nacuas status in a holding pattern for now. The uncertainty lands at a difficult time for the Rams, who are also navigating the broader distractions around Nacua as the NFL looks into separate allegations tied to an antisemitic gesture and a civil lawsuit claiming physical misconduct. [Read more 🡒]