Los Angeles still does not have a clean answer on two of its most watched names heading into Week 1. The Rams are waiting on the NFL’s final word on both offensive lineman Alaric Jackson and wide receiver Puka Nacua, with Adam Schefter saying the league is still sorting through punishments.
“Cases that I believe are now being reviewed include that of Rams WR Puka Nacua, who could potentially face discipline for some of the offseason headlines that accompanied him,” Schefter said.
The timing of a possible Nacua suspension has already become part of the conversation. On Saturday, NFL writer Dontay Atkinson wondered on X whether the league would drop the news this week or hold it until a more favorable stretch for the Rams.
“So-Is the NFL going to announce a beginning season suspension for Puka Nacua this coming week (like they did for Demarcus Robinson last year), or are they waiting to find a stretch of games that’s more convenient for the Rams?”
Atkinson pointed to last season’s case involving Demarcus Robinson, when the San Francisco 49ers announced a three-game suspension for breaking drug rules. Reportedly, that suspension stemmed from the veteran receiver’s DUI case.
The Rams are not acting like this is settled, but they are clearly bracing for it. Tutu Atwell is back in the picture after being re-acquired from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for running back Jarquez Hunter, and that move does not confirm a Nacua suspension - it just gives Los Angeles another layer of preparation while it waits.
For his part, Nacua appears to be trying to move in the right direction. He has been speaking about learning from the situation and understanding the responsibility that comes with his profile.
“Some of the things I feel like I've learned is it's OK to ask for support and to recognize that the platform that I have, being a professional football player,” Nacua said, per LA Sports Report.
The key wrinkle is that the NFL treats diversion programs as potential violations. As Mike Florio explained, that matters because the league does not view a diversion program as proof a player is in the clear.
“Basically, the diversion program is an alternative to a guilty plea or a full-blown prosecution,” Florio wrote. “It's not an exoneration. For the league, it's enough to constitute a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy.”
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Aaron Donald's return is the latest and loudest move in that sequence. The longtime defensive centerpiece reportedly came back on a one-year deal worth $20 million with playoff incentives, giving the Rams another high-end piece as they try to stay in win-now mode. Between the blockbuster additions and the draft pick of Ty Simpson, the only real question left is how far this revamped roster can go once the games start to matter again. [Read more 🡒]