The 49ers are headed into Week 1 against the Rams with a little uncertainty hanging over Los Angeles, but the early signs point toward Puka Nacua and Alaric Jackson being available.
Neither player is on the commissioner’s exempt list, which is usually the clearest signal that a suspension isn’t imminent. Jackson is projected to start at left tackle for the Rams, and Nacua is also expected to be good to go for the international game next week.
The question is whether the NFL will act before then. Nacua is facing a civil lawsuit that alleges physical assault and battery, with the victim claiming he bit her on the shoulder on New Year’s Eve. In a New York Post article, Puka’s ex didn’t make any specific allegations, but said Nacua abused her.
As of now, the league still hasn’t made a decision on suspensions for Nacua or Jackson, even though the game is just a week away.
There is recent precedent for the NFL moving quickly in early September. In 2017, kicker Josh Brown was suspended for six games on September 8. A year earlier, the league handed down one suspension on September 3, another on September 5, and five more on September 8 for violations of the Personal Conduct Policy.
The pattern goes back further, too. Ray Rice received an indefinite suspension on September 8 the year before, while Josh Brent was suspended for six games six days earlier. Another suspension in 2010 came on September 1.
So the league has shown it is willing to drop suspensions during the first week of September. The timing may be the real issue here, because the NFL knows exactly how much attention its product gets. Whether any decision comes after Australia remains to be seen, but the league probably would prefer not to have those issues discussed on the broadcast or in the buildup to the game.
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