Rams' Nacua to go on IR with PCL sprain
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua will be placed on injured reserve with a PCL sprain, head coach Sean McVay said Monday, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
The injury is an aggravation of a knee ailment that he sustained in the summer, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The BYU product is still undergoing testing to determine the severity of the injury, Schefter adds.
The 23-year-old caught four passes for 35 yards before exiting the Rams' Week 1 overtime loss. Nacua also had one carry for seven yards. He reentered the game briefly after aggravating the injury but was ultimately carted to the locker room at halftime before being ruled out of the contest.
Nacua is coming off of one of the most productive rookie seasons by a receiver in NFL history. He finished the 2023 campaign with 1,486 yards and six touchdowns on 105 receptions.
Cooper Kupp will operate as Los Angeles' clear top receiving threat while Nacua is sidelined. The 31-year-old finished Sunday's game with 14 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown alongside two rushes for 10 yards. The receptions mark was the best among all players in Week 1.
Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson are expected to vie for the No. 2 receiver role in Nacua's absence. Johnson's five receptions for 79 yards against the Lions ranked second on the team, while Robinson's 42 yards on four catches ranked fourth.
The Rams' next opponents include division matchups with the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers before games against the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.