Rams head coach Sean McVay said Friday that star wideout Puka Nacua (hip) will not practice and is considered doubtful for Sunday Night Football against the Broncos, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. Nacua hasn’t practiced this week — and didn’t practice last week either, which kept him out of the game versus the Giants.
McVay added that, unless there’s a setback, Nacua should be ready to return in Week 4 against the Eagles if he misses Sunday. Although the team lists the problem as a hip issue, Nacua complained of groin soreness last week; McVay stressed it is not a hernia but likened the symptoms to a “pre-hernia” feeling and is being cautious.
If Nacua sits out, it would mark his second straight missed game. In Week 2 without him, Davante Adams put up eight catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Terrance Ferguson had six catches for 54 yards and a score.
Nacua, 25, led the NFL last season with 129 receptions, totaling 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, and averaged a league-high 107.2 receiving yards per game. He earned first-team All-Pro honors and finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting. He had five catches for 74 yards in the Rams’ Week 1 loss to the 49ers in Australia.
What changes in the Rams’ offense without Nacua? Adams proved he can carry the load, but that performance came against a Giants secondary weakened by injuries — a much tougher challenge awaits against Denver’s excellent unit, led by 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain. Part of the Rams’ offensive balance is that Adams often draws an opponent’s second-best corner; beyond him, the receiving corps is thin. In Week 2, Konata Mumpfield actually led Rams receivers with 42 snaps, Adams had 38 and Xavier Smith 25.
Los Angeles is well-equipped to cope, though: they led the league last year with 331 plays featuring three or more tight ends and already have 51 such snaps this season. Ferguson could see an expanded role — he’s a capable pass-catcher with speed to stretch the field. Last week he played 35 offensive snaps, second among tight ends to Colby Parkinson (42); Davis Allen had 31 snaps and Tyler Higbee 16. The Rams ran 32 snaps with three-or-more tight ends on the field in that game.
Still, Nacua’s absence is a major blow. Denver’s defense looked like itself again in a 20-13 Week 2 win over the Jaguars after a shaky opener, and Nacua’s rare mix of size, physicality, speed and contested-catch skill — plus his ability to line up outside or in the slot — gives McVay flexibility across the playbook. Last season the Rams averaged 6.8 yards per play with Nacua on the field versus 5.0 without him.
Nacua isn’t the only key player on the injury report: Myles Garrett had knee surgery and was placed on IR after the opener, and starting safety Kam Kinchens missed Week 2 as well.
Fan Take: This matters because Nacua’s availability has a huge impact on how explosive and multi-dimensional the Rams’ offense can be — his absence forces lineup adjustments that change play calling and matchups. For the league, it’s a reminder how quickly injuries can reshape teams’ strategies and spotlight depth, coaching adaptability and tight-end versatility as critical factors in a long season.
Source: www.cbssports.com
