Rams receiver Puka Nacua has been sidelined for the last two games with a hip injury, but he’s dropping some serious hints about a comeback, claiming he’s feeling “100 percent” after a “full practice” on Thursday.
Nacua’s Optimism vs. Official Status
Nacua didn’t hold back when talking to reporters, declaring, “I’m taking it one day at a time, but I felt great being out there, full practice today for the first time.” He sounded pretty hyped about getting back into the swing of things, saying, “I’m getting my feet under me, hearing all the play calls. It’s not as foreign as it used to sound from Matthew Stafford, but he’s definitely in full flow and rhythm. It’s nice to be able to hear that play call in the huddle. I have to make sure I buckle my stuff up before so I can really focus on what he’s saying.” He even said *twice* that he fully participated in practice. Here’s the kicker though: officially, the guy was still listed as limited. So, what are we supposed to believe?
The Hip That Had Him Sidelined
It wasn’t some sudden, dramatic play that knocked him out. Nacua revealed he first felt the problem “a couple of weeks ago at practice.” He explained it like this: “Just in some of the change of direction stuff, some of the stuff in my hip area just was not feeling great. It was causing me some pain and some restriction in some of my movements. I was trying to grind through it, but definitely some sharp pains that I started to feel that put me down.” Sounds brutal. Nobody wants to hear about sharp pains.
Now, though, he’s adamant he’s back to his old self. “One hundred percent,” Nacua stated, adding, “I’ve been working through it like getting acceleration, change of direction.” It’s clear he’s been putting in the work to get that hip right. We’ll just have to keep an eye on those official practice reports to see when his words finally match the team’s paperwork.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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