Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay just dropped a real gut punch on Wednesday, saying wide receiver Puka Nacua is “not making great progress” in his recovery. This means we are likely seeing Nacua sidelined for a second straight week, a tough blow for a team trying to find its rhythm. McVay made it clear on ESPN Los Angeles that while they’d welcome Puka back “with open arms,” he has “a ton of confidence in the group that we will go with if he doesn’t go.”
Groin Soreness Keeps Nacua Off The Field
Nacua, who missed the Rams’ Monday night win over the New York Giants, was initially listed with a hip injury. However, McVay clarified that the wideout is actually dealing with “a little bit of soreness” in his groin. He even went into detail, describing it as “some of the things that can almost be like pre-hernia.” That sounds pretty nasty. While McVay did say the injury is not a long-term concern and they are simply being cautious, the fact he is not making great progress is the real kicker. They are apparently erring on the side of caution, believing “time is the best thing that allows that thing to heal.” It is good to hear it is not related to the psoas issue that kept him out during training camp, but any injury keeping a key player off the field is a worry.
Cautious Approach Following Week 1 Performance
Nacua was healthy enough to play Week 1, catching five passes on nine targets for 74 yards in the Rams’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. That production is what they are missing right now. The team held a walk-through on Wednesday, and the expectation was Nacua would not have participated. McVay emphasized the team wants Nacua “to be able to return to performance, not just be able to just kind of gut through it.” It shows they are thinking about the long haul, but losing a receiver, especially one who put up numbers like that in Week 1, hurts in the short term.
Now, the Rams prepare to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday night, and it looks like they will do it without Nacua. The big question is how long “time” will take to heal this one. Fans will be holding their breath for any sign of progress next week.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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