Rams coach Sean McVay said star wide receiver Puka Nacua (hip) won't practice Friday and will be listed as doubtful for Los Angeles' "Sunday Night Football" showdown against the Broncos, according to ESPN's Sarah Barshop. Including Friday's absence, Nacua will not practice this week. He also didn't practice last week before not playing against the Giants.
In more positive news for the 2025 receiving leader, McVay said if Nacua doesn't play Sunday, he will be back for Week 4 against the Eagles, barring a setback.
Though Nacua's injury is officially listed as a hip ailment, he reported groin soreness last week. McVay has maintained Nacua is not dealing with a hernia but said it "can almost be like pre-hernia is what he's feeling" and wants to err on the side of caution.
Should Nacua not play Sunday, it'd be his second consecutive game missed. With Nacua out in Week 2, Davante Adams exploded for eight catches, 195 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Terrance Ferguson notched six catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Nacua, 25, led the NFL with 129 receptions last year, racking up 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. His 107.2 receiving yards per game also led the NFL. He was a first-team All-Pro and finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting.
He had five catches for 74 yards in Los Angeles' Week 1 loss to the 49ers in Australia.
What changes in Rams' offense without Puka Nacua?
Adams showed he can still take over a game, but that came against the injury-riddled Giants' secondary. Can he duplicate it against the Broncos' excellent one, led by 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain? Part of what makes the Rams' offense so good at full strength is that Adams often draws opponents' second-best cornerback. As for the wide receivers behind Adams, it's slim pickings. Konata Mumpfield actually led all Los Angeles wide receivers with 42 snaps in Week 2; Adams had 38, and Xavier Smith had 25.
Of course, if there's anyone built to deal with a shortage of wideouts, it's Los Angeles. The Rams led the NFL with 331 plays with three or more tight ends on the field last year, more than double the second-most team. They already have a league-leading 51 such plays this season.
Ferguson could again see a big role. He's a talented pass catcher with the speed to stretch the field. He played 35 offensive snaps last week, second behind Colby Parkinson (42) among tight ends. Davis Allen played 31 snaps, and Tyler Higbee played 16. Overall, Los Angeles played 32 snaps with three or more tight ends on the field.
No matter the solution, Nacua's absence hurts. A lot. The Broncos have a terrific defense that returned to form in a 20-13 Week 2 win over the Jaguars after an uncharacteristically poor Week 1 against the Chiefs. Nacua is a rare combination of size, physicality, speed and contested catch ability. He can line up outside and in the slot, allowing McVay to unlock his entire playbook.
Last year, the Rams averaged 6.8 yards per play with Nacua on the field compared to 5.0 with him off the field.
Nacua isn't the only Rams star to hit the injury report after Week 1. Myles Garrett underwent knee surgery and landed on IR after the opener. Starting safety Kam Kinchens didn't play in Week 2, either.
