Bad luck would be better than the luck the Los Angeles Rams have had recently when it comes to injuries. The Rams, already dealing with injuries to three of their starting offensive linemen, suffered another potential blow on Sunday when Pro Bowl wideout Puka Nacua left practice early.
The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year exited practice after just over an hour, according to The Athletic. He remained on the sideline for the duration of practice and had a bag of ice wrapped around his right knee.
On Monday, ESPN reported that Nacua is "week-to-week" with a knee injury that is considered "not serious." On Tuesday, head coach Sean McVay said he expects Nacua to be ready for Week 1.
A fifth-round pick last season, Nacua quickly emerged as an integral part of the Rams' offense. He started his career with consecutive 100-yard receiving performances and ended the year with NFL rookie records for receptions and receiving yards.
As noted above, the Rams have been snake-bitten by injuries as of late. Along with Nacua, starting offensive linemen Alaric Jackson (ankle), Rob Havenstein (foot) and Jonah Jackson (bruised scapula) have each been labeled as "week-to-week" by McVay. In the case of Jonah Jackson, his injury may take up to six weeks to heal, thus putting his status for the Rams' regular-season opener against the Lions (his former team) in jeopardy.
"I know he wants to be out here more than anybody," McVay recently said of Jackson, via the Orange County Register. "He's got a body of work, there's a reason why we felt so strongly about being able to add him here. This is another little temporary setback.
"For him, he's a mentally tough guy, he's going to continue to get better in the way that he can, really understanding some things. … He's equipped to handle it the right way and he's got people that are going to put their arm around him in the meantime."