The Los Angeles Rams enjoyed having one of the breakout stars of the 2023 season lurking in their offense in wideout Puka Nacua. However, his impact on the early portion of the 2024 season was short lived after reinjuring a knee injury he dealt with this summer in the club's Week 1 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions. That has since placed him on injured reserve, meaning he'll be required to miss the Rams' next four games, including their Week 2 road matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
While four games are the minimum games Nacua must miss, his actual timetable for return has now come into focus. The second-year pass catcher could miss between five and seven weeks depending on how quickly his PCL injury heals, according to ESPN.
Los Angeles has its bye in Week 6, so the earliest that Nacua is able to return to the team would be for its Week 7 matchup at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. That would put him right about the five-week timetable that this report suggests. If it's towards the latter half of a seven-week absence, the Rams play in Seattle on Nov. 3 in Week 9.
The Rams are said to be taking a cautious approach with Nacua to ensure that he is not rushed back and increase the possibility of another setback.
With the 23-year-old sidelined, veteran Cooper Kupp will take on an even greater load in the receiving game. Veteran wideouts Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson should also factor into the target share from Matthew Stafford.
Nacua is coming off a rookie season that shattered the record books. He set new rookie single-season highs in receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486). That led to the 2023 fifth-round pick out of BYU to earn second-team All-Pro honors.