Rams to keep Puka Nacua off injured reserve, but receiver still faces extended absence

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is expected to miss an extended period with knee and toe injuries even though the team is keeping him off injured reserve, coach Sean McVay said Wednesday. McVay cited roster considerations for the decision and said there had been no change in Nacua’s prognosis.

Nacua was injured on the final play of the Rams’ Week 9 victory, their third straight. He missed practice Wednesday and will be out Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, who beat the Rams in Week 6. Quarterback Matthew Stafford will also be without wide receiver Davante Adams and tight end Terrance Ferguson, leaving three of his regular targets unavailable for the rematch.

Stafford said he could tell something was wrong as Nacua jogged off the field after the final play. He said Nacua had played a significant part in securing the win and spoke about how difficult it can be for injured players to feel involved while they work their way back.

“We wrap our arms around those guys in this facility, which is an amazing thing, and make sure they feel part of it as well,” Stafford said. “We’ll do that with Puka and hopefully get him back as soon as he’s ready to go.”

The Rams brought back receiver Xavier Smith, who already knows McVay’s offense, and placed receiver Jordan Whittington on injured reserve with a back injury. McVay said Whittington had been playing through the injury and the team wanted to get a clearer picture of what he needed to recover.

Stafford singled out rookie receiver C.J. Daniels Jr. for his work against the Rams’ defense in practice. He said Daniels has consistently shown up on film during reps with backup quarterbacks Stetson Bennett IV and Ty Simpson and could get a chance to contribute Sunday.

“I still throw those guys every single day in practice and have a ton of trust in what they can do,” Stafford said. “Just like me, we have to go out there and just trust our fundamentals.”

McVay said his conversations with Stafford this week have centered on which players to use together and how to build the run and pass game around them. Wednesday’s work focused on first and second down. Asked about using two running backs together, McVay said he would explore the possibility and emphasized the value of having a running game the Rams can lean on as the lineup changes.

McVay said a return after the Green Bay game was a realistic timeline for Adams, who has been sidelined by a hamstring injury. Ferguson, also dealing with a hamstring injury, is likely to need at least a couple of weeks. McVay said he believes Ferguson’s 21-day activation window expires around the Green Bay game and hopes the Rams can make room for him on the active roster even if he is unable to play by then. If the window closes without Ferguson being activated, he would remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie missed practice Wednesday with a back injury, though McVay said he was optimistic McDuffie could play against Arizona. McVay said the next step was seeing how McDuffie handles the sudden changes of direction his position requires. Guard Steve Avila (hamstring) and safety Kam Curl (toe) also sat out.

In the first meeting with Arizona, the Rams drove for a late lead before losing. Stafford pointed to missed opportunities and communication issues, while McVay said the Rams fell short of their own standards for energy and execution. The rematch also puts Stafford across from Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur, his former offensive coordinator with the Rams.

The Rams have won three straight since that loss. Stafford said the injuries have made some of those wins harder to enjoy and that the team still has room to improve.

“We’re going to have to play as a team as good, if not better, than we have all season,” Stafford said, “and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”