The Los Angeles Rams’ lengthy list of injuries starts with receiver Puka Nacua’s impending injured reserve designation, and grows from there.
Nacua has a sprained PCL, head coach Sean McVay said Monday. He will miss at least four games while recovering. McVay added that this current injury is an aggravation of the one Nacua suffered in joint practice against the Chargers during training camp (he said at that time Nacua landed on a bursa sac in his knee) that caused the second-year star receiver to miss several weeks this summer.
McVay initially said Nacua is a “likely” injured reserve candidate before clarifying, “he is going to go to IR.”
Nacua left Sunday night’s 26-20 overtime loss in Detroit in the second quarter after landing on his knee. He was evaluated by medical staff in the blue sideline tent, then tried to return to the game before ultimately exiting by halftime. He did not return. Nacua was the top receiver in the Rams’ offense in 2023 and broke the rookie receiving record with 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns.
Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington have backed up Nacua throughout training camp and the preseason, and did so Sunday night as well. Fourth-year receiver Tutu Atwell may get more snaps as well.
The Rams will also be without starting interior offensive lineman Steve Avila for at least four games as Avila recovers from a sprained MCL. Avila is also an injured reserve candidate, McVay said (teams only get eight “return” designations). In his rookie season as a starter in 2023, Avila did not miss a single snap and took pride in that. He tried to get back onto the field Sunday night after suffering the injury, McVay said, and the medical staff had to pull him.
Rookie center Beaux Limmer will step into the starting role full-time after substituting in, following Avila’s injury and subsequent move of starting center Jonah Jackson to left guard.
“I thought (Limmer) did a great job, he has answered the bell every time he has gotten opportunities,” McVay said.
The Rams signed Jackson to a three-year, $51 million contract this spring specifically to play left guard, but then flipped him to center two weeks before the opener and moved Avila, who trained at center all spring and summer, back to left guard. The idea was to help out the left side of the offensive line as the Rams are also without starting left tackle Alaric Jackson. Jackson is serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
However, backup left tackle Joe Noteboom left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury and was diagnosed with a lateral sprain. He is week-to-week, said McVay. Practice squad tackle AJ Arcuri entered the game in Noteboom’s place but cost the team a touchdown because of a blatant holding penalty in the red zone.
Second-year tackle Warren McClendon has filled in for starting right tackle Rob Havenstein, who is also out with an ankle injury. McVay was not sure whether Havenstein will return this week, and said the Rams would take it “a day at a time.” McVay and the Rams’ front office are still working through who will play left tackle at Arizona on Sunday.
Starting right guard Kevin Dotson left the locker room Sunday night in a walking boot. McVay said he has a lateral ankle sprain, but that Dotson is “day to day” and expressed his hope that Dotson will be available to play.
Cornerback Cobie Durant has a toe injury, McVay said, and is day to day. Durant is filling in for starting cornerback Darious Williams, who is on injured reserve with a hamstring issue.
The amount of injuries in such rapid succession along the offensive line dramatically altered the Rams’ plan against the Lions, McVay said. That included more snaps for more experienced pass protectors in running backs Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers, and tight end Colby Parkinson. Rookie running back Blake Corum did not get any offensive snaps.
“Basically, we didn’t operate off anything that our game plan was,” McVay said. “We had to truly change in the middle of that game plan. When there are some things that are unforeseen, we’re going to go with guys that you trust and that you know. I think that some of the way that drives unfolded, where there was long breaks in between, I think that’s why you saw our running back and tight end rotation reflected as such. … Want to get Ronnie a little bit more involved, want to get Blake involved as well. … Based on how the game unfolded, it was very unique for a lot of different reasons.”
Required reading
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- Chiefs, Bengals and Week 1’s big lessons for Super Bowl contenders: Sando’s Pick Six
- What we learned from Rams-Lions: Detroit wins in OT with room to grow, Jameson Williams shines and more
- Rams WR Puka Nacua ruled out vs. Lions with knee injury
(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
