The Los Angeles Rams have made a move to get back an important part of the offense. The team has designated wide receiver Puka Nacua to return from injury.
Videos by FanBuzz
The second-year receiver returned to practice on Tuesday as the team made the procedural move. This opened up the 21-day window for the Rams to determine whether to activate Nacua off Injured Reserve or keep him there for the remainder of the season.
Nacua landed on IR after the opening-week loss to the Detroit Lions. He caught four passes for 35 yards but reaggravated a knee injury from the preseason.
Nacua has remained on IR ever since while the Rams have fallen to fourth in the NFC West with a 2-4 record.
The former BYU receiver joined the Rams as a fifth-round pick in last year's NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact on the field, setting NFL rookie records while becoming a go-to option for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
PUKA NACUA BREAKS A TACKLE AND GOES FOR 80 YARDSpic.twitter.com/DDOCDiWDt8
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) December 31, 2023
Nacua caught 106 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He earned his first Pro Bowl nomination as the Rams went 10-7, ultimately losing 24-23 to the Lions in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
Nacua is not the only member of the offense to miss time due to injury. Cooper Kupp, the Super Bowl LVI MVP, injured his ankle in Week 2. He has been away from the team ever since. Although he is set for a potential return against the Vikings on Thursday night.
The Rams' offense has struggled without the top two wide receivers in the building.
Tutu Atwell is the leading receiver with 332 yards and no touchdowns. Jordan Whittington is second with 201 yards and no touchdowns. Demarcus Robinson is third with 198 yards and one touchdown.
Stafford has only completed 66.7% of his throws for 1,392 yards and three touchdowns. He has also thrown four interceptions as the Rams have fielded the league's 15th-best passing attack with an average of 212.8 yards per game.
