Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua did not practice Wednesday as he continues his recovery from an ankle sprain suffered in Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Head coach Sean McVay, speaking to reporters from Camden Yards as the Rams (4-2) stayed in Baltimore ahead of their flight to London to play the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) this weekend, said he was unsure if Nacua would be able to practice this week.
“We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow,” McVay said.
Nacua suffered the injury in the first quarter of last weekend’s game against the Ravens as he went up for a pass in the end zone and had a defender fall on his left leg. He left the field and went immediately to the Rams’ locker room, but returned to play a handful of snaps in the second half.
McVay described Nacua, who leads the NFL in receptions, as “day-to-day” on Monday, and said Wednesday that he wouldn’t rule out playing the Pro Bowl receiver even in the event that he does not practice this week.
“There’s a difference between return to play and return to performance. You want to put him in a position to have successful outcomes,” McVay explained. I do think some of that is reflected in is he able to go through practice and really get a good feel to allow him to feel comfortable and confident in what we would be asking if he goes. If not, then you have a ton of confidence in the group with the guys that’ll be asked to take on bigger roles. You don’t ever replace a stud like him, but we’ve got a lot of confidence in the other guys if that’s the case.”
One of those players the Rams would like to have back against the Jacksonville Jaguars is receiver Tutu Atwell. The speedy fifth-year player missed the win over the Ravens with a hamstring injury suffered in practice last Thursday. But he returned to practice in a limited fashion Wednesday.
“When we put limited, it means really that if he was going to take a normal workload, we’re just a little bit more mindful of some of the high-speed yards,” McVay said. “Everything is trending in the direction of we expect him to be ready to roll.”
If Nacua does miss time, it would lead to more opportunities for All-Pro receiver Davante Adams.
The Rams’ big free-agent acquisition, Adams has 26 catches for 396 yards and three touchdowns this season. But he and Stafford have connected on only 48.1% of his 56 targets after the quarterback missed most of training camp with an aggravated disk in his back.
“It’s not how I drew it up as far as efficiency goes. I think we both would’ve liked to be a little bit more efficient, but I know for myself over the last few, just based off how we started, a little bit of pressing,” Adams said. “Puka and Matthew have been playing together for years now and they have a little better understanding of where one another is going to be, what to expect, and just making it work. It’s been a few where there’s really no excuse for me or him. We just have to put it together.”
Injury report
LB Omar Speights (ankle) was limited in practice Wednesday. Speights did not play against the Ravens with his injury.
TE Colby Parkinson (concussion) was a full participant Wednesday after not playing against the Ravens.
RT Rob Havenstein (ankle), RB Blake Corum (ankle) and OLB Josaiah Stewart (illness) did not practice Wednesday.