The Los Angeles Rams got a dose of good news Wednesday after a rough Sunday Night Football loss, as head coach Sean McVay announced that All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua returned to practice and is expected to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
McVay said Nacua was a limited participant in Wednesday’s session. The receiver had worked out on the field at Mile High Stadium in Denver before the Rams’ Sunday night game against the Broncos, a sign McVay pointed to as encouraging ahead of the Week 4 matchup at Lincoln Financial Field.
Nacua had not practiced in nearly two weeks while dealing with a groin injury that sidelined him for games against the New York Giants and the Broncos. The team had officially listed the injury as a hip issue, though McVay had previously described the problem as being in the groin area.
Los Angeles has been cautious with Nacua since the injury surfaced following a full practice session ahead of the Giants game.
“When you have soft tissue injuries with guys like that that are skilled players, you’re going to err on the side of caution,” McVay said after Nacua initially went down.
Nacua caught five passes for 74 yards in the Rams’ season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne but has not played since. His absence has deprived quarterback Matthew Stafford of one of his top targets, forcing the offense to rely heavily on Davante Adams.
Stafford now appears set to have his All-Pro receiver back for a significant NFC matchup the Rams need to win to avoid dropping to 1-3 on the season.
The Rams received another injury update Wednesday, as Aaron Donald will not practice due to soreness in his back, adding another situation for the team to monitor as the week progresses.
