LOS ANGELES — Receiver Puka Nacua, guard Steve Avila and offensive tackle Joe Noteboom were placed on injured reserve Wednesday by the Los Angeles Rams, and coach Sean McVay acknowledged all three players could be out longer than four games.
Even with the Rams’ bye week providing a fifth week of recovery into mid-October for the trio, McVay isn’t sure when his team will be whole again after a series of significant injury setbacks already this season.
“Each of those three guys have unique injuries that, as of right now, it could keep them out longer than that,” McVay said. “And so we’ll see. … Let’s not place expectations on when they’re going to come back, because these guys are so conscientious. Let’s allow them to be ready to go whenever their body says, and when the doctors do say. I know they’re going to accelerate it and be ready as quickly as possible.”
When asked if this season already feels a bit like the Rams’ injury-ruined Super Bowl title defence season in 2022, McVay replied flatly and sarcastically: “I don’t remember that year.”
Nacua aggravated a sprained ligament in his right knee during the first half of Los Angeles’ 26-20 overtime loss at Detroit last weekend. The Rams were still competitive while players went down left and right with injuries, and they even scored 17 consecutive points down the stretch before the Lions’ offence took control.
McVay said he threw out his entire offensive game plan and worked with Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp on new ways to move the ball without their starting offensive line — and it almost worked.
“The game was such an outlier for how we had to play, how we had to adjust,” McVay said. “I’ve never been a part of circumstances quite like that, but that’s also probably as proud as I’ve been of a group’s ability to adjust. The guys seamlessly handled that.”
The long-term absence of Nacua, the most productive rookie receiver in NFL history last season, leaves another major hole in a unit already playing behind a patchwork offensive line.
Avila sprained a ligament in his knee in the first half in Detroit, while Noteboom sprained his ankle. The Rams already were playing without both of their starting offensive tackles: Left tackle Alaric Jackson is suspended for one more week, and right tackle Rob Havenstein is hoping to return after missing the season opener with a persistent ankle injury, although he was quite limited in practice Wednesday.
What’s more, right guard Kevin Dotson missed practice to rest his sprained ankle, although the Rams are optimistic he’ll play when they travel to Arizona on Sunday hoping to avoid the franchise’s first 0-2 start to a season since 2011.
The Rams are filling their roster gaps with newcomers, signing offensive lineman Dylan McMahon off Philadelphia’s practice squad and adding veteran offensive lineman Geron Christian. Los Angeles also re-signed two former Rams to the practice squad this week, reuniting with cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe.
Cornerback Cobie Durant also missed Wednesday’s practice with an injured toe. Since the Rams already are without starting cornerback Darious Williams on injured reserve, they re-signed Witherspoon, an eight-year NFL veteran who made three interceptions while starting all 17 games for the Rams last season.
McMahon is a rookie chosen in the sixth round by the Eagles last spring, and McVay said the Rams had their eye on the N.C. State product all year.
Christian played in 58 games over the past six seasons with Washington, Houston, Kansas City and Cleveland. He started nine games at left tackle last season for the Browns, and he spent this year’s training camp and preseason with Tennessee before being released late last month.
Nsehkhe started eight games for the Rams in that ill-fated 2022 season before spending last year with Cleveland. The veteran tackle, who turns 39 next month, played for the St. Louis Rams in 2012, and he also played for McVay when the coach was Washington’s offensive coordinator in 2015 and 2016.
“I thought he played really well in ‘22,” McVay said. “He’s timeless. He’s still doing his thing.”