Puka nacua scouting report

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 08: Puka Nacua #17 of the Los Angeles Rams runs after a catch against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 08, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesOct 25, 2024Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has been activated from injured reserve and will play on Thursday against the Minnesota Vikings after missing the past five games with a sprained PCL in his knee.NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted the roster move, adding Nacua would not play "a normal snap count" in Thursday night's game.ESPN's Adam Schefter noted around an hour before kickoff that both Nacua and Cooper Kupp would be active against the Vikings.The Rams opened Nacua's 21-day practice window on Tuesday and had listed him as questionable for Thursday night despite only being a limited participant in practice this week.Nacua was injured during the Rams' Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions, finishing the game with four receptions for 35 yards and one carry for seven yards.L.A. selected Nacua in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft out of BYU, and he unexpectedly had one of the greatest rookie seasons ever by a wide receiver.Nacua set the NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yardage (1,486) in a season, while also scoring six touchdowns and rushing for an additional 89 yards.He quickly established himself as quarterback Matthew Stafford's favorite target due in part to the fact that fellow wideout Cooper Kupp was banged up for much of the year and missed five games.Kupp was expected to put up big numbers this season after Nacua got injured, but he suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 and has missed the Rams' past four games.Despite returning to practice on a limited basis last week, Kupp did not play in the Rams' win over the Las Vegas Raiders, but he practiced in full this week and was removed from the injury report ahead of Thursday's game.This season has been a struggle for Stafford thus far, as he has thrown for 1,392 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions in six games,

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was uncertain to play in Week 9 with a knee injury but ended up being active.However, Nacua didn’t make it to the end of the game for non-injury-related reasons, getting ejected in the second quarter versus the Seattle Seahawks.Here’s a look at what went down and why Nacua is out of the game.With 33 seconds left in the first half, Matthew Stafford was intercepted on a pass intended for Nacua. Behind the play, Nacua threw a punch at Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson.It’s unclear if Dodson was instigating Nacua or didn’t realize that cornerback Riq Woolen (who intercepted the pass) was already ruled down by contact.In reviewing the incident, the FOX broadcast didn’t have much disagreement with the disqualification call.Nacua was questionable after aggravating a knee injury leading up to the game but ended up being active. He finished the game with one catch for 11 yards on four targets.Nacua Doesn’t Instigate Fight But Tossed For Throwing PunchAs the video indicates, Dodson was the first one who made contact. But the adage is that the referees will always catch the second one to enter the fight, and that appears to be the case here.After the game, Nacua met with reporters and said he watched the remainder of the game from the locker room, making friends with a police officer. He said this was the first time he has ever been ejected at any level and that Rams head coach Sean McVay told him that this was “a learning moment.”Puka Nacua has never been ejected before at any level. He watched the Rams OT walk off win in the locker room alone. Going crazy jumping up and down, pacing. The only other person in the locker room was a police officer who Puka said wasn’t happy with the outcome. “He’s been a… pic.twitter.com/6IMwyAFXkf— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) November 4, 2024Because of the ejection, Nacua has still only started and finished one game this season. That was Los Angeles’ Week 8 win on Thursday night over the Minnesota Vikings.After a record-breaking 2023 in which Nacua set rookie records in both receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486), 2024 has been much harsher. The second-year pro missed five games after a PCL injury in his right knee, returning last week.Nacua only has 12 catches for 152 yards on the season. While there’s still plenty of season left to make up for it, Nacua will hope the second half of 2024 is far kinder to him as the Rams attempt to make a playoff push in a muddled NFC West.

The Rams' Cooper Kupp catches a touchdown pass behind the Vikings secondary in the receiver's return to action after missing four games. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)During the offseason, Cooper Kupp co-founded a coffee company.And when the veteran Rams receiver returned to the lineup Thursday night after a four-game absence, the recently moribund offense anticipated a welcome jolt.What it got was an unexpected double shot.Receiver Puka Nacua also returned to the lineup and the two stars helped the Rams defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 30-20, before 72,127 at SoFi Stadium.“There’s an energy,” coach Sean McVay said of his team’s attitude when the two receivers are on the field. “There’s a spark.”Rams receiver Puka Nacua makes a catch against Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore in the fourth quarter. Nacua returned from injury to catch seven passes for 106 yards. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)Kupp caught a touchdown pass and Nacua amassed 106 yards receiving as the Rams won their second game in a row and improved to 3-4.“It was great,” Kupp said. “So much fun.”Said Nacua: “Super fun, man.”Matthew Stafford tossed two touchdown passes to receiver Demarcus Robinson, one to Kupp and one to running back Kyren Williams, and rookie edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young sparked the defense as the Rams followed last Sunday’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders by handing the Vikings (5-2) their second consecutive defeat.Kupp’s and Nacua’s performances buoyed a team that last Sunday defeated the Raiders 20-15 and gave players confidence they could repeat last season’s turnaround that ended in the playoffs.The Rams' Kyren Williams (right) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Vikings with Colby Parkinson. Williams also ran for 97 yards. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)But that probably could not happen without Kupp and Nacua — as well as several other projected starters still on injured reserve.Kupp, who had been sidelined because of an ankle injury, caught five passes for 51 yards and drew several pass-interference penalties. Nacua, activated Thursday after spending five games on IR because of a knee injury, caught seven passes.“That’s what you envisioned when training camp started,” Stafford said of having his top two receivers, adding, “I was so happy and proud for those guys to be back. ... Everybody feels that when those guys are back in.”Read more: 🏈 Rams-Vikings summaryThe question now is whether the Rams will ponder trading Kupp with an NFC West game against the Seattle Seahawks coming