Rams Injury Updates: Puka Nacua, Steve Avila, Joe Noteboom

The Los Angeles Rams are still missing several key contributors on the offensive side of the ball. Within the first two weeks of the season, head coach Sean McVay had lost offensive lineman Joe Noteboom, Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson to injured reserve, along with wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.

Kupp is the only one of that bunch that avoided IR and is finally on the mend, potentially making a return to the lineup in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders. But question marks still remain around the rest of the injured Rams on offense, with Nacua and Avila — both out with knee injuries — at the forefront.

McVay was asked if the Rams are any closer to seeing Nacua and Avila make a return to practice, and the answer was less than enthusiastic from L.A.’s head coach.

“Do not expect to see those guys. They’re still a little bit of ways away,” McVay said. “Exactly what that timeline is… Kind of like what I’ve told you, Reggie and his group are working tirelessly to get those guys back.

“We’ll be really excited when that window of opportunity opens up for those guys to start to practice and then to figure out, what does it look like for them to be implemented back into potentially competing and doing their thing for us? In the meantime, the only guys that kind of really fit under that… I know Cooper wasn’t placed on IR, but Cooper’s the guy that has a possibility and then Joe Noteboom, of the group that is currently on IR, is the one that comes to mind.”

McVay states here that if the Rams are going to get anyone back in the very near future, it would be Kupp or Noteboom. But Nacua and Avila are still not near a return, at least in Week 7. There has been almost no news on either player over the last month, with the last timeframe on Nacua being 5-7 weeks and even less information on Avila.

Both of these players are hugely important to what the Rams want to do at their best. But if they are going to be out for some more weeks, L.A. has to figure out a way to salvage their season with what they have. If not, it could be a long 12 weeks until the end of the campaign.

Rams could look to trade Matthew Stafford

The Rams surprised just about everyone when they clinched place in last year’s postseason and nearly winning their Wild Card Weekend game against the Detroit Lions. So it was assumed that Matthew Stafford and the Rams would be in contention for the postseason once again in 2024, despite losing Aaron Donald on defense.

But the Rams’ offensive injuries have effectively destroyed any momentum they could have had, instead leaving them at a 1-4 record through five games.

Stafford has had to carry an exceptional weight missing just about every major piece the Rams have on that side of the ball. And if the slide continues, it reportedly wouldn’t be surprising for the Rams and Stafford to part ways.