Add The California Post on Google Puka Nacua unexpected departure from Rams practice appears to have a far less dramatic explanation than the speculation surrounding him suggested.
California Post reporter Vincent Bonsignore spoke with an anonymous source inside the organization who indicated that Nacua was removed from Tuesday’s joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys “out of precaution” because of a minor injury concern.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua runs a play against cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. during the NFL football team’s training camp on Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill The report narrows a mystery that head coach Sean McVay could not solve immediately after practice. McVay said Nacua did not finish the session but acknowledged that he did not know why.
Matthew Stafford did not see what happened either, but the veteran quarterback said the reaction around him offered some reassurance.
“I’m not really sure what the issue was, but nobody ran up to me in a panic, so I don’t think it was anything too major,” Stafford said, via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry.
Neither Stafford’s observation nor the anonymous report is an official diagnosis. The Rams have not identified an injury or provided a timetable, but both developments point away from a serious problem.
They also suggest that his removal was unrelated to the disciplinary uncertainty surrounding him.
Earlier Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the NFL is reviewing Nacua’s offseason conduct and could suspend him for the Rams’ Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. No discipline has been announced, and no reporting has connected that review to Tuesday’s practice exit.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) speaks to media after training camp at Loyola Marymount University. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The distinction matters because Nacua has a notable injury history. He missed five games with a Grade 2 PCL sprain in 2024 and one game with an ankle injury last season.
Nacua nevertheless played through other ailments while catching an NFL-leading 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025.
The Rams open the preseason Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs, although McVay won’t play his starters. That gives Los Angeles little incentive to push Nacua through a minor problem.
Until Nacua returns, the situation deserves monitoring. For now, precaution appears to explain his early exit.
