Rams WR Puka Nacua could be out 5-7 weeks, sources say

According to sources, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua could be out between five and seven weeks, depending on how quickly his posterior cruciate ligament injury heals.

Nacua re-injured his knee in last Sunday night's overtime loss to the Detroit Lions and was placed on the injured list last week.

Rams coach Sean McVay said it's possible Nacua could miss the minimum four weeks he'll have to miss on the injured list. The Rams have a Week 6 bye, so the earliest the second-year star could return is Week 7 for Los Angeles' home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

However, according to sources, the Rams now believe Nacua's status for the games against the Raiders and the subsequent home game on Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings could also be in jeopardy.

The Rams plan to be cautious with Nacua and not rush him. The team wants to do whatever it takes to ensure that there are no further setbacks due to the injury Nacua suffered early in training camp.

The Rams find themselves in a similar situation to last year, when they opened the season without standout wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who missed the first four games with a hamstring injury. Without Kupp, Nacua went from a fifth-round pick out of BYU to a shooting star, setting records for most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) by a rookie in NFL history.

The Rams will need veteran wide receivers Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson to replace Nacua. Robinson caught four balls for 42 yards against Detroit, while Johnson finished second on the team behind Kupp in both receptions (five) and yards (79).