It’s been nearly six weeks since Matthew Stafford had Cooper Kupp and/or Puka Nacua at his disposal.
Kupp (ankle) returns tonight when the Rams face the Vikings. Surprisingly, Nacua will join him. NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Good Morning Football that the Rams were optimistic Nacua will play in the Week 8 prime-time affair, making his return after missing five games due to a knee injury.
Los Angeles officially activated Nacua off injured reserve later Thursday, and the Rams WR is officially active against the Vikings.
Nacua has appeared in just one contest this season: Los Angeles’ heartbreaking defeat in Detroit in Week 1, a game from which Nacua was carted off the field. A week later, the Rams lost Kupp to an ankle injury, robbing Stafford of his top two receivers before they could even reach late September.
Kupp has been trending toward a return for a couple of weeks now, so much that his name has been tossed into a frenzied trade deadline rumor mill regarding receivers. Nacua is a surprise to most everyone.
Nacua had his 21–day practice window opened this week, setting him on a course to return from injured reserve before long. Those windows are 21 days long for a reason, though, and returning Thursday night lands on the shorter side of things and gives Stafford a receiving threat he has sorely needed for weeks.
Nacua set a rookie receiving record in 2023, catching 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns, making for a dangerous one-two punch with Kupp (when he was available) for the Rams. Nacua won’t be expected to play a majority of the offensive snaps. But his presence alone will certainly provide a twist in this Thursday night narrative.
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