A tense moment at Tuesday’s joint practice ended with a more reassuring development for the Los Angeles Rams.
Puka Nacua left the session with the Dallas Cowboys before practice ended, walking off the field with a trainer. Head coach Sean McVay didn’t have many details immediately afterward, saying Nacua was “not able to finish practice.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported Tuesday night that Nacua is dealing with “minor soreness” in his groin and that the Rams are simply exercising caution with their star receiver.
Los Angeles doesn’t have a good excuse to push one of its most important players through an August practice issue with the regular season still weeks away.
Nacua’s Groin Soreness Considered Minor
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 27: Puka Nacua #12 of the Los Angeles Rams signs autographs for fans during the Los Angeles Rams Training Camp at Loyola Marymount University on July 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
The early exit initially created some uncertainty because McVay did not know the specifics when he spoke to reporters after practice.
“Puka left early on in the practice. I’m not exactly sure what was going on with him,” McVay said.
The update from Rapoport suggested a no-to-worry occurence.
Before leaving, Nacua appeared to be having a productive afternoon against Dallas. T
he Rams’ practice report said Nacua and Davante Adams “ruled the day” in the short passing game, with Matthew Stafford finding the two receivers on slants, curls and out routes. McVay also praised the receivers who stepped in once Nacua departed.
The priority throughout August, though, is getting Los Angeles’ main stars ready for Week 1 rather than squeezing additional work that can exacerbate soreness into something worse.
The Rams open their preseason Saturday on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rams Have Grounds to Be Cautious With Nacua
Nacua has quickly become one of the league’s most productive receivers, so leaving the field with a trainer likely causes Rams’ fans to hold their breath.
He put together his best season yet in 2025, recording an NFL-leading 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns.
The performance earned him unanimous AP First-Team All-Pro honors, with Nacua receiving all 50 first-place votes. He averaged 107.2 receiving yards per game and tied for the league lead with 80 first-down receptions.
He also has recent history that gives Los Angeles reason to handle any training camp issue carefully.
During a 2024 joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers, Nacua injured his right knee.
He later aggravated the injury in the regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions, with McVay announcing afterward that Nacua had suffered a PCL sprain. He landed on injured reserve and missed five games before returning in late October.
That experience makes any training camp exit involving Nacua worth watching, even after he rebounded with 16 regular-season appearances last year.
There’s no sign Tuesday’s groin soreness belongs in the same category, as Rapoport’s description of the issue as minor is the encouraging part of the update.
All in all, the Rams can afford to be conservative.
Nacua has spent camp — and previous years — building on his connection with Stafford while working alongside Adams in an offense holding championship hopes.
Therefore, a shortened practice in August is a small price if it helps keep one of Los Angeles’ principal offensive weapons healthy when the games begin to count.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Los Angeles Rams Get Update on Severity of Puka Nacua’s Injury appeared first on HEAVY.