Team news: Los Angeles Rams | Page 1

Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters Saturday wide receiver Puka Nacua will not practice Saturday and is questionable for Monday’s game against the Giants.

Nacua did not practice during the media portion of Friday’s practice. He is listed with a hip injury and McVay added Nacua is dealing with soreness in his groin, which began after practice Thursday. Nacua is looking like a game-time decision for Monday. Jordan Whittingham is a potential replacement if you’re in a pinch and Davante Adams could see a very healthy amount of targets. Tight end Terrence Ferguson will also be in the mix.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and left tackle Alaric Jackson are both on the team’s active roster on Monday and the team isn’t expecting that to change ahead of their opener against the 49ers.

“Yeah, absolutely,” McVay said when asked if he expected the pair to be available, via Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. “That’s what I’ve heard. I haven’t heard anything different.”

As the story points out, the status of Nacua could change at some point in the future, but it looks like Puka will be a go for Thursday night against the 49ers. Of course, Nacua had some off-field issues which are leading to questions about potential league discipline this season.

The Jets landed a new kicker Monday.

The team claimed Blake Grupe off waivers, a day after the Colts moved on from Grupe.

The story pointed out the Jets desperately needed to address the kicking position after a lackluster competition this summer between Jason Sanders and Cade York. Sanders ostensibly won that competition when the team cut York last week, but Sanders then missed an extra point and a field goal in Friday’s preseason game against the Giants.

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said Thursday's trade for wide receiver Tutu Atwell had "nothing to do" with a possible suspension for two-time Pro Bowl receiver Puka Nacua.

McVay, speaking after the Rams' preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, said that Atwell adds depth at the position.

"It gives us an opportunity to be able to have that speed element, and he can do some different things," McVay said. "It had nothing to do with anything other than just adding depth to the receiver room."

Related Players: Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, CJ Daniels

The Rams’ secondary receivers would receive a short-term boost if a suspension is announced, but no draft-day takeaways are currently needed due to the trade itself.

Trade: Dolphins traded WR Tutu Atwell back to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for RB Jarquez Hunter, sources tell ESPN.

Related Players: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell, Jalen Tolbert, De'Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon

Atwell gives the Rams a familiar situational deep threat but remains unlikely to command enough volume for redraft relevance.

As for Miami, Atwell’s departure strengthens the roster cases for Tolbert, Douglas, and Bell. Hunter’s strong preseason gives him an opportunity to compete with Wright and Gordon behind De’Von Achane, though it doesn't shift anything for fantasy managers at the moment.

Rams WR Puka Nacua, who left practice while walking with a trainer, is dealing with minor soreness in his groin, I'm told. The team is just being cautious.

Looks like Matthew Stafford was right. The Rams will likely make sure Puka is back to full strength, so owners shouldn't be shocked if he's a non-participant in practices - especially the joint ones the Rams are doing with the Cowboys.

Matthew Stafford is neither a trainer nor a doctor. But as a quarterback entering his 18th pro season, he has an idea of what a serious injury looks like.

“I did not [see what happened to Puka Nacua],” Stafford said, via Lindsey Thiry of ESPN. “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.”

The story said head coach Sean McVay did not have a real update on why Nacua left Tuesday’s joint practice with the Cowboys either. While we know we can really ever trust players with any kind of injury information, especially their own, it's at least maybe a good sign Stafford came out and said he didn't think the injury was serious. But, we'll keep monitoring it and provide any updates.

Adam Schefter said Puka Nacua and Josh Jacobs could face suspensions.

Related players: Tyreek Hill

Schefter said things are going on behind closed doors at the NFL that he doesn't have access to. He said he believes both the Nacua and Jacobs cases are being investigated, and are under review by the league - and - discipline is still a potential option. Schefter added by the time the regular season opens, probably sooner, we'll have more clarity about those players. Schefter's list also included Hill, who is still a free agent.

Dolphins first (unofficial) depth chart is out:

- Caleb Douglas listed as a starting WR

Related players: Malik Washington, Chris Bell, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell

The Dolphins don't have household names at WR heading into this season and for those of you who have done dynasty league drafts, you may not be shocked to see Douglas listed as a starter. Douglas was picked after Bell this past spring but has been a popular later-round target in dynasty drafts since the NFL Draft. Yes, we are still a few weeks away from the start of the season and depth charts don't mean a whole lot, but in this case, given the buzz around Douglas much of the offseason, there could be something to this.

Jeff Hafley reaffirms the Dolphins’ patient approach with rookie WR Chris Bell

He said they don’t want to rush him back to a point where he suffers a setback early in his career. Still not establishing a timeline for his return.

“But he looks good though, right?”

Related Players: Caleb Douglas, Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell

Bell has generated plenty of fantasy buzz, but his extended absence is costing him valuable opportunities to establish a role in an unsettled Dolphins receiver room. Hafley’s positive assessment is encouraging, though Bell will remain more of a deep league late-round upside selection until Miami provides a return timetable and he begins receiving consistent practice reps.