puka nacua

After sitting out the last two games because of injury, Rams star receiver Puka Nacua appears on track to play Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

But the status of star defensive lineman Aaron Donald remains unclear.

Nacua was sidelined for a victory over the New York Giants and Sunday’s defeat by the Denver Broncos because of a hip injury that caused groin and abdominal soreness. But Nacua returned to practice in a limited role on Wednesday and was listed as limited again on Thursday.

“It’s exciting,” Nacua said after practice. “That’s my safe space out there, and to be out there with the guys, I think that’s been the most important thing, feeling that camaraderie and then also the ability to put my foot in the ground.”

Nacua, the NFL receptions leader in 2025, caught five passes for 74 yards in a season-opening defeat by the San Francisco 49ers in Australia.

What would it mean to return to action against the Eagles?

“I can’t think of anything else but smiling,” he said.

Donald, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year, has not practiced this week because of a back issue that surfaced after the loss to the Broncos, a defeat that dropped the Rams’ record to 1-2.

Donald, who ended a two-year retirement in late August, did not make the trip to Australia. In his season debut against the Giants at SoFi Stadium, he made three tackles in the Rams’ 28-6 victory.

Donald had one tackle and one quarterback hit in the 30-26 loss to the Broncos.

“Aaron’s been awesome,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “I think he’s really elevated that whole group.”

With edge rusher Myles Garrett out at least two more games while recovering from knee surgery, the Rams for the first time this season could line up without either of the two future Hall of Famers.

“Those are two of the best players in the world — two of maybe the best players of all time,” Shula said. You’re always going to want them on the field, but we’re lucky where if those guys are out we have a lot of depth and a lot of capable guys. … You’re never going to expect them to perform at the level of Aaron Donald or Myles Garrett, but we expect a lot of guys to go out and contribute and play really well and have a really good rotation going.”

The line feature interior players such as Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Poona Ford, and edge rushers Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart, Desjuan Johnson and Wesley Bailey.

Aaron Donald said Friday that he planned to make his season debut for the Rams against the New York Giants on Monday night, but star receiver Puka Nacua’s status is more hazy because of a hip injury.

Donald, 35, rejoined the Rams after ending a two-year retirement. The three-time NFL defensive player of the year did not travel to Australia for the season-opening defeat by the San Francisco 49ers, but he has participated in several 11-on-11 drills this week.

Asked if he would play on Monday, Donald said, “That’s the plan.”

Donald’s plan? Or the Rams’?

“I think that’s all of our plan,” he said. “We have a conversation, we figure it out.”

Donald said he felt as if he had never been away.

“Kind of getting in the groove of things, understanding everything a lot better out there playing a lot more free, a lot more loose and looking more like myself to me,” he said.

Nacua, who was sidelined for a few weeks during the preseason because of a psoas injury, caught five passes for 74 yards against the 49ers and practiced on Thursday. The psoas is involved in hip movement, so it is not clear whether Nacua’s absence was caused by the same injury or a new one.

Nacua was scheduled to speak with reporters on Friday, but did not do so because he did not practice. Coach Sean McVay is scheduled to speak with reporters on Saturday.

Regardless, the Rams are expected to get a boost from Donald, an eight-time All-Pro.

Edge rusher Byron Young played with Donald as a rookie in 2023. Now he will be playing alongside him again.

“He hasn’t missed a beat,” Young said.