Puka Nacua's injury could help Rams Cooper Kupp turn back the clock in 2024

The Los Angeles Rams have a full season worth of injuries after Week 1, but perhaps there is a silver lining here on offense with Cooper Kupp. Puka Nacua caught four passes for 35 yards in the LA Rams Week 1 loss at the Detroit Lions. The big story from this game was the amount of players that left the game or came out of the game injured.

It's a horridly depressing situation, and it's not even Week 2 yet. Sean McVay is going to have to do one heck of a coaching job with some of his top players likely missing time. Well, stud wide receiver Puka Nacua is headed to the injured reserve (IR) list with a PCL injury.

It's the same nagging injury, and it's definitely less than ideal. Outside of Nacua, the Rams were kind of already thin at wide receiver, as Cooper Kupp has struggled to stay consistently healthy. Kupp was productive when he was on the field in 2023, but only played in 12 games. He played in just 21 games in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined.

Well, in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season against the Detroit Lions, Kupp hauled in 14 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. And now with Nacua set to miss at least four games, this could help Kupp turn back the clock a bit and regain some of his 2021 form, a year where he averaged 8.5 receptions and 114.5 yards per game.

Kupp was historically good in 2021, as he won the Offensive Player of the Year award and also came third in MVP voting. Kupp is 31 years old, so his age is definitely a concern, and he's not a long-term piece for the Los Angeles Rams anymore, but perhaps Kupp and the veteran Matthew Stafford can regain some of their 2021 form together.

If Kupp can stay on the field and come close to his Week 1 production in future weeks, LA may have another WR1 on their hands, and this could make life a lot easier with Nacua resting the knee. Furthermore, knee injuries are tricky, so in the even that Nacua would need to miss more than four games, Kupp's potential high-end production could take some pressure off of Nacua to return to the lineup.

Some of this may end up being a bit irrelevant if the Rams lose more than they win in 2024, but it's a fun possibility nonetheless.