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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The Los Angeles Rams secured a much-needed win on Sunday, defeating the Washington Commanders 20-13 to move above .500 for the first time this season.
But after the game, some concerning injury news came to light involving Puka Nacua, who finished the game with 14 catches on 19 targets for 150 receiving yards and a touchdown, along with 20 rushing yards on two carries.
Nacua was injured on the last Rams' offensive snap of the game, getting tackled hard below the waist and reportedly injuring his knee on the play. The team immediately said they don't believe it's a torn ACL, but that Nacua would have to undergo further imaging on Monday to determine the severity.
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On Monday morning, CBS Sports' Pete Prisco warned that if it is a serious injury, not an ACL but a multi-week absence, the Rams might be forced to make a trade before Tuesday's deadline.
"The fact that they mentioned the ACL means there's something wrong inside that knee," Prisco said. "Let's hope it's nothing major because you want to see Puka Nacua on the field. But if it's a 4-6 week injury or a 6-8 week injury, which it could be, what do the Rams do? They're going to have to make a move."
"They needed to make a move prior to Puka Nacua," Ran Carthon of "The Advance Report" added. "Does this now really force it over the top? And if you're the Rams, and you know that there's a possibility BTJ [Brian Thomas Jr.] could be moved, you have a relationship between Sean [McVay] and Liam [Coen] and [James] Gladstone and Les Snead, do you now just give them what they're looking for for a BTJ? Because right now you're desperate."
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Los Angeles was already hurting at receiver before Nacua's injury, with Davante Adams having undergone surgery on Oct. 20 to repair his ruptured hamstring, and not expected back until after the Week 11 bye, at the earliest. Tight end Terrance Ferguson is also still on IR, rehabbing his own hamstring injury and is expected to still be sidelined for another couple of weeks, according to McVay.
In Sunday's win over the Commanders, Nacua was responsible for nearly 70% of the team's total receiving yards. The next leading receiver was Konata Mumpfield, a former seventh-round pick in 2025 who finished the game with just two catches for 20 yards. Tutu Atwell also caught two passes for 16 yards, and Tyler Higbee was their leading tight end with just one catch for 13 yards.
Simply put, Nacua is the offense. And if you're not going to have him or Adams for at least the next few weeks, and with your playoff hopes potentially hanging in the balance at 5-4 in a competitive NFC West, you need to make a move before Tuesday's deadline.
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Brian Thomas Jr. would be a great addition to the offense, even after Nacua and Adams return. He's a legitimate deep threat that can stretch defenses, and even the Jags' head coach, Liam Coen, has stressed the value of that even if he's not a regular part of the Jaguars' offense. He forces defenses to stay honest and not focus too heavily on the other receivers. He's also one of the few trade candidates who are young and have already proven he can be an elite receiving option, hauling in 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns two years ago as a rookie.
Thomas has clearly fallen out of the rotation in Jacksonville, and both Coen and Jaguars general manager James Gladstone previously worked with the Rams and McVay. There's a relationship there. The biggest question is whether Jacksonville would be so willing to help out another Super Bowl contender, with both teams eyeing a deep playoff run.
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