Sean McVay said Puka Nacua (knee, toe) will not be placed on injured reserve for roster mechanics reasons.

The Rams are running out of return from IR designations. Putting Nacua on injured reserve would prevent another player from coming back later in the season, so he will simply take up a 53-man roster spot while he recovers. McVay made it clear that Nacua will still be out for a while. Nacua is expected to return at some point this year, though whether or not the Rams are still in the playoff hunt once he’s healthy could factor into the timeline.