The Rams will play the winless Minnesota Vikings and the struggling Las Vegas Raiders in a five-day span as they return from their bye week. Against one or both, will injured star receiver Cooper Kupp make a comeback? That may be the main concern for the Rams in their bid to turn around their 1-4 start.Due to an ankle ailment, Kupp (31), has missed the last three games. He increased his activity that started on Monday by going through individual drills on Wednesday instead of practicing.
Coach Sean McVay continued to say there was a “possibility” that Kupp would play against the Raiders on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
Kupp, the 2021 NFL offensive player of the year, has been plagued by injuries for two-plus seasons. In 2022, he played in only nine games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Last season, he suffered a hamstring injury during training camp that landed him on injured reserve for four games. When he returned, he struggled at times to play through an ankle injury. Kupp appeared to be fully recovered going into this season. He caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in a season-opening overtime defeat but was injured in a Week 2 rout by the Arizona Cardinals.
Before practice, McVay said, “He’s trending in the right direction, but we’ll see exactly what that means as the week goes on.” McVay’s ability to call plays has been hindered by the absence of Kupp and injured receiver Puka Nacua, while quarterback Matthew Stafford has been left without two of the most effective playmakers in the NFL. In terms of scoring (24 points per game), offence (324 yards per game), and passing (226.6 yards per game), the Rams are ranked 18th, 16th, and 12th in the NFL, respectively.
What we’ve got to dictate and determine is, ‘All right, is he going to be ready to play like Cooper Kupp’s capable of playing?'” McVay said. Will the short turnaround before the “Thursday Night Football” game against the Vikings factor into whether he plays against the Raiders? “You’re mindful of that,” McVay said, “but if he’s going to be ready to go then you want him to play.
Nacua sustained a knee injury against the Lions, putting him already on injured reserve. The Rams were optimistic that both would be back by the time the team concluded its bye week, even though Kupp was not placed on injured reserve. Although Kupp is back on the pitch working with trainers, McVay stated on Monday that Nacua is still “a ways away.” As a result, the Rams are assessing Kupp’s ability to tolerate the mobility and contact necessary for a guy who is crucial in both blocking and receiving passes.
And if not, we’re hoping that Thursday of next week will be the day.” Kupp would only have two workouts to get ready for the Raiders if he returns to practice this week. If Kupp is physically capable, McVay said his experience would ready him for a position. Thus, the outcome of his efforts on the pitch on Wednesday would offer an additional hint.
If [Wednesday] gives us the confidence that, ‘All right, let’s move forward, let’s give him an uptick in terms of his progression, and there’s a value in terms of what he can provide on Sunday, than that would definitely be something that I would leave the door open for.” Meantime, Stafford perseveres without his two top targets. The 16th-year pro, who suffered back soreness after a 24-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers before the break, said he was feeling good. “The bye week came at a decent time for me personally, and some other guys on our team too as far as physical health goes,” Stafford said. “So I feel better and fresh, like you do most bye weeks coming out of them.” Stafford has played long enough not to lament the absence of injured play-making receivers. With Kupp and Nacua sidelined, Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell and rookie Jordan Whittington have filled starting roles. So Stafford will patiently wait for Kupp’s return. “He does everything for us,” Stafford said. “He blocks. He obviously is great in the pass game. He’s super intelligent, helps everybody around him be better. “And whenever that happens, we’ll be obviously excited to have him back.”
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