The Los Angeles Rams have been plagued by injuries all season, with their wide receiver room among the most affected.
Puka Nacua was lost in the team’s regular-season opener due to a right PCL injury, and Cooper Kupp sustained a high ankle sprain the following week.
Unlike Nacua, Kupp was not placed on injured reserve. However, the Super Bowl LVI MVP has not played since Week 2 and missed a third consecutive game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
The best-case scenario all along was for Kupp to potentially return in Week 7 after the Rams’ bye. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, that remains the plan:
Rams are planning for WR Cooper Kupp — who will miss his third game in a row Sunday due to a high ankle sprain — to return after their bye next week in time for their Oct. 20 home game vs. the Raiders as long as there are no setbacks in practice, per sources. pic.twitter.com/JkoohnAd6c
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 6, 2024
Kupp potentially returning against the Las Vegas Raiders in two weeks will depend on his health and if he doesn’t have any setbacks in practice.
The 31-year-old’s ankle injury was nothing short of disappointing as he finally appeared to be fully back after appearing in only 21 games over the past two seasons. He has hauled in 18 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown in two games this year.
With Kupp and Nacua sidelined, the Rams have been relying on a receiving corps that includes Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Tutu Atwell and rookie Jordan Whittington.
Rams designate Darious Williams to return from injured reserve
In some positive injury news, the Rams designated cornerback Darious Williams to return from injured reserve ahead of their Week 5 matchup against the Packers.
Williams had been out all year due to a hamstring injury he sustained during training camp. He was projected to be one of the Rams’ starting cornerbacks this season and has returned to that role now that he is back.
The team benched the struggling Tre’Davious White and simply replaced him with Williams in the starting lineup. L.A. could also go with White and Williams as their starting outside cornerbacks moving forward, which would require putting Cobie Durant back in the slot and moving Lake to safety.
Williams originally signed with the Rams as a free agent during the 2018 season and remained with the team through 2021 before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars. He then re-signed with the Rams this past March after being released.
