The Los Angeles Rams dealt with numerous injuries in the 2022 season and that trend is already continuing into 2023.
Cooper Kupp’s 2022 campaign got cut short due to a high-ankle sprain and he underwent tightrope surgery in order to fix the issue. Kupp then spent the offseason rehabbing and came into training camp healthy.
However, the star wide receiver unfortunately suffered a hamstring injury during practice that left him considered day-to-day. Kupp was eventually able to return to practice, but suffered a setback in his recovery and was sent to see a specialist to determine the cause of the ailment.
Because of the timing of the injury, the Rams will be without Kupp for their Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks according to Sean McVay, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“Really not much more information,” McVay said regarding Kupp and his visit with specialists in Minnesota about his hamstring injury. “Just dealing with some soft tissue stuff, just trying to get him to feel back to normal, and when that ends up occurring, then we’ll have him back. But in the meantime, he will not be playing for us.”
McVay added that placing Kupp on IR and missing at least four games is a possibility:
“As far as a timetable, it could be anywhere between if we decide to put them on IR, or it could be a couple of weeks,” McVay said. “I know he wants to be out there badly and we want him to be out there, but we don’t want to rush it, either.”
Hamstring injuries are notoriously easy to re-aggravate, so L.A. and Kupp are doing their due diligence trying to figure out what exactly is going on. As a result, the Rams will be without him though the obvious priority is his long-term health.
The team was already expected to struggle, but now their prospects look even more grim against the Seahawks with Kupp sitting out. Even with Matthew Stafford back under center, he will have trouble moving the chains without his number one target.
As of now, fans should expect Kupp to likely miss more than just one game as the organization should be incredibly careful not to rush him back. The short-term may be rough, but protecting their players is what the Rams should be concerned with the most.
Demarcus Robinson says it ‘feels great’ to make 53-man roster
With Kupp likely to miss time, it will provide the other wideouts on the roster a chance to prove themselves and make an impact. Van Jefferson is the top beneficiary, but others like Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell should also get increased opportunities.
Even someone like Demarcus Robinson could be thrust into a larger role given the depth of the wide receiver room. Robinson impressed during the offseason and he expressed how excited he was to make the final 53-man roster.
