The Los Angeles Rams are looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2022 season that robbed them of a chance to properly defend their Super Bowl title.
The Rams suffered heavy losses on both sides of the field, especially on offense where they saw Cooper Kupp go down with a high-ankle sprain that forced him to miss the team’s final eight games. Kupp underwent tightrope surgery in order to fix the issue and his rehab went well as he entered training camp fully healthy.
However, Los Angeles suffered a serious scare when Kupp came up hobbling after a play during their Tuesday practice. It was later determined that the star receiver hurt his hamstring after undergoing an MRI.
The initial expectation is that Kupp will miss at least a few weeks, though offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur believes that he’ll ultimately come out of it fine, via Adam Schefter of ESPN:
Rams’ OC Mike LaFleur on the status of WR Cooper Kupp, who hurt his hamstring this week: “He’s day-to-day. He'll be back in the right time and stuff like that. So he is just going through the rehab process, but he's day-to-day. He'll be alright.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 4, 2023
Soft tissue injuries have a nasty way of lingering, so it’s best for both the Rams and Kupp that they proceed with extra caution. While it’s a very real possibility that Kupp is forced to miss the remainder of training camp, the ultimate goal is to have him healthy for the start of the 2023 season.
While LaFleur didn’t specify the severity of the injury, it sounds like Kupp may have just tweaked it and will need to rest for the time being. The former Super Bowl MVP is slated to resume his role as the focal point of the passing game and offense as a whole, so hopefully he’s able to return sooner rather than later.
Matthew Stafford credits Puka Nacua and others for stepping up in Cooper Kupp’s absence
Kupp has been Matthew Stafford’s favorite target since the latter arrived to Los Angeles in a blockbuster deal, instantly meshing on the field and producing explosive results in the process.
However, with Kupp out with a hamstring injury Stafford’s had to throw the ball to the other receivers on the roster during camp. Stafford named Puka Nacua as someone who’s stepped up in Kupp’s absence, but he also highlighted players like Tutu Atwell and Tyler Higbee.
