The Los Angeles Rams are already a little banged up as training camp goes on as they will be without Van Jefferson for the time being.
Jefferson had been working through a knee issue and he and the team decided that a minor procedure needed to be done in order to get himself fully right. The wideout is expected to miss the remainder of training camp as he rehabs following surgery, forcing the Rams to test the depth of their receiver room.
However, while Jefferson will miss the next few weeks there is optimism that he can return sooner than some expected as head coach Sean McVay said they received good news on the procedure, via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic:
In his press conference just now McVay says “really encouraging” results from procedure but still doesn’t want to specifically provide a timetable for Jefferson https://t.co/k5ImddRVQA
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) August 3, 2022
Rodrigue also added that there’s a possibility that Jefferson could possibly be ready for the season opener against the Buffalo Bills, a possible welcomed development for Los Angeles, who would need to have their projected starters available against a formidable opponent. The third-year receiver is well-versed in the offense by now, so unlike other players, it’s reasonable to assume he wouldn’t need as much time to get acclimated to the playbook before coming back.
However, the Rams have also been extremely cautious when it comes to players returning from injury so perhaps the best course ends up being to let Jefferson take extended time to completely get himself back into football shape. Obviously it would be great to see him on the field for Week 1, but long-term health has to be the priority for Los Angeles especially if they hope to repeat as Super Bowl champions.