The reeling Los Angeles Rams are dealing with a plethora of injuries. That now includes star wide receiver Cooper Kupp being sidelined for at least the next four weeks.
Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters on Tuesday that Kupp will undergo ankle surgery later in the week and is headed for injured reserve. This means that the record-breaking pass-catcher is out at least the next four games.
Given how things are going for the 3-6 Rams, it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if this injury ended Kupp’s season. He suffered it early in Los Angeles’ Week 10 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals and did not return to action. This represented the Rams’ third consecutive loss as they continue with what has been a hangover following their Super Bowl title this past February.
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Los Angeles Rams could shut down Cooper Kupp
The injury Kupp suffered on Sunday looked to be severe. And while initial X-rays indicated that his ankle remained structurally sound, another report indicated that the prognosis is not good.
Three games behind the Seattle Seahawks in the loss column in the NFC West and two games behind the San Francisco 49ers for second place, things are not looking great for the Rams. They’ll now have to be without Kupp for games coming up against the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders.
Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford missed last week’s outing with a concussion. He’ll have to pass through the protocols to play Sunday against the Saints.
Los Angeles boasts the 29th-ranked scoring offense in the NFL at 16.4 points per game. That’s north of 10 points per outing fewer than a season ago. And as noted above, Kupp had been the Rams’ only real bright spot after he won both the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and earned the Super Bowl MVP last season.
- Cooper Kupp stats (2022): 75 receptions, 812 yards, 6 TD, 76.5% catch rate
If Los Angeles does not turn it around during this four-game span, it would not be a complete shock to see the team shut Kupp down completely for the remainder of the season and get him ready for 2023. What’s the point of risking further injury in what could end up being a lost season?