All-Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp will return to the practice field next week, putting him a step closer to making his season debut for the Los Angeles Rams.
Coach Sean McVay said the Rams will activate his 21-day window to return from injured reserve.
The Rams play the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5.
Kupp went on IR with chronic hamstring issues and has missed the first three games of the season. He has one more to sit out — Sunday at Indianapolis — before he’s eligible to come back.
McVay said the coaching staff will take Kupp’s input about how he’s feeling before he is cleared to return to action.
“100 percent, it’s our dialogue,” McVay told The Athletic. “I trust the way that he knows how to feel. So, he’s practicing next week. We’re gonna see how he feels. Obviously, there are opinions that really matter. But he’s the one that matters the most, to me, because I know he knows his body.
“We’re not going to do anything that’s reckless. But I also have enough trust and confidence in our relationship, knowing how intentional he is about educating himself (and) using the information at his disposal. There’s an element of, ‘There’s always going to be a risk no matter what. Walking out this door, getting in your car.’ If he feels good enough, and the situation (is) in alignment where we’re ready, we’re gonna get Cooper back and ready to compete for us. He’s a big part of our team, and I know he’s put a lot of work in.”
Kupp, 30, was first injured in a training camp practice Aug. 1, leaving the field 30 minutes into a workout. He originally was expected to be out one to two weeks, but he missed all three preseason games. He returned to practice before the Aug. 26 preseason game against the Denver Broncos before having a setback with the injury.
He won the receiving triple crown in 2021, leading the NFL with 145 catches, 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, and won NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He was limited to nine games in 2022 with a high ankle sprain.
–Field Level Media