It’s been a rough start to the 2024 Los Angeles Rams in more ways than one. Not only did they fall to 0-2 Sunday after a 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but injuries also keep piling up for the Rams. The team announced that receiver Cooper Kupp is likely to miss several games after spraining his ankle in the loss at Arizona.
Rams coach Sean McVay revealed the extent of Kupp’s latest major injury Monday. McVay also said center Jonah Jackson and safety John Johnson III are expected to be out for several weeks with shoulder injuries, adding to the Rams’ extensive injury problems just two weeks into the regular season.
Kupp left Sunday’s loss in the second quarter after rolling his ankle at the end of a long catch and run. The Super Bowl 56 MVP dealt with significant injuries during the previous two seasons, playing in just 21 of the Rams’ 34 regular-season games.
The Rams already are without record-setting receiver Puka Nacua, who aggravated his knee injury in their season opener. Nacua is expected to be sidelined for at least another month, and possibly into November.
“We’ve had some unfortunate breaks,” McVay said. “It’s nothing like I’ve been exposed to. This is unique, but this is an opportunity for us to be what we say we want to be.”
All five members of the Rams’ starting offensive line in Week 1 have already been injured this season after this setback for Jackson, who kept playing through his shoulder injury in Arizona. Right tackle Rob Havenstein missed the season-opening loss at Detroit in which left guard Steve Avila, right guard Kevin Dotson and left tackle Joseph Noteboom all got hurt.
“The amount of moving parts that we’ve had offensive line-wise is wild,” McVay said. “That’s such an important spot to get a rapport with the guys you’re playing next to, but we’ve had a Rolodex of guys since (training camp).”
Avila and Noteboom are on injured reserve, and Jackson is a candidate to join them, McVay says. Dotson has been playing through his injury, and projected starting left tackle Alaric Jackson — who missed the first two games under suspension — is eligible to return this weekend against San Francisco.
Johnson said on his podcast, “The No Bluffin Podcast,” that he’ll be out 4-6 weeks due to a hairline fracture in his scapula. Johnson played well in the Rams’ first two games, but their revamped secondary already is without starting cornerback Darious Williams, who was put on injured reserve before the season opener with a strained hamstring.
McVay indicated the Rams likely would put Kupp, Jackson and Johnson all on injured reserve if they hadn’t essentially used up too many of their IR spots already. Nacua, Avila and Williams are already on injured reserve, and McVay said the Rams are still deciding how many newly injured players will join them.
The Rams are off to their first 0-2 start since 2011 as they prepare to face the powerhouse 49ers (1-1) in their home opener Sunday.
“This league, nobody cares,” McVay said. “I feel terrible for those (injured) guys, and we certainly care, but the outside world doesn’t, and the games are going to go on.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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