Rams receiver Cooper Kupp may have avoided a worst-case scenario with his ankle injury. But Los Angeles’ best offensive player will still be out for several weeks.
Head coach Sean McVay told reporters on Tuesday that Kupp will undergo tightrope surgery for his high-ankle sprain and will be placed on injured reserve.
While Kupp’s surgery will require about five-to-six weeks for him to recover, McVay did not rule Kupp out for the rest of the season. Kupp will have to spend at least four weeks on IR.
A six-week absence would have Kupp back in time for the last games of the season against the Chargers and Seahawks. But with the Rams at 3-6 heading into Sunday’s game at New Orleans, it’s in many ways hard to see Los Angeles playing meaningful games in Weeks 17 and 18.
Kupp was last year’s AP offensive player of the year after leading the league with 145 catches, 1,947 yards, and 16 receiving touchdowns. He then caught 33 passes for 478 yards with six touchdowns in four postseason games as the Rams won Super Bowl LVI and he took home Super Bowl MVP.
In 2022, Kupp has 75 catches for 812 yards with six touchdowns.
Without Kupp, Allen Robinson likely becomes the top receiving option for L.A. But with Kupp, the team is just 29th in points scored and 31st in total yards.