The long list of Los Angeles Rams injuries keeps growing, with star receiver Cooper Kupp and starting left guard Jonah Jackson expected to miss “extended time,” coach Sean McVay said Monday.
Kupp, 31, sustained a left ankle injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s 41-10 loss to Arizona and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game. The Super Bowl LVI MVP caught four passes for 37 yards prior to his injury. He exited State Farm Stadium with a walking boot on his left lower leg/foot.
It is the third consecutive season during which Kupp will miss multiple weeks to an injury. In 2022, he suffered a high ankle sprain that ended his season and required surgery. Last year Kupp dealt with repeated hamstring issues.
Kupp is the second high-profile Rams receiver to miss multiple weeks to injury after second-year player Puka Nacua went on injured reserve last week with a PCL sprain.
Jackson, who the Rams signed in free agency to a three-year, $51 million contract as a part of a major investment into their interior offensive line, re-aggravated the shoulder injury that sidelined him for most of training camp, McVay said. He is the fourth starting Rams offensive lineman due to miss time. Left tackle Alaric Jackson returns this week from a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Left guard Steve Avila — whose ability there prompted Jonah Jackson’s eventual switch to starting center — went on injured reserve with a sprained MCL last week. The Rams only just got back right tackle Rob Havenstein, who dealt with an ankle/foot injury since early in training camp. They are now playing rookie sixth-round pick Beaux Limmer at center.
Safety John Johnson III will also miss multiple weeks with a shoulder injury, McVay said. Johnson is a veteran starter/rotational player who suffered the injury in Sunday’s loss.
The Rams are also without starting cornerback Darious Williams for at least a few more weeks as he recovers from a hamstring injury, and backup swing tackle Joe Noteboom (ankle). Starting right guard Kevin Dotson is playing through an ankle/foot injury.
McVay was not certain on Monday whether Kupp, Jackson or Johnson III will go on injured reserve, which he said is reflective of the amount of players already designated there. Only eight players may return from injured reserve in one regular season (teams can put as many on that list as needed, but if all eight spots for return designations are taken, they can’t bring back anyone else until the postseason).
“There’s a possibility (for) all three of them,” McVay said. “We’re kind of running out of spots and we’re only in Week 3 in terms of the return to play.
”Finally, kicker Josh Karty tweaked his groin but should be OK for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.”
The Rams have not faced this many injuries to key starters since 2022. Still, those happened week by week — not all at once.
“First and foremost, you feel terrible for these guys,” McVay said. “The amount of work, time and effort that goes into it — we’ve had some unfortunate breaks. It has happened really early, and it’s definitely nothing that I’ve been exposed to. … 2022, that was unprecedented but that was throughout the course of the year. This is unique. But this offers an opportunity for us to be what we say we want to be.”