LOS ANGELES — Monday is a significant day in determining Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp’s recovery timeline, coach Sean McVay said.
Kupp has not been put on injured reserve while healing from an ankle injury suffered in Week 2 at Arizona. The Rams returned from their Week 6 bye on Monday. And while Kupp is not expected to practice that day, he will get a heavy workout in with vice president of sports medicine and performance Reggie Scott that will let the team know whether Kupp can return to practice, and then to games.
“There is a possibility that he could be ready this week, there also is a possibility that he might not be ready,” McVay said. “Today is a big day for him.”
McVay added that the workout in part will test Kupp’s “game-like movements” and that the training staff will seek feedback from the veteran receiver as to whether he can “return to performance, not just return to play.”
The Rams host the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, then the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football. Both games will be on artificial turf, a playing surface Kupp has expressed his discomfort with in the past.
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“I can’t control that,” McVay said. “That would probably be a (better question) for him. It’s more about, ‘All right, where is his ankle? Is it ready to go, and is he ready to be the Cooper Kupp we’re accustomed to seeing?’”
McVay said previously that Week 7 was “always an optimistic target date” for Kupp. The 31-year-old receiver has missed multiple weeks due to injuries in each of the Rams’ last three seasons.
As the bye week began, McVay mentioned that quarterback Matthew Stafford was dealing with back soreness stemming from the number of hits he had taken (40, the third-most in the NFL through five games). Monday, McVay said Stafford’s back is “feeling really good” and he is not expected to miss any time.
Depth offensive lineman Joe Noteboom, who is currently on injured reserve (ankle), could return to practice this week, McVay said. No. 2 receiver Puka Nacua (knee) and starting offensive lineman Steve Avila (knee) are on IR and not scheduled to return to practice this week.
(Photo: Harry How / Getty Images)
