LOS ANGELES — Those hoping to know whether the Los Angeles Rams will get star receiver Cooper Kupp back on the field this week against the Las Vegas Raiders may have to wait just a little longer.
Kupp will officially be listed as “questionable” ahead of the Week 7 matchup, according to Rams coach Sean McVay. The 31-year-old receiver has been recovering from an ankle injury suffered in a Week 2 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona.
“He’s had a good week, I know that’s what you guys are gonna want to ask about and that’s what you’re gonna get from me right there,” said McVay, smiling. “But he is making good progress and there’s a possibility that he’s going to be ready to go.”
McVay has reiterated throughout the week that the idea is for Kupp to be ready to “return to performance” and not just “return to play.” The Rams will make their final decision “closer to the game,” McVay said.
The Rams (1-4) also play on Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings. Both games are at home and on SoFi Stadium’s artificial turf. Kupp (who has been outspoken in previous years about his discomfort playing on turf) has been moving well at practice, but his participation has been limited to individual drills and not team periods — plus players are not allowed to make full contact with each other in practice anyway — all factors in what “return to performance” means.
“He’s been pretty outspoken in regards to the way that turf feels,” McVay said, “and it’s not the same as this grass surface (at practice). But that would be something, I haven’t gotten into the specifics about that for him — but we do know that, ‘Hey, it’s this week, then you’ve got a Thursday (game).’ Both of those games are at SoFi.
“I think what is really important for him is being able to — when I say ‘return to performance (versus) return to play,’ especially when you’re talking about a lower extremity injury … He looks good when he’s running routes out here. But what does that feel like now when you’ve got somebody leaning against you in a contact situation? What does it look like when you’re a part of the blocking surface, and how do we best project on what is simulating game-like settings and situations? Practices (can) do that (but) there’s nothing like playing a game.”
McVay said previously that Week 7 was “always an optimistic target date” for Kupp once he got hurt. Kupp has missed multiple weeks due to injuries in each of the Rams’ last three seasons.
Receiver Jordan Whittington (shoulder) has been limited this week but is expected to play on Sunday. Offensive lineman Joe Noteboom (ankle) will not be activated out of the injured reserve practice window just yet, McVay said.
(Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
