Cooper Kupp to have surgery on ankle

The Rams get more bad news amid a disappointing season

The Los Angeles Rams will place star receiver Cooper Kupp on injured reserve this week, as he has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain that will require surgery. The NFL’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year will miss a minimum of four weeks, but it would be surprising if the Rams decide to bring him back this season for any reason other than a playoff push.

At 3-6 and in last place in the NFC West, now without their best player for at least a month, that seems unlikely.

Kupp had 75 catches for 812 yards and six touchdowns over nine games this season, but he had just three catches for -1 yards on Sunday as Matthew Stafford was inactive and replaced by John Wolford at quarterback. Prior to Week 10, Kupp was on pace for 153 catches, 1,728 yards, and 13 touchdowns despite all of L.A.’s offensive struggles. That would have set a new career-high in catches after leading the NFL With 145 receptions and 1,947 yards in 2021.

This move increases the need for Allen Robinson and Van Jefferson to start producing like number and number two receivers. We have not seen that yet, but now without having Kupp to eat 15 targets per game, someone’s going to have to do it.