The Los Angeles Rams could be getting back Cooper Kupp sooner than expected.
Kupp, who missed the team’s first three games with a hamstring injury, will be eligible to return from injured reserve after this weekend’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Kupp, who suffered a significant hamstring injury more than a month ago, suffered a series of setbacks, which caused him to be placed on IR.
Coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that while he’s not banking that Kupp will return for a Week 5 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, when he’s eligible, the veteran wide reliever is ramping up his workload to get there.
“He’s doing a great job with [VP of sports medicine Reggie Scott] and his group, but when you’re talking about returning to performance and returning to play, those are different things,” McVay said, via ESPN. “And we want him to be able to return to performance at the level that he’s capable of.
“And so we’re continuing to take it a day at a time. I know he’s doing everything in his power to be able to get himself ready to go and get out there with his teammates, and hopefully next week will represent that.”
In the meantime, rookie Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell have done an admirable job of filling in at receiver. The addition of Kupp will only make Los Angeles’ passing attack more potent with Matthew Stafford back under center.
The Rams are being careful with Kupp, who has not played in a game since Week 10 of the 2022 NFL season. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury, and even though he missed eight games, he still had 75 catches for 812 yards with six touchdowns.
[ESPN]
