Cooper Kupp, the Rams’ wide receiver, is set to make his return after being sidelined for the team’s first three games of the 2023 season due to injury. Although he is required to miss at least one more game on injured reserve, there is optimism about his comeback. Coach Sean McVay announced on Friday that Kupp’s practice window will be activated by Los Angeles next week, and there’s hope that he will make his season debut in Week 5.
#Rams HC Sean McVay said the plan is to designate WR Cooper Kupp to return from IR when he becomes eligible after this week. pic.twitter.com/kZu6aJwtiv
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 29, 2023
McVay made it clear:
“He’s practicing next week.”
Kupp, a favorite among fantasy football players, had high expectations for the season. Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp, which led to his absence from Week 1. The Rams had to place him on injured reserve, causing him to miss the first four games of the season.
Cooper Kupp (hamstring) placed on IR; will miss at least 4 games. pic.twitter.com/hj9BR38D0l
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) September 9, 2023
However, there’s good news on the horizon as Kupp is on track to return after Week 4 when the Rams face the Indianapolis Colts.
McVay, as reported by Ari Meirov, has designated Kupp to return for Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kupp’s return couldn’t come at a better time for the Rams, who faced two consecutive losses following their season-opening victory against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. The Rams had one of the toughest schedules to start the season, facing three playoff teams from the previous year.
HUGE NEWS for Cooper Kupp’s return#Rams coach Sean McVay just stated that “he’s practicing next week”
This is the first time since Kupp’s setback that McVay didn’t harp on “return to performance” over “return to play”
Instead, he placed the onus squarely on Kupp, saying, “I… pic.twitter.com/bSt3M57tbp
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) September 29, 2023
McVay emphasized the importance of Kupp’s input on his readiness to return to action, stating,”100 percent, it’s our dialogue,” McVay told The Athletic:
“I trust the way that he knows how to feel. So, he’s practicing next week. We’re gonna see how he feels. Obviously, there are opinions that really matter. But he’s the one that matters the most, to me, because I know he knows his body.”
𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: #Rams WR Cooper Kupp will return to practice, the team say they will activate his 21-day window to return from IR. https://t.co/fDo5cOVQ6y pic.twitter.com/bX9LG5tKYo
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 29, 2023
“We’re not going to do anything that’s reckless. But I also have enough trust and confidence in our relationship, knowing how intentional he is about educating himself (and) using the information at his disposal. There’s an element of, ‘There’s always going to be a risk no matter what. Walking out this door, getting in your car.’ If he feels good enough, and the situation (is) in alignment where we’re ready, we’re gonna get Cooper back and ready to compete for us. He’s a big part of our team, and I know he’s put a lot of work in.”
