This is not a season-ending injury and will not require surgery or any other procedure.
Based on comments from head coach Sean McVay on Wednesday, that’s a positive for the injured receiver.
On a day when the Rams added a safety and an offensive lineman to the team’s never-ending injured list, they did not take that action against Kupp, who injured his ankle during Sunday’s game.
“At this point, we don’t have any intention to do that,” McVay said before the Rams began practice for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, “but the decision hasn’t been finalized. But at this point, we’re not going to move in that direction.”
The injury-plagued Rams fell to 0-2 for the first time in McVay’s eight seasons as coach.
Johnson and Jackson, who suffered shoulder injuries against the Cardinals, were placed on injured reserve along with receiver (knee), offensive linemen (knee) and (ankle) and cornerback (hamstring).
Williams is eligible to return after the Rams’ Week 4 game against the Chicago Bears. Nacua, Avila and Noteboom are eligible to return after the Rams’ Week 5 game against the Green Bay Packers, but McVay has indicated they could be out longer.
Johnson and Jackson are eligible to return after Week 6’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kupp’s left ankle is expected to be in a cast this week.
“I know he wants to get back as soon as possible,” McVay said, “but I don’t want to put expectations on him or put him into doing anything that’s unnecessary.”
The Rams are losing players at a rapid rate to injuries but could benefit from the return of two players who served suspensions for the first two games.
Left tackle Jimmy Garoppolo, who was suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct code, and backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was suspended in 2023 for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, returned to all team activities and practices this week.
McVay said Alaric Jackson will start against the 49ers.
“We certainly missed him the two weeks he wasn’t here,” McVay said, declining to say why Jackson was suspended. “He’s gotten over it. He wants to move forward.”
Logan Blass, a third-round draft pick in 2022, will start at left guard in place of Jonah Jackson.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford was sacked twice in the season opener against the Detroit Lions and five times against the Cardinals.
Now he’ll have new additions on the left side of the line and face a 49ers pass rush led by end Nick Bosa.
“I trust that they’ll give it their all and do the job at a high percentage,” Stafford said.
The defending NFC champion 49ers have beaten the Rams in nine of the past 10 regular season meetings. The Rams’ only regular-season win during that span came in the 2023 season finale, when both teams rested most of their starters.
The 49ers beat the New York Jets in their season opener but lost to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The 49ers will be without star running back Christian McCaffrey and versatile receiver/running back Deebo Samuel.
“I hope they’re OK,” McVay said, “but I’m not sad that they’re not going to play us.”
The 49ers still have quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, receiver Brandon Aiyuk and fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Running back Jordan Mason has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the past two games behind a line that includes left tackle Trent Williams.
“They’re still the best offensively in this league,” McVay said.
