Last season was a total disappointment for the Los Angeles Rams. They posted a 5-12 record and couldn’t defend their Super Bowl title in the NFL. Matthew Stafford only played nine games because of injuries and, at the end of the year, Sean McVay wasn’t sure if he would continue as head coach of the team.
However, McVay has decided to lead a massive rebuilding process for the franchise. The Rams still have an extraordinary core group of stars around Stafford like Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald.
It’s a big challenge for the Rams in the NFC West where the San Francisco 49ers are big favorites and the Seahawks are a team on the rise with Geno Smith. Now, when Los Angeles thought they might have lost one of their top players, there could be good news.
When will Cooper Kupp return with Rams?
Cooper Kupp confirmed he might be ready to play for the Rams in the opener of the 2023 NFL season against the Seattle Seahawks on September 10. “Yeah, I feel like I am.”
Even though Kupp thought he might have rushed things out, the truth is he is feeling much better. “I definitely felt the first two days coming back here earlier this week, just felt like you’re rushing things. You feel like your hands and feet aren’t working together.”
For the star wide receiver, repetition and practice gave him confidence to play in Week 1 at Seattle. “That’s why I’m saying like going out there Week 1 would be tough not having that opportunity to see those reps and have those reps and that kind of stuff in your back pocket and be able see those patterns. So, I feel good about what kind of path we’re on now.”
A month ago, Cooper Kupp left practice with a hamstring injury and, though there was no timetable at that moment, the Rams feared the star wide receiver could have been out many weeks. “I don’t plan on playing on Saturday (preseason finale). If it was a game, yeah. Game one, I’m playing.”
The Rams just couldn’t afford to lose again their best offensive player on the roster. In 2022, Cooper Kupp missed the last eight games of the season because of a high ankle sprain and that derailed any hopes of a playoff run.
Los Angeles need him in 2021 form when he led the NFL in catches, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards. It’s important to remember they traded Allen Robinson II to the Steelers so their depth chart has Demarcus Robinson, Lance McCutcheon and Xavier Smith.