LOS ANGELES – Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, head coach Sean McVay said Friday.
Kupp was again scheduled for a limited practice on Friday, his third straight limited practice since his return to the field from an ankle sprain that kept him out for the Rams’ last three games.
“He’s had a good week,” McVay said. “He is making good progress and there’s a possibility that he’s ready to go.”
McVay said he expected to make a decision on Kupp’s status closer to Sunday’s 1:05 p.m. kickoff.
The medical aspect of making sure his sprained ankle is healed is a major factor, as the Rams try to determine if Kupp is ready to return at full strength versus just getting back into the game despite still being hampered. McVay said he and vice president of sports medicine Reggie Scott are in communication with the receiver, knowing he has the best feel for his body.
And despite Kupp’s desire to return to the field, the Rams also have to take into account that the team is playing two games in five days this week, with a Thursday matchup looming against the Minnesota Vikings. Both games will be played at SoFi Stadium on artificial turf, a surface that Kupp has in the past called a health hazard.
“He’s been pretty outspoken about the way that that turf feels, and it’s not the same as this grass surface,” McVay said. “You guys have seen, he looks good when he’s running routes out here. But what does that feel like now when you’ve got someone leaning against you in a contact situation? What does it look like when you’re part of the blocking surface? And how do we best project on what simulating game-like settings and situations? Practices do that; there’s nothing like playing a game, and especially when you don’t tackle in practice.”
Kupp has only played in two games this season, making 18 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown in six quarters before spraining his ankle in the second quarter of a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
In other medical updates, the Rams (1-4) expect Jordan Whittington (shoulder) to play against the Raiders (2-4) despite a week of limited practices.
And the Rams are not expecting to activate offensive lineman Joe Noteboom from injured reserve this weekend despite him returning to practice this week from a high ankle sprain.
“It’s been good to be able to get him out there, but I would say that it’s more likely than not that he won’t be able to go for the game,” McVay said.
