Starting RG Austin Blythe (ankle) and TE Tyler Higbee (lung contusion) are both "day-to-day," Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday evening.
Both players were injured on the same play during the second quarter of Sunday's home opener against the New Orleans Saints.
With 6:51 left in that quarter, QB Jared Goff dropped back to pass on 1st and 20 from the Saints' 24-yard line and tried to connect with Higbee near the Rams sideline. However, the pass was too high for Higbee, who fell on his back as he attempted to make the catch. Higbee remained in the game for Los Angeles' final offensive series of the half, catching a 3-yard pass from Goff on the drive, before permanently withdrawing from the contest.
McVay confirmed NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport's Monday morning report that Higbee made a precautionary trip to the hospital and was coughing up blood, but also said Higbee is now "asymptomatic." Higbee's setback which knocked him out of the game was initially described by McVay as a chest injury during his postgame press conference on Sunday.
Blythe, meanwhile, said he rolled his ankle and compared it to a "typical basketball sprain."
"I've been lucky enough to not really deal with too many injuries in my career, and this one is best-case scenario," Blythe said. "Hopefully I'll be back soon."
Higbee reassured fans that he was ok with a tweet Monday afternoon.
Backup OL Jamil Demby filled in for Blythe, while Gerald Everett, the only other tight end the Rams activated for last week's game against the Saints, replaced Higbee as the primary option at that position.
Should Blythe miss Sunday's game in Cleveland, McVay said it's possible Bobby Evans or Coleman Shelton would potentially get activated as the next man up. Second-year tight end Johnny Mundt was inactive, but McVay said there's a chance he gets activated for the Browns game if Higbee is unable to go due to "natural progression."
Those discussions will be ongoing this week, according to McVay.
