THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Rams head coach Sean McVay on Tuesday said he would be "hard-pressed" to see a scenario where wide receiver Cooper Kupp (ankle) plays again this season.
"I've got to be careful speaking in absolutes," McVay said during a video conference with reporters Tuesday. "I think it would be surprising if he was able to play again. But I don't want to say there's a zero percent chance of that."
Kupp was placed on Injured Reserve on Nov. 16 after suffering a high ankle sprain late in the Rams' Week 10 loss to the Cardinals, an injury which required surgery. Kupp posted a team-high 75 catches for 812 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games (all starts) this season. He also rushed nine times for 52 yards and one touchdown.
According to McVay, that thinking has to due with Kupp's current recovery timeline.
"It's not that anything's been made (as far as a decision)," McVay said. "It's really just the timing of the injury and how long it would take for him to get back to even being medically cleared to return to performance. So he's making good progress, but to see him jumping around, and then actually be able to play NFL football, to see him have good energy on the sidelines, and then going and playing professional football with the toll that that leg takes on it with the way that he plays, I still think you're probably anywhere between three and four weeks away, and you're talking about less than a month of football remaining, even though we've got four games."
Without Kupp and Allen Robinson II – who was sidelined for the remainder of the season following Week 12 due to foot surgery – the Rams have primarily leaned on a rotation of Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Tutu Atwell and Brandon Powell at wide receiver.
McVay also said that quarterback John Wolford (neck) will "probably" be out this week, indicating Baker Mayfield is slated to start once again. If Wolford is ruled out, the Rams will likely have two quarterbacks active against the Packers in Mayfield and Bryce Perkins, per McVay.
The Rams take on the Packers in Week 15 on Monday Night Football, with kickoff from Lambeau Field scheduled for 5:15 p.m. pacific time nationally on ESPN and locally on Rams affiliate ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles.
