The Los Angeles Rams will be without starting TE Tyler Higbee on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, while DT Aaron Donald and RG Austin Blythe are listed as questionable.
Higbee sustained a chest injury in last week's home opener against the Saints which prevented him from participating in practice this week. Blythe, who injured his ankle on the same play as Higbee in the same game, did not participate Wednesday and Thursday but was able to log limited participation on Friday.
"Hopefully we'll be able to get (Higbee) back next week," Rams head coach Sean McVay said. "With Austin and Aaron, (they) will be listed as questionable. Aaron's feeling good, probably just more semantics than anything else."
McVay said "there's a chance" Blythe plays, depending on if the swelling around his ankle goes down and if Blythe feels good enough.
"Really, it's just a matter of thinking through, ok, who is going to be that 44th, 45th, 46th guy (on the active roster) that you want to use up," McVay said. "If he's feeling good enough to do that, we may go in that direction, but we're going to use the time that we have (to make that decision)."
Donald, meanwhile, gave a strong indication that he will be playing on Sunday despite his current status.
"I feel good," Donald said. "100 percent (I'll be out there)."
Meanwhile, the Browns ruled out three starters in advance of Sunday's game – LB Christian Kirksey (chest), TE David Njoku (concussion/wrist) and safety Damarious Randall (concussion) – as well as tackle Kendall Lamm. Safety Morgan Burnett (quadriceps), cornerbacks Denzel Ward (hamstring) and Greedy Williams (hamstring), WR Rashard Higgins (knee), RT Chris Hubbard (foot) and DE Chris Smith (personal) are questionable.
Below is the full injury reports for the Rams:
Position | Player | Injury | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Game Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OL | Austin Blythe | Ankle | DNP | DNP | Limited | Questionable |
TE | Tyler Higbee | Chest | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
RB | Malcolm Brown | Ankle | Limited | Full | Full | |
DT | Aaron Donald | Back | Limited | Limited | Limited | Questionable |
LT | Andrew Whitworth | Not Injury Related | - | DNP | Full | |
RB | Todd Gurley | Not Injury Related | DNP |