Rams have injury crisis after being NFL’s healthiest team in 2023; how slew of ailments impacts Matt Stafford

Disaster is not a phrase sometimes used when describing many conditions in skilled sports activities, but it surely’s honest when discussing the 0-2 Los Angeles Rams’ damage scenario via two weeks of the 2024 NFL season. 

Quarterback Matthew Stafford’s longtime favourite goal in Los Angeles, large receiver Cooper Kupp, might miss “an prolonged time frame” after struggling a left ankle sprain within the staff’s 41-10 loss towards the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, per ESPN. Kupp suffered an ankle sprain in Week 10 towards the Cardinals in 2022 and wanted season-ending surgical procedure to repair the problem. Kupp is a candidate for injured reserve in 2024. as are guard Jonah Jackson (shoulder) and security John Johnson III (shoulder), after Week 2. 

“We’re type of working out of these [injured reserve] spots and we’re solely into Week 3 by way of the return to play, however that may be a risk for all of these guys,” McVay stated, by way of ESPN.

The trio of Kupp, Jackson and Johnson be part of a CVS receipt-long record of gamers on injured reserve, placing the prospects of the postseason in 2024 in early jeopardy. 

Notable Rams on injured reserve

McVay even famous how chaotic the offensive line’s lack of continuity in entrance of Stafford is simply two video games into the season. 

“The quantity of shifting elements that we have had offensive line-wise has been wild,” McVay stated. “And that is such an necessary spot to have the ability to get a rapport with the man that you simply’re taking part in subsequent to.”  

It is exceptional the Rams are at this level regardless of McVay placing nearly ever starter on ice within the preseason exterior of joint practices, however in keeping with Yahoo Sports activities, this glut of accidents is not all that shocking given the staff’s latest traits. 

“One tangible motive to fret about Rams regression is their damage luck final season,” Yahoo Sports activities’ Frank Schwab wrote in July. “In 2022 they handled quite a few accidents and completed second in adjusted video games misplaced on account of damage (a metric by Aaron Schatz of FTN Fantasy). The pendulum swung the opposite approach and final season the Rams have been the healthiest staff within the NFL, ending with the fewest adjusted video games misplaced on account of damage. It went from 146.6 AGL in 2022 to 26.4 final season, which is an unimaginable shift and exhibits how damage luck usually has no rhyme or motive. The Rams’ success final season included the fourth-fewest accidents on offense and the fewest on protection. Similar to the Rams’ depressing 2022 damage luck, the good run from final season is unlikely to repeat. Although, as Schatz identified, the Rams have been within the high 10 in fewest AGL for six seasons in a row earlier than 2022, so maybe they’ve a method that works.”

What to do with Stafford?

It seems Los Angeles’ damage method was unable to stop all these accidents, leaving their 36-year-old quarterback in peril. Stafford threw for 216 yards and misplaced a fumble after being sacked 5 instances within the loss towards the Cardinals, tied for the third-most in Week 2 getting into “Monday Evening Soccer.” A part of the explanation he was sacked so many instances is as a result of his 3.25 seconds to throw ranked because the fifth-longest common time to throw in Week 2 as he was scanning the sphere, determined to search out targets who might get themselves open with each Kupp and Nacua on the shelf. Life might get much more uncomfortable for Stafford forward of the Rams’ Week 6 bye with Los Angeles set to face Nick Bosa’s San Francisco 49ers, Montez Sweat’s Chicago Bears and Rashan Gary’s Inexperienced Bay Packers the following three weeks. 

Whereas this will sound foolish, it is perhaps value contemplating sooner or later throughout the yr if all of the aforementioned gamers’ stays on injured reserve final for weeks: ought to the Rams put Stafford in bubble wrap and wait to place him again on the sphere till his offensive line and/or receiving core is more healthy? Stafford missed the second half of the 2022 season with a spinal wire contusion and concussion, which led to him having to clear up that he wasn’t retiring within the 2023 offseason. 

Three-time NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr and future Corridor of Famer Aaron Donald is retired, leaving the Rams defensive entrance seven extraordinarily younger with rookies Jared Verse (2024 first spherical decide) and Braden Fiske (2024 second spherical decide) alongside the defensive position subsequent to second-year gamers in Kobie Turner and Byron Younger. Two key corners in Darious Williams and Derion Kendrick are on injured reserve. Donald now not being round to be Los Angeles’ magic eraser relating to potential defensive weaknesses is a large deal. 

Within the time because the NFL postseason expanded to 14 groups within the 2020 season, two groups throughout the earlier 4 seasons have began 0-2 and made the playoffs, the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 and the Houston Texans in 2023. Simply 5 of these 32 completed their respective seasons with successful data. Los Angeles is up towards in Week 3 towards it since it’s going through the reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers with a depleted roster. No NFL staff to start a yr 0-3 has gone on to win a Tremendous Bowl. 

Ought to the Rams begin 0-3 with all these accidents piling up, it will make somewhat sense, despite the fact that it will be fairly excessive, to protect Stafford till his offensive line’s and receiving room’s well being improves. Dropping a couple of video games early might go a good distance towards offering basic supervisor Les Snead significantly better draft picks in 2025. Higher picks could possibly be used to inject extra youth right into a squad that’s getting old quickly in some positions. Or, Los Angeles might commerce away its picks within the title of veteran aide, a Snead particular. The Rams presently personal the 2025 draft rights to their very own first, third, fourth and sixth-round draft alternative whereas additionally possessing a sixth-round decide from the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans by way of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

McVay has lengthy raved about his kinship with Stafford as a soccer thoughts, however his quarterback’s physique might not be round for for much longer if the Rams do not take motion shortly as their 2024 season continues to spiral uncontrolled.