Rams place Kupp on IR after star receiver's ankle surgery

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The Los Angeles Rams have endured a miserable Super Bowl hangover in 2022, and they received more tough news on Tuesday.

Star wide receiver Cooper Kupp will undergo surgery on Wednesday for a high ankle sprain he suffered in the team’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, head coach Sean McVay said. Kupp will land on injured reserve, meaning he will miss the Rams’ next four games at the minimum.

The ankle injury occurred in the fourth quarter when he jumped up for a pass from backup quarterback John Wolford, who was starting in place of Matthew Stafford. Kupp grabbed his lower leg following the play and was assisted by the team’s medical staff on the sideline.

Kupp earned the NFL receiving triple crown in 2021, leading the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16). He hasn’t carried nearly the same pace into 2022, but he was still a lone bright spot on a sluggish Rams offense. He has more than twice as many yards as any other pass-catcher (812) and three times as many receiving touchdowns (six) as any of his teammates. His 75 receptions are 31 more than tight end Tyler Higbee, who is second on the team, and 46 more than any other receiver.

As a team, the Rams rank 31st in yards per game (282.7) and 29th in points per game (16.4). They have scored 20 or more points in all three of their wins and been held under the mark in all six of their defeats.

With their 3-6 record, the Rams are currently the No. 13 seed in the NFC and sit two games behind the 49ers for the final wild-card spot in the conference. To make matters worse, the Detroit Lions own the Rams’ 2023 first-round pick -- which would be No. 8 if the season ended after Week 10 -- as part of the Stafford trade in 2021.

RELATED: Where 49ers stand in playoff picture entering Week 11

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The Rams’ next four games are at the New Orleans Saints, at the Kansas City Chiefs, home against the Seattle Seahawks and home against the Las Vegas Raiders. The earliest Kupp would be able to return is a "Monday Night Football" contest against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 19.

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