Sean McVay talks Cooper Kupp, Cam Akers ahead of matchup with Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams were expected to be two of the top teams in the NFL this season. Instead, both teams have trickled below .500 and are now fighting to stay relevant. A win this Sunday afternoon could mean a ton in a few months when the postseason rolls around.
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The Buccaneers recently lost pass-rusher Shaq Barrett for the season but are expected to have Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy Bunting, Akiem Hicks, and other players back this weekend.
The Rams have been dealing with multiple injuries of their own this season. On Friday, head coach Sean McVay updated the status of a few players on the roster.
According to McVay, star wide receiver Cooper Kupp, wide receiver Van Jefferson, and center Brian Allen are expected to play against the Buccaneers.
Kupp was injured late in Los Angeles' loss to San Francisco last weekend. Despite swelling in his ankle that has forced him to miss practice, he should be good to go on Sunday. Kupp leads the team and is among the league leaders with 64 catches for 686 yards with five touchdowns. He's compiled the most yards after catch (342) of any wide receiver in the NFL this season.
"I think he's going to be OK," McVay said on Monday. "You guys all know how tough he is, and so, really just kind of managing that swelling. But fortunately, there wasn't anything structurally wrong, and so that's very positive news for us."
Jefferson is in the midst of a return from a knee injury that kept him out of the majority of training camp and six games this season. He was activated off IR and appeared against the 49ers but did not record a catch. Allen dealt with swelling following the loss to San Francisco but has progressed throughout the week.
Another player that McVay commented on was third-year running back Cam Akers. Earlier this season, Los Angeles explored the possibility of trading Akers and he ended up sitting out the last two games. After remaining with the team through the trade deadline, it's possible he's back in the lineup as soon as this weekend.
"Got Cam back in here. We ended up having a good conversation like I had mentioned to you guys," McVay said on Friday. "We felt like the best thing moving forward was to be able to try to get him back here, get him going, or a better team when he ends up being the guy we know. Felt good about our discussion, kind of like we had talked about.
"As far as whether he's going to play in this game or not, we're still working through that. We've got practice coming up today, there is a possibility but we want to do what's best for Cam and also what's best for our football team," McVay continued. "Feel good about the things that have led to us getting to this situation and scenario. Sometimes you've got to be able to work through things and have good conversations, want to be able to get that stuff in house. But ultimately the most important thing for us is he's back, he had a good day of work yesterday, has a good look in his eye, and it's good to be able to have Cam here back with us."
Akers has struggled to return to top form following an Achilles injury that he suffered last year. He's totaled 51 carries for 151 yards and a touchdown as well as 2 catches for 18 yards. There have been times when it seems like Akers is second-guessing himself and his protection.
The former second-round pick will likely play second fiddle to Darrell Henderson Jr. if he is able to play.
Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are set to kick off at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday on CBS.
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