Rams' Cooper Kupp Listed as Full Participant in Return

Valentina Martinez | 3 Hours Ago

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) celebrates a touchdown against with wide receiver Tyler Johnson (18) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, September 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Los Angeles Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp was a full participant in Monday's practice, indicating he will likely play in Thursday's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

Following the Rams' 20-15 triumph over the Raiders on Sunday, Rams head coach Sean McVay revealed he expected Kupp to return for the Thursday Night Football showdown.

There was previous speculation that Kupp would participate in Sunday's game against the Raiders, but the team announced he was inactive after a pregame workout confirmed his availability.

"He was close (to playing against the Raiders), but ultimately, you guys heard me talk about it throughout the course of the week, it was about return performance, not necessarily return to play," McVay said postgame via the team transcript. "And hopefully Thursday will represent that for us."

When Kupp was first injured in Week 2, McVay said the Rams wouldn't push the star receiver to return sooner than he could. The cautious approach made sense given the unprecedented number of injuries.

Kupp isn't the only star on the offense to be sidelined by injury. Sophomore receiver Puka Nacua was also injured early this season. Nacua sustained an injury in the season opener against the Detroit Lions.

Nacua landed on injured reserve, but the Rams chose to leave Kupp off IR. Before Kupp's Week 2 injury, he tallied 18 catches for 147 yards and one score.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has had to adapt to a number of moving parts in the offense this season. Stafford has done a superb job of working with the moving pieces as his top two receivers dealt with injuries.

Heading into Week 8, Stafford is eager to compete with one of his favorite offensive weapons, Kupp.

"He loves football, he's missing being out there, so I'm excited for him, excited for our offense," Stafford said. "He's a great player, and those guys are tough to come by, so when you get them back, it's always a great thing. I think it's great for that (wide receiver) room, too, just having his presence around guys. Love being around him and working with him."

In seven-plus seasons with the Rams, Kupp has recorded 585 receptions for 7,213 yards and 52 touchdowns. He's also started in 80 of 94 games played.

His most memorable year in Los Angeles was 2021 when he was awarded the Triple Crown. Kupp has been battling injuries the last few seasons, but hopes to turn things around with his long-awaited return in Week 8.