Ram Digest

Rams Injury News: Jordan Fuller out for Playoffs, Taylor Rapp Enters Concussion Protocol

The Rams' secondary came out of the Week 18 game banged up as the team enters postseason play.

Nicholas Cothrel

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The Los Angeles Rams entered the regular-season finale about as healthy as you could ask for given that they’re 18 weeks into the season. The Rams didn't have any players listed on the final injury report with a game designation, indicating everyone was good to go in terms of their health for game-day.

Meanwhile, the Rams' injuries during Sunday's overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers began to mount within their secondary. Safety Jordan Fuller suffered an ankle injury that might require surgery, McVay told reporters Monday. Fuller will miss the playoffs, forcing the team to hand over the 'green dot' duties to another member of the defense in his absence.

"Unfortunately, Jordan Fuller got his ankle pretty good. He’s going to require surgery, possibly. And so, he will be out for the remainder of the year and that's a big loss for us," McVay said.

McVay said he has yet to settle on who will consume that role of relaying the calls from defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to the rest of the team, but mentioned cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and inside linebackers Troy Reeder and Travin Howard as possible candidates.

Fuller ended the regular season collecting 113 total tackles, one interception and five pass breakups. But aside from his skill set, it's Fuller's communication in assisting the defense pre-snap that goes unmeasured in what the Rams will be without as they move ahead into postseason play without Fuller operating things on the backend.

McVay also revealed that safety Taylor Rapp has entered concussion protocol and is going through the evaluation process. 

Rapp played 83% of the Rams' defensive snaps in Week 18, registering eight tackles, one interception and one pass breakup. His status for the Wild Card Round matchup when the Rams host the Arizona Cardinals now sits in jeopardy.

With Fuller out and Rapp's availability in question, the next guys in line to patrol the two safety spots are Nick Scott and Terrell Burgess.

“Nick Scott’s done a nice job playing in that (role). I thought Terrell Burgess came in and did a really good job as well yesterday," McVay said. "So, we've got a couple candidates and a lot of that is predicated on, ‘Alright, what kind of personnel groupings and the approach and the best way that we feel like we want to try to defend the multiple looks that Arizona can present?'"

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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.

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Nicholas Cothrel
NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel covers the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated.

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