Los Angeles Rams wide receiver and return specialist Pharoh Cooper is expected to miss several weeks because of a sprained ankle.
Head coach Sean McVay said Tuesday that Cooper might need surgery to repair the injury he suffered in the third quarter of the Rams’ 33-13 win over Oakland on Monday night.
McVay said Cooper is getting a second opinion.
“He’s going to be out for some time right now, so that’s a big loss for us,” the coach said.
“He’s just got some loose fragments in there,” McVay said. “It’s a pretty serious ankle sprain is basically the best way I can put it.”
A fourth-round draft pick in 2016 out of South Carolina, Cooper was named first-team All-Pro as a kick returner last season and made the Pro Bowl after averaging 27.4 yards per kick return with one touchdown and 12.5 yards per punt return.
The Rams might be forced to sign a return specialist this week as Cooper’s backup, wide receiver Mike Thomas, is also dealing with an injury. McVay said Thomas tweaked his groin and is going to meet with a specialist.
“Hopefully we’ll get some good information, but he could be out for a little bit of time, as well,” McVay said.
Second-year wide receiver Cooper Kupp took over as the punt returner, making a fair catch on his only attempt in the fourth quarter. The Rams did not return a kickoff after Cooper was injured.
McVay said the Rams would likely decide whether to sign a free agent or promote a player off their practice squad to replace Cooper by Wednesday.
“Mike Thomas is the backup there, so that makes it really complicated,” McVay said. “Whether we handle that internally or we go outside (signing) somebody else to figure that role out, those are things that we have kind of been discussing.”
