Portugal Colonial - Davante Adams injury deepens Los Angeles Rams receiver shortage

The Rams received somewhat positive news on the injury front on Wednesday. Coach Sean McVay told reporters the team is increasingly optimistic that superstar wide receiver Davante Adams could return sooner than initially anticipated, potentially following the Rams’ Week 12 showdown with the Packers.

"We’re optimistic Davante’s return is sooner than later, which is a big deal to us," McVay said Wednesday. Adams suffered a ruptured hamstring during the Rams’ Week 6 loss to the Cardinals, underwent a cleanup procedure and was initially given a recovery timetable of six to 10 weeks.

Now, with the Rams preparing for another showdown against Arizona on Sunday, the possibility of getting Adams back in the coming weeks offers a much-needed glimmer of hope for a team that is depleted at wide receiver. Fellow superstar Puka Nacua suffered MCL and PCL sprains in his right knee, along with turf toe, and is expected to miss significant time. The Rams elected not to place Nacua on injured reserve, leaving open the possibility of a return within four games.

However, the positive news on Adams and potentially Nacua also doesn’t help Matthew Stafford this Sunday against the Cardinals. The Rams also placed reserve receiver Jordan Whittington on injured reserve Tuesday, leaving Konata Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell and rookie CJ Daniels, who has yet to be targeted this season, among their remaining healthy options. The team re-signed WR Xavier Smith, the team’s punt returner for the last two seasons before they released the veteran earlier this year.

The receiving corps is now severely depleted, and the situation is even worse at tight end, where Terrance Ferguson remains sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury during practice last Friday. Making matters worse, the Rams watched Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline come and go without making a move to reinforce their battered roster.

That decision now places even more pressure on McVay to manufacture offense with a collection of inexperienced receivers while Stafford attempts to keep the Rams’ playoff hopes alive.

P.Sousa--PC