Rams WR Jefferson ruled out for season opener vs. Bills
Rams receiver Van Jefferson has been ruled out for Los Angeles’ season opener against Buffalo tonight while recovering from knee surgery.
Jefferson still hasn’t returned to practice after having surgery early in training camp. The Rams still waited until Wednesday to confirm he won’t play when the team raises its Super Bowl banner at SoFi Stadium and hosts the Bills in the NFL’s first game of the season.
Jefferson started all 21 games and was a key complementary receiver as a secondyear pro last season for the champions, finishing second on the roster to NFL receiving leader Cooper Kupp in yards receiving (802) and touchdown catches (6).
He added nine receptions for 102 yards in the postseason, including four catches in the Super Bowl — after which he immediately rushed to the hospital for the birth of his son.
Ben Skowronek, Tutu Atwell and kick returner Brandon Powell could all get playing time in Jefferson’s absence behind Kupp and newcomer Allen Robinson. Skowronek had 11 catches in the regular season and two more in the playoffs as a rookie last year, while Atwell’s rookie season ended early with an injury.
Also on Wednesday, the Rams signed longtime right tackle Rob Havenstein to a three-year contract extension through the 2025 season.
Havenstein has been a starter on the Rams’ offensive line when healthy ever since the team selected him out of Wisconsin in the second round of the 2015 draft. He started 99 regular season games and all 10 of the Rams’ playoff contests during the first seven seasons of his career, including the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over Cincinnati last February.
■ PACKERS: Davante Adams might not be the only notable receiver missing when the Green Bay Packers open their season.
Allen Lazard hasn’t practiced this week due to an ankle injury, leaving his status uncertain for Sunday’s game at Minnesota. That means the Packers and MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be without their top returning receiver as they adapt to life without Adams, the two-time All-Pro who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in March.
“He got stepped on last week, so that’s where we’re at with him,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday.
Veterans Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins and Amari Rodgers and rookies Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure are the other receivers on Green Bay’s roster. The Packers also have Juwann Winfree and Travis Fulgham on the practice squad.
None of them caught more than 28 passes last season.
■ JETS: Joe Flacco will huddle up for the New York Jets against his former team. And likely a few more opponents after that.
Coach Robert Saleh announced Wednesday that Flacco will start at quarterback in the season opener Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens in place of the injured Zach Wilson — who likely will be out until Week 4 at Pittsburgh.
Flacco starting this week is not unexpected, as it appeared to be trending that way for a few weeks. But the announcement that the Oct. 2 game against the Steelers is likely “the earliest” Wilson will return from a knee injury was a surprise.
“Now, can it change? Sure, I’m always going to leave that door open,” Saleh said. “You guys know me, I’m the eternal optimist. But we are going to make sure both mind and body are 110 percent and make sure we do right by him.”
■ CARDINALS: The Arizona Cardinals put backup quarterback Colt McCoy on injured reserve heading into Sunday’s season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said McCoy strained a calf at practice on Monday. McCoy’s absence means Trace McSorley is starter Kyler Murray’s primary backup.
Injured reserve sidelines players for at least four games.
The 36-year-old McCoy went 2-1 as a starter last season for the Cardinals, filling in midseason when Murray was out with an injury. He completed 75 percent of his passes for 740 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
McSorley played in three games with the Baltimore Ravens over the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
■ BILLS: The joy Dawson Knox experienced in signing a $53.6 million, four-year contract extension with the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday was undercut by the recent death of the tight end’s younger brother.
As a result, Knox couldn’t think of a better way to pay tribute to Luke Knox than by dedicating this season to him.
“I know that he’s up in heaven right now, and he’s smiling down, couldn’t be more excited, so this is for him, too,” Knox said in a pool report released by the Bills.
“I know he wanted me to give it my all in everything I did, so there’s a little extra motivation for me there this year, because I know he’ll be able to be watching,” he added. “He’s always been my biggest supporter and wants me to be the best player and be the best man I possibly can be.”
The signing comes three weeks after Luke Knox, a Florida International University player, died of unknown causes.
While the Bills announced the move, which locks up Knox through the 2026 season, a person with direct knowledge of the contract confirmed its value to The Associated Press after it was first reported by ESPN. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal the figure, which currently ranks Knox as the NFL’s sixth-highest paid tight end.
The person said Knox is guaranteed $31 million, with the remainder made up in incentives and bonus money.