Injuries have turned what was a promising Rams roster into one that could struggle to make the playoffs. The offensive line has been decimated and the receiving corps is now taking a major hit with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp out several weeks.
The Rams had good depth at wideout, but it’s certainly going to be tested in the near future with guys like Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell and Tyler Johnson being asked to step up. Whittington, for one, is ready for the challenge of potentially being a starting receiver in the NFL.
A big reason for that is the help he’s gotten from players such as Nacua and Kupp, as well as the other receivers in the building.
“I feel very prepared,” he told J.B. Long on “Rams Revealed” this week. “And I think the reason for that is the guys we had in that room, and the guys that we do have in the room. Just Cooper and Puka, just how they instill certain type of things – a mentality in me that just gave me the ability to be able to step up, and I appreciate them for that. But, you know, it really is unfortunate when you lose two of your leaders like that, but that’s kind of how football goes sometimes, so we got the other guys that are still there, we just gotta be able to do what we need to do.”
Whittington played two offensive snaps in the opener and would’ve scored a touchdown if not for a holding penalty on A.J. Arcuri. In Week 2, he played half the game (26 snaps) and caught two passes: one for no gain and another for 22 yards.
Demarcus Robinson will remain one starter at wide receiver but it’s unclear who the other two will be; it’ll have to be some combination of Whittington, Atwell and Johnson. Considering Whittington played the entire second half on Sunday after Kupp went down, he seems like a natural fit to step in as a starter. It’s a tall task for a sixth-round rookie but he looked great in the preseason and has the skill set to be a productive receiver in the NFL.
