Rams’ Initial Week 4 Injury Report Confirms Tavon Austin Shoulder Injury

After the Los Angeles Rams’ second practice of the week heading toward Week 4’s road clash against the Arizona Cardinals, here’s our initial injury report:

So yes, we can start with the trio that looks set to make their 2016 debut, and for two of them, their NFL debut: CB E.J. Gaines, WR Pharoh Cooper and WR Nelson Spruce.

Gaines hasn’t played a regular season snap since just before Christmas 2014. That was a long time ago, Charlie. Meanwhile, Cooper and Spruce look potentially set to make their NFL debuts.

There’s the good.

Now the bad.

The Tavon Austin injury scare is real. Don’t mistake the threat. It’s not that Austin is going to be unavailable for Sunday. That he was able to get through Week 3 and was a limited participant yesterday/today (the injury report isn’t necessarily clear as to which practice it refers to), he’s likely to play in Arizona. The scare is that either it affects his performance or the reality that he’s more susceptible to injury now.

You know damn well if you’re Arizona CB Patrick Peterson or S Tyrann Mathieu, you’re looking to (a) test Austin’s shoulder and then (b) put some muscle on it.

Then you’ve got three players who didn’t get involved. No doubt, there’s legitimate concern now for DE William Hayes, who had to exit in Tampa, and Lamarcus Joyner who has tested the limits of a broken toe, limits that may find their ceiling sooner rather than later.

And for Arizona? The sheer size of their report is notable on its own:

#yikes

This week’s initial report sets up the most crucial injury report tracking of the 2016 season.

Stay tuned.