2019 Los Angeles Rams roster preview: WR Cooper Kupp, back at it from the back of the attic

The 2018 Los Angeles Rams missed WR Cooper Kupp. A lot.

The degree to which they missed him is up to advanced analytics, because the baseline is pretty blunt.

The Rams came out of the bye week in Week 12 without Kupp after he tore his ACL, and things got worse.

Kupp was out. The offensive line played worse. QB Jared Goff played worse. RB Just Todd Gurley, uh...stuff happened. And is happening. And then we lost Super Bowl LIII on perhaps the worst offensive performance of the year.

And now, we’re here.

Kupp’s back. The OL and the offense as a whole has an opportunity to prove the Super Bowl was an anomaly. And the Patella Novella...well, it’s still being written.

But with Kupp back, we’re at least starting from scratch.

Whatever that might mean for 2019.

Roster Battle

Nope. Kupp’s back in the starting mix with WR Brandin Cooks and WR Robert Woods with WR Josh Reynolds in support, though there is a question of how they need to be used/rotated per Quarterbacks Coach/Pass Game Coordinator/Co-Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron’s preference.

Expectations

High, but depressed on the back of the injury and the strength of the rest of the depth chart.

Chances of making the final roster (10/10)

Kupp is going into Year 3 with the benefit of an absence from the end of the Rams’ memorable 2018.

Does his return make 2019 equally as memorable?