Rams lose S Jordan Fuller to injury for Wild Card game vs. Cardinals
Jan 11, 2022, 9:22 AM
A.J. Green #18 of the Arizona Cardinals carries the ball after a reception as Jordan Fuller #4 of the Los Angeles Rams defends during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium on December 13, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams leading tackler Jordan Fuller will miss the Monday Wild Card game against the Arizona Cardinals due to an ankle injury.
“He’s going to require surgery possibly so he will be out for the remainder of the year, and that’s a big loss for us,” head coach Sean McVay told reporters on Monday.
Fuller is fourth on the Rams defense in terms of total snaps played this season. He leads Los Angeles with 113 tackles and has an interception and five passes defensed.
Who might replace Fuller, the 2020 sixth-round pick who made a huge leap in his second NFL season?
RELATED STORIES
“Nick Scott’s done a nice job,” McVay said. “I thought Terrell Burgess came in and did a nice job as well yesterday … so we got a couple candidates.”
A third-year pro, Scott (47 tackles, two interceptions) has played 35% of the available defensive snaps this year, while Burgess has only appeared in 7% of Los Angeles’ total.
Which player ultimately replaces Fuller will depend on personnel groupings, McVay said.
So could the determination on which player takes on signal-calling duties for the Rams defense. The head coach suggested cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who plays often in the slot, took over that role when Fuller was hurt Sunday in Los Angeles’ home loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Inside linebackers like Troy Reeder could also be candidates to carry Fuller’s communication responsibilities.
“We’ll see as we move forward,” McVay said.
