The Rams may be back on the hunt for a kicker barely a week after changing course at the position.
Blake Grupe, who joined Los Angeles earlier this week after the team cut Harrison Mevis, went down with a knee injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Arizon Cardinals after getting involved in a kickoff tackle. The Rams called him doubtful to return.
Grupe had started his day on the right foot, drilling a 44-yard field goal to finish the Rams’ opening drive. Not long after that, his afternoon changed in an instant on special teams.
On the next kickoff, Grupe came up to help stop return specialist Devin Duvernay and shoved him out of bounds at the 47-yard line. Grupe immediately dropped to the turf after the play, staying on all fours in obvious pain before the Rams’ training staff walked him off.
He was first checked in the blue medical tent and then taken to the locker room for more testing. With Grupe unavailable, the Rams turned to punter Ethan Evans for kickoff duties and later opted for an unsuccessful two-point conversion rather than have Evans attempt an extra-point kick in the second quarter.
The timing could hardly be worse for Los Angeles. The Rams signed Grupe off the New York Jets’ practice squad earlier in the week in hopes of settling a kicking situation that had already swung a game against Buffalo.
Mevis was released after his potential game-winning 48-yard field goal was blocked in overtime during Monday night’s loss to the Bills. That miss pushed coach Sean McVay and the Rams to make a quick move, bringing in Grupe before Sunday’s matchup.
Grupe, who kicked in college at Arkansas State and Notre Dame, was supposed to give the Rams a clean slate at the position. Instead, his first appearance for the team took a turn almost as soon as he made his first field goal.
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Rams Kicking Crisis Just Forced Another Sudden Game Day Adjustment
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Then the script flipped on the kickoff, where Grupe injured his knee while making a tackle and is now doubtful to return. With the replacement kicker suddenly sidelined, the Rams are leaning on punter Ethan Evans to handle the kicking duties, with receiver Jordan Whittington in line to serve as holder if the in-game shuffle holds up. [Read more 🡒]