Los Angeles Rams rookie linebacker Chris Paul Jr. hasn’t been on the field in training camp as he recovers from a calf injury that’s kept him sidelined. It’s a tough development for the first-year defender who’s trying to carve out a role for himself, limiting the opportunities to showcase his ability in practice.
Paul has the speed and athleticism to make a splash on defense this season but because of his calf strain, he’s falling a bit behind in the linebacker competition. On Tuesday, Sean McVay provided an update on Paul and admits the team hoped he would be further along in his rehab.
It’s no fault of Paul, but his calf is taking longer to heal than expected.
“Yeah, I think they tried to do a couple things with Reggie [Scott] and his group today,” McVay said. “It wasn’t exactly where we had hoped right now. I think the smart thing will be when he is ready to go, and then obviously we’ll have our focus on some of those first preseason games. I think we were hoping that he would be a little bit further along. He’s a tough kid. Sometimes these muscle strains can be tricky. That’s where we’re at with that right now.”
Paul is someone who would benefit greatly from playing in the preseason, but he won’t get that chance if he isn’t fully recovered from this injury in time. Nate Landman and Omar Speights appear to be running away with the two starting linebacker spots, leaving Paul, Troy Reeder and Shaun Dolac further down the depth chart.
Fans were excited to see Paul play after he was drafted in the fifth round this year but they might need to wait a little while longer before he suits up.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rookie LB Chris Paul Jr. not recovering from calf injury as quickly as Rams hoped
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
