The Rams will not have their top cornerback for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Trent McDuffie is inactive for the contest. He was listed as questionable after missing Friday’s practice with a groin issue.
McDuffie has registered seven passes defensed with an interception so far this season — his first with Los Angeles.
Rams safety Kam Curl (ankle) is active after he was also questionable.
For the Cardinals, safety Budda Baker is active after he was listed as questionable with a groin injury.
But running back Jeremiyah Love was previously ruled out with an ankle injury.
Arizona’s inactives are Love, quarterback Carson Beck, cornerback Starling Thomas, safety Andrew Wingard, safety Wydett Williams, safety Jerrick Reed, and defensive lineman Andrew Billings.
The inactives for L.A. are McDuffie, receiver C.J. Daniels, receiver Tutu Atwell, quarterback Ty Simpson, defensive end Larrell Murchison, and offensive lineman Bill Murray.
Beck and Simpson are the emergency third QBs for their respective teams.
The good news for the Cardinals, who haven’t won at home since September 14, 2025, is that they’re playing on the road today. The bad news is that they’re facing the Rams, who have an offense that is more than good enough to give the Cardinals’ defense the hot-knife-through-butter treatment.
Of course, the Cardinals’ tub of Country Crock has seen plenty of warm knives in recent weeks.
The Cardinals have allowed 36 or more points in three straight games. Via NBC Sports research, that’s one short of tying the all-time record of four in a row in a given season.
The others to have three straight games with 36 or more points allowed are the 2010 Bills, 2004 Titans, 1954 Washington, 1950 Colts, 1948 Chicago Rockets, and 1934 Cincinnati Reds.
If the Cardinals allow 36 or more this week, the potential record setter would come next week, when the Broncos come to town.
More importantly, the Cardinals have lost eight games in a row in the NFC West. Another loss ties their all-time record (since the merger) of nine in a row, which happened in 1991-92 when they were in the NFC East.
Two of the Rams defensive backs are uncertain to play Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Trent McDuffie (groin) and safety Kam Curl (ankle) are both listed as questionable.
Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Trent McDuffie felt something in his groin at the end of Thursday’s session, so the team held him out of Friday’s practice out of an abundance of caution.
McDuffie has registered seven passes defensed and an interception so far in 2026.
The rest of the Rams are good to go, including tight end Davis Allen (foot) who missed the first two days of the practice week. He was limited in Friday’s session.
Receiver/returner Alex Bachman (wrist), linebacker Nate Landman (wrist/shoulder), tight end Colby Parkinson (shoulder), linebacker Omar Speights (knee), offensive lineman Keagan Trost (hamstring), and cornerback Josh Wallace (shoulder) are the other players who are off the injury report.
The NFL has announced it has removed Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper from the Commissioner’s Exempt List.
Cooper is eligible to play in the team’s next game on Oct. 25 after missing six games.
The NFL placed Cooper on paid leave on Aug. 30 following domestic-related charges involving two incidents with his former girlfriend in June.
Cooper’s motion hearing was continued on Monday at the request of the district attorney’s office. He is now scheduled for a motion hearing on Feb. 23 and a jury trial the week of March 2. The NFL season ends with Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14.
Cooper is facing five charges after two disputes with his ex-girlfriend that began with a fight over a cell phone. The most serious charge is felony second-degree assault/strangulation.
He participated in the team’s training camp and three preseason games after pleading not guilty to all charges.
Cooper lost $180,000 in per-game roster bonuses but was able to keep his six weekly game checks of $676,471 each while on leave.
In its statement, the league said it will continue to investigate and monitor Cooper’s legal matter until a resolution.
The Rams will not have to contend with running back Jeremiyah Love this weekend.
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur announced that Love will not play in Week 6 during his Friday press conference. Love has been dealing with an ankle injury for the last couple of weeks and LaFleur said earlier in the week that the team wants him to get back to full health.
Love did not practice at all this week and the decision to rule him out gives him more time to heal. LaFleur said there have not been any conversations about placing the first-round pick on injured reserve, so they will hope to get him back on the field ahead of their Week 7 game against the Broncos.
Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight will be the backs for Arizona against the Rams.
