Rams safety McDonald to miss at least eight weeks due to leg fracture
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams have moved T.J. McDonald to injured reserve/designated to return after the rookie safety fractured his lower right leg during Thursday's 35-11 loss to San Francisco.
The injury will not require surgery, according to Rams coach Jeff Fisher. But the starter out of Southern California will miss at least eight weeks. The Rams believe his injury will heal in six weeks, giving him two weeks of practice to return to form.
"It's not season-ending, so that was -- in a lot of ways -- good news to us," Fisher said Friday.
McDonald was quickly developing a reputation as one of the Rams' hardest hitters in the secondary. Through four games he accumulated 15 tackles and defended two passes.
"He was playing well," Fisher said. "In addition to the things defensively, he was close to blocking punts. He was playing well for us on special teams."
The Rams have already lost one safety, Matt Daniels, to injury this year. Now increased pressure will fall upon the shoulders of backups Matt Giordano and Darian Stewart. To fill McDonald's vacated position on the 53-man roster, Fisher said rookie Cody Davis will be promoted from the practice squad.
On less serious notes, two other Rams starters -- corner Cortland Finnegan and linebacker Will Witherspoon -- were also injured Thursday. Fisher said both are day to day with hamstring injuries.
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