WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Given the original 12-week recovery timeline for his shoulder injury sustained in Week 2 against the Titans, it wasn't too much of a surprise that cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon would be designated for return this week. Beginning that 21-day window this week would have that third week land at Week 15, based on that timetable.
What was a surprise was when head coach Sean McVay on Wednesday said he thinks Witherspoon will play this week, provided all goes well in practice.
It's less shocking, though, when Witherspoon – a pre-med student at Colorado – clarifies that it was a broken scapula, not a broken clavicle as originally announced, that he sustained in Week 2 against the Titans.
"I don't really think they're important," Witherspoon said of scapulas.
Thus, Week 13 against the Panthers is right about when he expected to return from that injury.
"They were thinking something different, but I showed them I heal fast, so I knew it was going to be around this timeframe," Witherspoon said. "Right on par."
Witherspoon is eager to contribute on Sunday, and his expected return coincides with Los Angeles' secondary as a whole playing its best football of the season. A Rams cornerback has recorded an interception in each of the last four games; Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Cobie Durant had one each – Durant's returned 50 yards for a touchdown – in their win over the Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.
Having a present mindset while sidelined was important to Witherspoon so that he "didn't have to get in shape mentally" when he returned. As eager as he was to get back, he said it wasn't difficult to remain patient over the last 10 weeks.
"I mean, I think both can exist," Witherspoon said. "You can be eager as hell and patient as hell. It's just having perspective, understanding the reality of the situation, and letting both thrive in the midst of it."
That mindset has served him well. He said there's no physical tests left for him, and that he's ready to play.
"I did all the testing these last few weeks, training and watching one side and getting it ready," Witherspoon said. "Now it's just mental, press the go button and play."
McVay said Witherspoon's anticipated return will provide flexibility to a secondary that placed cornerback Roger McCreary today and safety Quentin Lake last week on Injured Reserve.
"It means a lot (to get Witherspoon back)," McVay said. "Talking with (senior vice president of sports medicine and performance) Reggie (Scott), seeing where he's at, he's been chomping at the bit. The scan looked really good, and so he's done some different things with Reggie and his group that would try to simulate some of the physical contact and being able to trust it, and obviously the practice settings will be really good. But it means a lot, because ... you lose Q, you go get Roger in the instance that if something were to happen to Q, and you lose both of those guys. And so to get Ahkello back, we've got some flexibility."
