A breakout contributor in 2021, Los Angeles Rams receiver Van Jefferson is off to a much slower start in the team’s latest campaign as he nurses a knee injury following a procedure performed on it in August. Head coach Sean McVay announced that the receiver is still week-to-week in his recovery process, implying that he will likely be out for quite some time longer than initially expected.

The 26-year-old receiver played a key part in Los Angeles’ Super Bowl run last season, hauling in 50 receptions for 802-yards and six touchdowns in his second year in the NFL. Originally drafted as a second-round pick in 2020 out of the University of Florida, Jefferson was slated for a huge role in the offense in 2022 in the absence of Odell Beckham Jr. who started opposite Cooper Kupp in 2021.

Though his knee injury isn’t likely to affect Jefferson’s long-term outlook as a contributor within the offense, it may delay his ascension to starting status as the team leans on other players in his absence. To this point, Los Angeles has tried to replace his production with veteran free agent addition Allen Robinson, whose disappointing performance against the Buffalo Bills was cause for concern in Week 1.

It has become clear that the team needs Jefferson back as soon as possible, but knee injuries rarely progress ahead of schedule. With every passing week that he doesn’t play, Jefferson’s role when he comes back becomes even more nebulous, as he’ll likely need time to adjust to the offense once he gets back in practice.

2022 may not end up being a year of massive progress for Jefferson, but when the receiver finally gets back to full health, fans can expect him to be a motivated competitor who is eager to prove he was worth waiting for. If he can return quickly enough to help alleviate the early-season struggles that seem to be looming for Los Angeles’ offense after their brutal Week 1 loss, Jefferson may be able to make up for the time he missed and secure an every-down role in the Rams’ offense.