Brady HendersonESPN
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams will be without starting tight end Tyler Higbee and backup offensive lineman Joe Noteboom in Super Bowl LVI, as both players were placed on injured reserve Friday.
The team activated running back Darrell Henderson and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day off IR in corresponding moves.
Higbee was the Rams’ most significant injury question for Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals, though his chances of playing never looked good, as he had yet to practice since spraining an MCL in the NFC Championship Game.
Higbee caught 61 passes (second on the team) for 560 yards (third) and five touchdowns (tied for third) in 15 regular-season games. He played 14 snaps in the conference title game against the San Francisco 49ers, catching two passes for 18 yards, before leaving with his knee injury.
Backup Kendall Blanton caught five passes for 57 yards in the Rams’ 20-17 win over San Francisco. Blanton scored a touchdown in the Rams’ divisional-round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“KB’s done an awesome job when he’s stepped in and made some plays.” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “Obviously Higs is a big part of our offense. He’s done an unbelievable job all season helping us get to this point both blocking and running and catching and doing all of the thing that we ask him to do. But I’ve got total confidence in KB to come in there and do his thing.”
Noteboom (chest) was listed as a limited participant Thursday, his only practice of the past two weeks.
With Higbee and Noteboom on IR, every player on the Rams’ 53-man roster was listed as a full participant Friday. None of the players on the 53-man roster are listed as questionable, doubtful or out.
