cobie durant

Before the season, Rams coach Sean McVay spoke confidently about his team’s talent and depth.

That depth will get another early test.

Starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was placed on injured reserve Monday after suffering a fractured clavicle during Sunday’s 33-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

Witherspoon, 30, will be sidelined “probably 12 weeks,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters.

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Rams beat reporter Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 33-19 win over the Tennessee Titans as the team shifts its focus toward a big game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.

Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. are expected to be the starters, with veteran Darious Williams in a rotational role, on Sunday when the Rams (2-0) play the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The Rams also will “bring somebody in,” McVay said.

The Eagles’ offense is built around star running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Rams last season. But the secondary will be tasked with controlling a passing attack that features quarterback Jalen Hurts, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Barkley and several tight ends.

The Rams defeated the Titans despite the absence of starting left guard Steve Avila and rotational tight end Colby Parkinson, who suffered ankle and shoulder injuries, respectively, in the season-opening victory over the Houston Texans.

McVay said Avila is “week to week.” Justin Dedich started in place of Avila against the Titans.

Defensive lineman Braden Fiske suffered an oblique strain during pregame warmups against the Titans, McVay said, and he was limited to 13 defensive snaps.

The Rams made a move in their secondary, but it was not an addition.

Cornerback Derion Kendrick, sidelined last season after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament during training camp, was waived, the team announced Friday.

Kendrick, a sixth-round draft pick in 2022, participated in the Rams’ offseason program and organized team activities. He was scheduled to earn $3.4 million this season, according to Overthecap.com.

The secondary is something of a question mark for a Rams team that is regarded as a potential Super Bowl contender.

After finishing 10-7 and advancing to the NFC divisional round last season, the Rams neither signed a cornerback during free agency nor drafted one.

Veterans Darious Williams, 32, and Ahkello Witherspoon, 32, are the projected starting cornerbacks. Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Josh Wallace are among others expected to play.

When asked, coach Sean McVay has not ruled out the possibility of trading for Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI. But Ramsey is due to earn $24.2 million this season and will have a salary-cap number of at least $25 million in the following three seasons, according to Overthecap.com. McVay has repeatedly pointed to “a lot of layers” that would have to be addressed for a reunion with Ramsey to take place.

Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was recently released by the Green Bay Packers.

“Nothing but respect for the player but I don’t know if that’s a direction we would go,” McVay said this week about Alexander.

Kendrick played in 32 games for the Rams. He started six games as a rookie and 12 in 2023. He intercepted one pass.