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Jeremiyah Love’s NFL career isn’t off to the best start.
After so-so play through the first five weeks, Love, the No. 3 overall pick in last April’s draft, was ruled out with a left ankle injury for Sunday’s game against the Rams in Los Angeles.
“We felt like it wasn’t improving and maybe even getting a little bit worse,” Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said on Friday. “At that point, it’s like, if it’s not improving, it’s getting a little bit worse, we got to do what’s right for the player.”
The Notre Dame product has dealt with ankle issues on and off this fall.
In a preseason game against the Raiders in mid-August, Love suffered a right high ankle sprain, which limited him in the lead-up to the regular season.
During Week 4 against the Giants, Love hurt his left ankle, which lingered into last week’s game against the Lions before ultimately taking him out for Week 6.
“He’s doing good, but you see the way he cuts — he cuts hard,” LaFleur said, via the Cardinals’ team website. “That’s a superpower of his. When he puts his left foot in the ground, it’s just not right right now.
“To run routes and separate, you have to be able to put those feet in the ground. We want to get him healed so he can do that in the run game and the pass game. … He is going to be a big part of our pass game when we feel he’s capable of doing it.”
When on the field, Love hasn’t lived up to the hype that had analysts touting him as one of the best running back prospects in recent NFL draft history.
Love has averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and has yet to break off a run of more than 20 yards.
In the pass game, he’s been largely a non-factor, with just 11 receptions across five games.