Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is officially returning for Thursday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, as he fully participated in practice Wednesday and does not have an injury designation, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.

Cooper Kupp has been out since he got injured in the Rams' loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and his return is welcomed as the offense has been without Puka Nacua as well. He has been floated in trade rumors as of late, and he could get moved with the Rams sitting at 2-4, but the team is trying to keep its season alive, and Kupp's return increases those chances.

Kupp had a standout performance in Week 1 for the Rams in a losing effort against the Detroit Lions in overtime. After Puka Nacua went down, Kupp became the main receiver for Matthew Stafford. Nacua is listed as questionable for this matchup. It would be huge for Los Angeles to have that wide receiver duo back on the field against a tough defense coordinated by Brian Flores. Despite that fact, however, the Rams are dealing with injuries all over their roster, so they are likely viewed as underdogs against the Vikings regardless of the health statuses of Kupp and Nacua.

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Will Rams keep season alive vs Vikings?

As mentioned before, the Rams are looking to keep their season alive, and the next two games against the Vikings and Seattle Seahawks are huge due to the NFL trade deadline that looms just after that. The next two games could determine whether or not the Rams decide to trade a player like Kupp. Los Angeles likely will be viewed as underdogs in the next two matchups, due to the Vikings playing so well to start the season, and going on the road against the Seahawks team that looked good last week and should be getting healthier in the near future.

The next two weeks could also determine the long-term future for the team as well. A couple of wins could mean that they keep the team together through at least the end of the season, while losing could kickstart a long-term rebuild. In addition to Kupp, the Rams are going to have to decide what to do with quarterback Matthew Stafford as they potentially shift to a long-term approach. The quarterback is in the later stages of his career, and it might make sense to move on soon. Only time will tell.