Rams to place CB Aqib Talib, LG Joe Noteboom on IR

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Rams cornerback Aqib Talib and left guard Joe Noteboom are headed to injured reserve.

Talib, who did not play in the Rams’ 20-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday because of bruised ribs, is expected to return later this season, coach Sean McVay said.

Noteboom sustained a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee in the first quarter against the 49ers and will miss the rest of the season.

Talib has 14 tackles in five games this season, but has yet to intercept a pass. Talib is in his second season with the Rams and has formed an effective cornerback tandem with Marcus Peters, when both players have been healthy.

Troy Hill started in place of Talib against the 49ers and had five tackles and one pass defense. Hill, a five-year veteran who has spent the last four seasons with the Rams, started seven games last season when Talib had surgery to repair a high-ankle sprain.

“We expect Troy to fill in perfectly,” defensive end Michael Brockers said Monday. “He’s a guy who kind of filled in for Lib last year when Lib went out with the ankle injury, and we still continued to roll. So we knew with him stepping in we were comfortable, and nobody flinched. Nobody thought any differently because we knew that he could come in there and play. He’s started before.”

Noteboom was replaced by rookie Jamil Demby, who has played in all five games this season after spending the past two seasons on the practice squad for the Detroit Lions and Rams. McVay said the Rams would fill the starting role in-house with either Demby or David Edwards, but would consider adding a veteran for depth.

McVay also said safety John Johnson III is being evaluated for a right shoulder injury. Johnson will get an MRI, and McVay said it was possible he could miss the game at Atlanta on Sunday.