Sam Bradford's promising preseason has been short-circuited.
The Rams' starting quarterback left Saturday night's 33-14 win over the Cleveland Browns after injuring his left knee on a first-quarter incompletion. Bradford was wrapped up by Armonty Bryant on a play that saw veteran left tackle Jake Long beaten off the edge.
Bradford crouched on the field in pain before limping off toward the locker room with a pair of team trainers. The fifth-year signal-caller finished the game having completed 4 of 9 passes for 77 yards.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher was "very optimistic" after the game, saying "it appeared just to be a hyperextension."
A Rams source tells NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport that the first tests on Bradford's knee were inconclusive and Bradford underwent an MRI on Sunday. He's undergoing more tests now, and Fisher is expected to update Bradford's status during a 6:30 p.m. ET news conference.
Coming off ACL surgery on that same knee, Bradford showed welllast week against the Packers before marching the Rams down the field against the Browns on the team's opening drive. After Bradford exited, Shaun Hill stepped in to lead St. Louis to a field goal.
Bradford started just seven games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury against the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. Losing him again would equal a devastating blow for this middling St. Louis offense.
It's been an ugly night all around for the Rams.
Starting offensive lineman Rodger Saffold left the game later in the first quarter with an apparent right ankle injury. In the second quarter, cornerback Trumaine Johnson and defensive tackle Michael Brockers also got hurt. While Brockers walked off under his own power, Johnson needed to be carted off after colliding with a teammate.
UPDATE: A team source tells Rapoport that a battery of tests reveal Bradford tore his ACL and will miss the 2014 season.
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