Pooh Paul suffers calf injury, missing key time for Los Angeles Rams in training camp

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters after practice that rookie and former Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul Jr. is dealing with a calf injury and is sidelined as a result.

McVay added that Paul, who was selected by the Rams in the fifth round as the 172nd overall pick, is someone the staff is being smart with.

“Yeah, we’re just being smart with Pooh. He’s got a little bit of a calf,” McVay said, according to Rams Wire.

Paul is vying for snaps at inside linebacker, but with him missing snaps in camp, Omar Speights and Nate Landman are the presumed leaders to be the starting linebackers.

A transfer that came to Ole Miss for a season and then on the NFL, Paul spent a year in Oxford after coming over from Arkansas.

In 2024 Paul finished with 88 tackles (50 solo) and ranked fourth on the team in tackles for loss with 11. He also recorded 3.5 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, four pass breakups, one interception and recovered a fumble.

Ole Miss was a huge winner from this year’s NFL Draft, landing numerous players selected, including Paul, off the 10-win 2024 Rebel team.

In 2025, the Rebels return TJ Dottery at the linebacker position while also adding multiple transfers into the fold to compete at a true linebacker spot. Ole Miss also gets back star defender Suntarine Perkins from injury after he sat out the spring to recover from surgery. With Ole Miss starting SEC play in Week 2 at Kentucky, the program will find out quickly how the linebacker group looks without Paul.