Rams Lose League-Leading Kicker Greg Zuerlein To Back Injury

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein will miss the rest of the season because of a back injury, the team announced Wednesday.

The Rams signed Sam Ficken to replace Zuerlein, who was placed on injured reserve. Ficken has never played in an NFL regular-season game. He made four of five field goal attempts and six of seven extra points for the Kansas City Chiefs during the preseason, but was cut before the start of the regular season.

Ficken made his only field goal attempt and both extra point attempts during the 2016 preseason when he played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who cut him before the start of the regular season.

Zuerlein leads the NFL in scoring with 158 points, field goals with 38 and extra points with 44. His 158 points were the third most by a Ram in a season behind Jeff Wilkins, who had 163 in 2003, and Marshall Faulk, who had 160 in 2000.

The NFL announced on Tuesday that Zuerlein was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the first time in his six-season career.

The Rams also announced on Wednesday they had placed third-string quarterback Brandon Allen on injured reserve and signed four-year linebacker Kasim Edebali, who played with Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions earlier this season.

Allen has not been in uniform this season.

City News Service; Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein (4) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)