St. Louis Rams’ Sam Bradford is out for season with torn ACL

In a nightmarish twist for the St. Louis Rams, quarterback Sam Bradford is done for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Bradford was injured in an exhibition game against Cleveland on Saturday night, knocked to the ground by Browns defensive lineman Armonty Bryant in the first quarter. Although the collision was relatively light, Bradford winced in pain before limping off the field.

Rams Coach Jeff Fisher confirmed the injury during a news conference Sunday.

“For Sam, personally, it was devastating,” Fisher said.

Tests revealed the injury is a torn ACL, the same ligament that was torn last October. That ended what had been an impressive season for Bradford, who through seven games had 14 touchdown passes and four interceptions.

Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, is in the final year of the deal he signed as a rookie. His durability has been a concern. He missed his final season at Oklahoma with a shoulder injury, missed six games in 2011 with a variety of injuries, and missed half of last season because of his knee.

With Bradford finished, Shaun Hill will be promoted as the starter for the Rams, who open Sept. 7 against Minnesota. St. Louis also has quarterbacks Austin Davis and Garrett Gilbert on its roster.

The Rams likely will look to either trade for a quarterback or sign a free agent. The team is particularly strong along the defensive line, with four first-rounders up front, so it might look to deal one of those.