Injuries have quickly become the defining issue for the Rams, and the timing couldn’t be much tougher with Philadelphia waiting in Week 4.
Los Angeles heads into Sunday’s matchup with the Eagles still sorting through a battered roster on both sides of the ball. The latest setback came in Denver, where cornerback Jaylen Watson went down with a dislocated shoulder during the Rams’ 30-26 loss to the Broncos. Watson is expected to miss the Eagles game, another hit to a secondary that has already had to patch things together early in the season.
Watson finished with two tackles, including one for loss, and two passes defended before leaving. Sean McVay said Monday that Watson will “probably” miss this week, though the Rams are not talking about injured reserve at this point.
“He'll probably be out for this week, and (it's) something that we'll see if we can kind of get him strengthened and harness it,” McVay said. “It's something that he's dealt with before, but not something that we've discussed, IR.”
Josh Wallace could be in line for a bigger workload after stepping in once Watson exited against Denver. Beyond him, the Rams need the rest of their defensive backs to absorb more responsibility against an Eagles offense that can put real stress on a defense.
That’s only part of the problem. Los Angeles is still waiting on Puka Nacua, who has missed the last two games with a hip/groin issue.
Without him, Matthew Stafford and the passing game have leaned more heavily on Davante Adams and the rest of the receiver group. There is at least some hope Nacua could be back against Philadelphia.
“We'll continue to see,” McVay said. “But if he is able to progress the way that we hope, there's optimism that he'll be able to play this week.”
His possible return matters even more now because the tight end room has taken hits, too. Terrance Ferguson suffered an ankle sprain against Denver and is expected to sit out Sunday.
He tried to come back before eventually leaving the game. Colby Parkinson is also dealing with an AC joint sprain in his shoulder from that same contest, and he was already working through a knee issue entering the game, though McVay said there was no setback with the knee.
“We'll see what that looks like for him,” McVay said.
If Ferguson can’t go and Parkinson is limited or unavailable, McVay may have to reshape an offense that has leaned on multiple-tight-end looks. That would push more of the load onto the receivers and younger players, which only raises the value of getting Nacua back.
The Rams are also still without Myles Garrett, their biggest offseason defensive addition. Garrett remains on injured reserve after knee surgery and is guaranteed to miss at least the first four games. His absence has left Los Angeles looking for other ways to create pressure and disruption up front.
And the injury list doesn’t stop there. Running back Ronnie Rivers is also on injured reserve after a calf injury, adding to a roster that has been dealing with setbacks throughout the opening stretch of the season.
So far, the Rams have rarely had their full group available. That reality now gets tested again against an Eagles team that can challenge them in multiple ways.
For Los Angeles, the issue is bigger than simply waiting for names to come back. It’s about whether the players filling in can hold the line long enough to keep the team competitive until the roster gets healthier.
Watson’s injury strains the secondary. Garrett’s absence keeps more pressure on the front.
The tight end injuries complicate the offense. Nacua’s status could swing the passing game.
After three weeks, the Rams are finding out how much depth really matters.
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Rams Trade Speculation Says A Lot About Their WR Problem
The Rams 1-2 start has already put a spotlight on a receiving room that looks thinner than expected, especially with Puka Nacua sidelined early and expected back by Week 4. Davante Adams remains the headliner, and Terrance Ferguson is in the mix, but the injuries have left Los Angeles needing more than just a short-term patch as it tries to steady an uneven opening stretch.
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Rams Offense May Need Another Reset Before Eagles Game
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Puka Nacua gives the offense a more encouraging note, with the team optimistic he could be back after sitting out the previous two games. Even with that possible boost, the Rams are still facing another short-week reset in a game that will ask the offense to adjust quickly against the Eagles. [Read more 🡒]