Setting up Eagles game: week 4

Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Sean McVay told reporters that Aaron Donald and Terrance Ferguson have both been ruled out this week. Jaylen Watson is also out, as expected.

Rams will certainly be shorthanded on Sunday.

Rams cut the X Man …. practice squad guy to field punts……

URL = https://www.therams.com/news/rams-waive-wide-receiver-xavier-smith-week-4-2026-eagles

Rams waive wide receiver Xavier Smith; wide receiver Alex Bachman expected to step into punt returner role

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The Rams on Friday waived wide receiver Xavier Smith.

Smith, 29, primarily served as the team’s punt returner through the first three weeks of this season, and all throughout last season, also spending time in the role during his first season with the team in 2024. He averaged 9.4 yards per punt in 50 returns across 34 games played, with longs of 38 in 2024, 31 in 2025 and 19 this season.

While miscues on special teams in recent weeks have not fallen on Smith alone, he did have a costly one last Sunday night against the Broncos when he fielded the ball at the Rams’ own goal line and returned it 10 yards with 14:08 remaining in the third quarter. The ensuing 3-and-out off of that steep starting field position in their own territory, and the Broncos returning the ensuing punt 28 yards to the Rams’ 42, gave the Broncos what would be their best starting field position for an offensive series all game in a sequence of events that turned the momentum in Denver’s favor.

Speaking with the media prior to Thursday’s practice, Rams special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone said Smith “has been consistent,” but also that there had been no thought about replacing him as the team’s punt returner. Given the time Smith punt in throughout training camp and into the regular season, Ventrone was confident Smith “would do the necessary things to be able to sustain at that position for us.”

McVay said Friday morning that the Rams were not thinking about making a change at punt returner at the time Ventrone spoke to media Thursday afternoon. But after taking a step back to “evaluate the totality of our group” and determine “what’s the best way to try to be able to put together all three phases,” McVay felt the decision to move on from Smith was in the best interest for the team.

McVay said they made that decision later Thursday night, then he met with Smith Friday morning. McVay said “there were some decisions last week that we’ve got to make better decisions, we got to be able to field it, and that doesn’t mean I love (Smith) any less. But we need better production from that position that he was playing a critical factor in.”

McVay said wide receiver Alex Bachman, who is currently on the team’s practice squad, will step into the punt returner role. Asked if he anticipates long-term trying to work some guys out to see if they might be fits at punt returner, McVay said “I think I’m interested to see how Alex does.”

“We’re always looking at if there’s way of improving the caliber of our team,” McVay said. “Those will be avenues that we’ll always explore within whatever parameters that we can do that within, and so I would certainly never say no. But I am also optimistic that I think we’re gonna see some good stuff from Alex on Sunday.”

As much as the Rams needed more from the punt returner role, that still didn’t make the decision to move on from Smith easy for McVay, given the relationship the two had built since Smith joined the team as an undrafted free agent signee in 2023. Joining an NFL team was a big deal for Smith, who had initially quit playing football after high school and spent 2016 working with Amazon before ultimately applying to Florida A&M University and successfully trying out for the school’s football team as a walk-on in 2017.

Ultimately, though, McVay felt the responsibility to the team to make a change there.

“Number one, very appreciative of Xavier Smith,” McVay said. “I think when you look at his journey, there’s a lot of cool things that are reflected in sports of overcoming odds and doing some different things, and I love him, appreciate the person. The hard part is, and you tell him and you tell the team, is that ultimately my job, and it’s one of the worst parts of it, but it is a part of the job responsibility, is you try to use your values and principles to make decisions that are best for the collective, even if it sometimes doesn’t benefit people that you’ve developed relationships with and you care about. And we just need better production out of that position. That’s you know exclusively what it was.”

Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
A year ago, the Rams blew a 19-point lead to the Eagles because of two blocked kicks, but Sean McVay feels better about his special teams now.

Eagles vs Rams: Position Breakdown

Here is how I view the two rosters heading into Sunday’s game

Note: Injuries and current form taken into consideration pic.twitter.com/hwLxtd8YRx

— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) October 1, 2026

from Adam Schefter, https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50098838/sources-rams-intend-limit-puka-nacua-workload

…

Nacua does not carry an injury designation for Sunday’s game in Philadelphia after being a full participant in Friday’s practice. Coach Sean McVay said Nacua “looked sharp” during practice Thursday, when the Rams have their heaviest workload.

“In terms of the snap count, that’s the thing that we have to be willing to navigate,” McVay told reporters Thursday. “But we’ve got confidence in some other guys that have played meaningful snaps in his absence.

“But he does look good. He looks strong, and he looks ready to go.”

Eagles inactives: Eagles without Lane Johnson vs. Rams

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/eagles-inactives-eagles-without-lane-112002076.html

The Eagles will be without star right tackle Lane Johnson on Sunday against the Rams.

Johnson, 36, is officially inactive after being downgraded to questionable for personal reasons on Sunday morning. Expect rookie third-round pick Markel Bell to start in his place. Veteran Fred Johnson is also out with a knee injury.

The Eagles were already without some key players as they host the Rams on Sunday afternoon at the Linc.

Entering the weekend, the Eagles ruled out six players. Here’s the full list of inactives:

OT Lane Johnson (personal)
WR Devonta Smith (hamstring)
LB Zack Baun (concussion)
TE Dallas Goedert (knee)
S Marcus Epps (groin)
WR Hollywood Brown (ankle)
OT Fred Johnson (knee)
QB Cole Payton

The Eagles’ backup OL in this game are Willie Lampkin and Micah Morrison. If another tackle went down, the Eagles would likely have to slide Tyler Steen outside.

Without DeVonta Smith in this game, the Eagles are going to rely on Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper and Elijah Moore. The Eagles have been extremely pleased by Wicks so far this season and think he’ll be fine in this role. But the Eagles are obviously going to miss Smith. He is second in the NFL in target share (32.9%) this season behind just Jaxon Smith-Njigba (37.9%).

And without Baun, the Eagles will turn to third-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. to play next to Jihaad Campbell in the middle of the defense. The Eagles really like Trotter but this is undoubtedly a tough matchup against a Sean McVay offense that clouds every picture with eye candy.

This will be the second missed game for Dallas Goedert, who suffered a sprained MCL in Week 2 in Tennessee. Goedert was not put on IR, so the Eagles clearly expect him to return within a four-week window. The Eagles on Saturday elevated tight ends Zach Ertz and Josiah Deguara.

The Eagles’ backup quarterback for this game will be Tanner McKee, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on Sunday morning. Andy Dalton will be the QB3 after an awful interception last season.