The Los Angeles Rams won't have star defensive end Aaron Donald in their Week 4 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced Friday, but wide receiver Puka Nacua is expected to return. Donald is dealing with a back injury and did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday, while Nacua has been dealing with a hip injury and was limited in practice both days.
Donald has played in two games this year, while Nacua has played in one.
Donald unretired this offseason, returning to play for his former team after initially retiring in 2023. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year's return has not been as smooth as he or the team had hoped. He sat out the opener when the Rams fell to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, and Sunday will mark his second missed game of the season. Head coach Sean McVay said Donald felt soreness in his back after the team's Week 3 loss to the Denver Broncos.
"He's working as hard as he can to get himself feeling as good as possible. And we're hopeful and optimistic that good days are ahead," McVay said.
When Donald is healthy, he is an offense's worst nightmare. The 35-year-old's resume includes a Super Bowl win, eight first-team All-Pro nods and 10 Pro Bowl selections. He has 547 tackles, 111 sacks, 24 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries over 11 seasons in his career.
However, this week, the Rams will now be without Donald and Myles Garrett, who is on injured reserve. Garrett underwent knee surgery after Week 1 and is expected to miss at least several more weeks.
Nacua has shown his dominance early, with two 1,000+ yard seasons in his four-year career. He's quickly become a staple in Matthew Stafford's offense, and his return should help a team that's struggled more than many expected this season.
McVay said that while Nacua will not have an injury designation, how much he will play is still to be determined. The head coach noted that his star wide receiver "looked sharp" on Thursday.
"Physically, he's getting in and out of his breaks, looks strong, looks sturdy, looks explosive," McVay said. "I think it'll really just be a feel for the overall conditioning. Hoping the magic of the jersey on Sundays, he's feeling really good there."
Nacua played in the team's season-opening loss in Australia, recording five catches for 74 yards, but he hasn't seen action in a game since.
L.A.'s offense has put up 26+ points the last two weeks, but it split those games. The offense is fourth in passing yards (885) and seventh in rushing yards (401), while the defense is second-best in passing yards allowed (522) and 11th in rushing yards allowed (304). However, the Rams have two checks in the loss column.
Turnovers are one thing slowing down the offense, with Stafford throwing two picks last week. Having his favorite receiver, who had the league's second-most receiving yards last year (1,715), back will add to his comfort level in creating better decision-making and fewer picks.
In his absence, Davante Adams has stepped up, recording 137 yards on seven receptions last week and eight catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns in the air.
The Rams sit at 1-2 as they get ready to face a 2-1 Eagles team that has also had their share of struggles this season as well.
