Rams rule out Aaron Donald, place Terrance Ferguson on IR and waive Xavier Smith

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — The Rams will be without defensive tackle Aaron Donald on Sunday because of back soreness, placed tight end Terrance Ferguson on injured reserve and waived wide receiver and return specialist Xavier Smith as they try to rebound from a 1-2 start.

Speaking before practice Friday, coach Sean McVay said Donald experienced soreness after last week's loss to the Denver Broncos that had not improved as the team hoped. McVay characterized the decision to hold him out as a matter of protecting a player who would otherwise try to play through the discomfort.

"He's as tough as it gets, but just not feeling good enough," McVay said. "He would do it and he could probably go be productive, but part of our job is to protect these tough dudes like him from themselves and that's what went into the decision."

McVay said the decision came after discussions with Reggie Scott, the Rams' senior vice president of sports medicine and performance. He did not provide a timetable for Donald's return, but said Donald was doing everything possible to get healthy.

"You guys know him, he's working as hard as he can to get himself feeling as good as possible," McVay said. "We're hopeful and optimistic that good days are ahead."

Donald's absence adds to the uncertainty surrounding a defense that is also waiting for Myles Garrett to return. McVay said Garrett is making progress in his rehabilitation and has been participating in meetings, but he was not ready to offer a specific timeline.

The Rams also ruled out cornerback Jaylen Watson. Outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart is questionable because of groin soreness, while tight end Colby Parkinson did not practice Friday and is questionable, leaving the Rams with additional concerns at tight end following Ferguson's move to injured reserve.

There was better news for the offense: Wide receiver Puka Nacua is cleared to play. McVay said Nacua looked sharp during Thursday's practice, the team's heaviest workload of the week, although the Rams will monitor his conditioning and determine how to handle his snap count.

"He's good to go," McVay said. "I think physically he's getting in and out of his breaks, looks strong, looks sturdy, looks explosive."

The decision to waive Smith, meanwhile, reflected McVay's dissatisfaction with the return game. McVay said the move was made Thursday night and communicated to Smith on Friday morning, explaining that the Rams needed better production and decision-making at the position.

"We just need better production out of that position," McVay said. "That's exclusively what it was."

McVay expressed appreciation for Smith's journey and their relationship, but said his responsibility was to make decisions that benefited the entire team. He pointed to problems in last week's game without detailing individual plays.

"We have to make better decisions. We have to be able to field it," McVay said. "It doesn't mean that I love him any less, but we need better production from that position that he was playing a critical factor in."

Practice squad receiver Alex Bachman emerged as the leading candidate to take over return duties. McVay said running back Kyren Williams was another trusted option, but he would prefer to avoid adding that responsibility to his starting running back.

"There are candidates, but Bachman would be the guy in the immediate future that we feel good about," McVay said.

McVay left open the possibility of exploring other return options, while expressing optimism about what Bachman could provide Sunday. The change is part of a broader effort to get all three phases working together after the Rams lost two of their first three games.

"This story is not yet written," McVay said. "We've got a lot of ball ahead of us, but we have to start doing what we can on a daily basis, and that's what I've seen from this group this week which I've been really encouraged with."