Aaron Donald won't play vs. Eagles, but Rams injury report is cleaner than expected

In football years, Aaron Donald is, well, old. At age 35, two games into his unretirement tour, perhaps it's just as well that Donald will sit out the Los Angeles Rams' Week 4 game in Philadelphia due to back soreness. 

As expected, the Rams will also be without cornerback Jaylen Watson (shoulder) and tight end Terrance Ferguson (ankle). Colby Parkinson is questionable (knee/shoulder). 

Aside from Donald, who logged DNPs throughout the week in practice and received a less-than-promising update from head coach Sean McVay on Thursday, the injury report supplies no surprises there. At least of the bad kind.

Safety Kamren Kinchens, out since Week 1 with a hamstring injury, carries no designation after being listed as a full participant in Friday's practice. Puka Nacua, whom McVay said he expected to play but wasn't yet out of the woods, will indeed suit up. No 'questionable' tag, no nothing. Ready to roll.

The only other DNPs this week, receiver Davante Adams and nose tackle Poona Ford, sat out practice due to routine rest days, and are full-goes as well.

All in all, the final injury report of the week is neutral at worst, and more probably leans slightly in the Rams' favor.

Rams injury report brings more good news than expected

Getting Nacua back will be huge, especially with the offense down its No. 3 pass-catching option in Ferguson, and possibly Parkinson - LA's top tight end last season. It will also take some of the pressure off the ageless Adams, coming off the best two-game stretch of his career.

Not that he needs it. Adams appreciates it anyway. The more one-on-ones, the better. 

If Kinchens can get back to playing sound ball, his return could be rather massive itself. Cornerback Trent McDuffie and safety Quentin Lake are having stellar seasons, but the entire secondary was burned by Watson's absence in the second half against the Broncos. 

Watson's injury meant relying more on Emmanuel Forbes, with rather disastrous results. Kinchens is a safety, of course, not a corner, but having another healthy DB should help nonetheless, if only to keep the defense fresh as the game wears on. 

And as solid as Jaylen McCollough has been as Kinchens' replacement at safety, the Rams would gladly have the latter back in the lineup alongside veteran starter Kam Curl. 

Of course, missing Donald on the defensive front won't help slow down Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, and the interior pass rush will lose some juice. Still, Ford and DEs Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske make up a fine starting line, with Tyler Davis offering reinforcement off the bench.

The defensive line is not where the Rams should be most concerned, anyway. How they navigate the tight end rotation, especially if Parkinson can't go or is banged up and ineffective, like last week, could have an outsized impact on the offense given McVay's dependence on heavy personnel and the Rams' lack of receiver depth.

#Max Klare szn? It sure sounds like it.

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