With Puka Nacua already banged up, Los Angeles placed Jordan Whittington on injured reserve with a back injury and re-signed Xavier Smith off San Francisco's practice squad.
The Rams skipped the trade deadline without adding a receiver, and now their depth at the position has thinned further. Jordan Whittington has landed on injured reserve with a back injury, leaving Los Angeles searching for answers behind an already-dinged Puka Nacua.
The corresponding move was a familiar one. The Rams re-signed Xavier Smith, plucking him off the 49ers' practice squad, where he had landed after previously being with the team. Smith knows the system, which matters when a roster is dealing with injuries at receiver and the front office chose not to use the trade deadline to bring in outside help.
It is a quiet fix for a problem that started looking bigger as the deadline passed with no moves. Los Angeles will now lean on Smith to provide depth while Whittington recovers and Nacua's status is managed. The receiver room has gone from a position of apparent strength to one the Rams will need to monitor closely in the coming weeks.