Rams rule out Aaron Donald, Jaylen Watson and Terrance Ferguson for Eagles; Nacua set to play

The Rams' defensive front will be shorthanded in Philadelphia on Sunday. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is out for the game against the Eagles due to his back injury, which kept him out of practice all week. Head coach Sean McVay, who had been taking Donald's status day to day since Wednesday, decided the future Hall of Famer is not healthy enough to play.

McVay explained the decision in his Friday press conference, saying Donald is "as tough as it gets" and would likely push to play if it were his call alone. "Just not feeling good enough," McVay said, via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times. "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." Donald sat out Week 1 while ramping up after announcing his return from retirement late in the summer, then played the last two games before the back issue surfaced.

The Rams are also without cornerback Jaylen Watson (shoulder) and tight end Terrance Ferguson (ankle), both ruled out Friday.

The more encouraging news is on offense. Receiver Puka Nacua, who has missed the last two games with a hip injury, will not carry a game status and is set to play. McVay noted Nacua "looked sharp" at Thursday's practice, though the team may still monitor his snap count. Tight end Colby Parkinson (knee/shoulder) and linebacker Grant Stuard (groin) are questionable. The timing matters because the Rams, looking to even their record at 2-2, face an Eagles team coming off its own loss and trying to make the passing game a priority on a short week.