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- The injury-riddled Rams stayed quiet at the NFL trade deadline after making blockbuster trades during the offseason.
- With key injuries threatening to undermine their efforts to win the Super Bowl, the Rams will need to beat NFC West rivals that bolstered their rosters ahead of the trade deadline.
High-profile trades before the season showed their fans and the rest of the NFL that with Super Bowl LXI to be played at SoFi Stadium, the Rams were unquestionably all in.
But as the league’s trade deadline came and went Tuesday, the injury-ravaged Rams made only one minor move, essentially saying they’ll handle this all internally.
While the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers added veteran receiver Keenan Allen, the Rams — with Davante Adams on injured reserve and Puka Nacua expected to be sidelined for an extended period — brought back receiver Xavier Smith, whom they released in October.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is dealing with MCL and PCL sprains in his knee in addition to turf toe and likely will miss at least the next four games.
That is a far cry from moves the Rams made in previous Super Bowl seasons. In 2018, they traded for edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. In 2021, they signed free-agent receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and traded for edge rusher Von Miller.
In the weeks leading up to the deadline, coach Sean McVay indicated that the Rams were unlikely to be active.
But that was before last Sunday, when Nacua suffered knee and toe injuries that are expected to sideline the All-Pro receiver for several weeks. The Rams were already thin at receiver after Adams suffered a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Week 7.
“You look at all things but it kind of takes two,” McVay said Wednesday of Rams’ inquiries about trades, “and you’ve got to be able to see what you’re willing to give, what’s out there and what does it look like in terms of envisioning things.”
Allen and receivers Josh Downs of the Indianapolis Colts and Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars were thought to be potential targets for the Rams.
But the Jaguars ultimately took Thomas off the market. The 49ers, with receiver depth problems of their own, added Allen, and the Kansas City Chiefs traded for Downs.
The Rams re-signed Smith from the 49ers’ practice squad after placing Jordan Whittington on injured reserve. Smith has “familiarity” with the Rams system, McVay said.
“Good to get X-man back,” he said.
The 49ers’ move came after they had traded for defensive lineman DeForest Buckner ahead of the deadline. And the defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks had bolstered their roster by trading for All-Pro offensive lineman Quenton Nelson.
Barring the Rams signing a free agent — the Minnesota Vikings released Beckham after the deadline and signed him to their practice squad — they will go into Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals with a receiver corps that includes Konata Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell, rookie CJ Daniels and Smith.
McVay said Nacua would not be placed on injured reserve because of “semantics with the roster and things like that,” but that he “still is going to be out for an extended period of time.”
The Rams anticipate that Adams will be able to return after they play the Green Bay Packers on the night before Thanksgiving at SoFi Stadium, McVay said.
“After Green Bay is a realistic timeline for him,” he said.
The Rams are 5-4 and have won three games in a row. But according to ESPN, they have the league’s toughest remaining schedule.
Myles Garrett made a huge impact for the Rams in their victory over the Washington Commanders, finishing with three sacks and a forced fumble.
After playing at the Cardinals, the Rams will have what is essentially a mini-bye before playing the Packers.
Then they play the Chiefs, at the 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys and games against the Seahawks sandwiched around a game at Tampa Bay.
Defensive lineman Kobie Turner is expected to return against the Packers, and Adams, Nacua, tight end Terrance Ferguson and offensive lineman Steve Avila will be available at some point. But whether the Rams can remain in contention for a playoff spot is the all-encompassing question.
Etc.
Last week, the Rams opened the 21-day window for Ferguson to return from an ankle injury. But Ferguson suffered a hamstring injury that could keep him sidelined for a few more weeks. “Our goal is, if he’s not able to play in the Green Bay game, we’re able to save a roster spot for him rather than having to put him on season-ending injured reserve,” McVay said. ... McVay said the Rams were “optimistic” that cornerback Trent McDuffie (back) could play against the Cardinals after sitting out the last two games.
