The Eagles’ Week 4 trip to Los Angeles has been reshaped by the injury report before the game even kicks off. Philadelphia will be without DeVonta Smith and Zack Baun, while the Rams are set to play without Aaron Donald and expect Puka Nacua back in the lineup.
That combination changes the matchup in a very specific way: the spotlight shifts from the names that are missing to the players who now have to absorb those snaps, routes and responsibilities. For the Eagles, that means a bigger role for Darius Cooper and a closer look at Makai Lemon.
Smith is officially out with a hamstring injury, and the Eagles have already been dealing with the ripple effects of his absence. He and Hollywood Brown did not practice for the second straight day, and Brown is also ruled out because of an ankle injury. Philadelphia is now without four starters and two others for the game, a number that leaves the offense and defense both thinner than usual.
The most immediate offensive question is who takes Smith’s place on the outside. Cooper is the likeliest answer. He is active for the game and expected to fill in for Smith, which gives him a much larger role than the one he had a week ago. Cooper’s last outing included two catches for 26 yards and the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans, a reminder that he has already delivered in a high-leverage moment. Over the past two years, he and Jalen Hurts have also developed a strong rapport, which gives Philadelphia at least one familiar connection to lean on.
Makai Lemon is the other name to watch. The Eagles hope that, with Smith and Brown unavailable, offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will allow more vertical passes for Lemon, who is expected to work on the outside. Lemon’s season line has been modest so far — seven catches for 38 yards, with only three first downs and a long of 19 yards — but the opportunity in front of him is different from the one he has had through the first part of the year. He has also averaged 3.8 yards of separation on in-breaking routes, the best mark among rookies, which is part of why the Eagles are looking at him as more than just a fill-in.
On the other side, the Rams lose a centerpiece of their defense in Donald, who is out with a back injury. It is the second game this season he has missed. That absence matters on its own, but it also comes with the contrast of Nacua’s expected return. Nacua was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday because of a hip injury, yet he is still expected to play, giving Los Angeles a key offensive piece back while Philadelphia is trying to patch together its receiver group.
That is what makes this game more than a standard Week 4 injury report. Both teams are missing a star, both teams are adjusting, and both teams are asking lesser-used players to do more than they were asked to do a week ago. For Philadelphia, the question is whether Cooper, Lemon and the rest of the replacement group can turn those extra snaps into production against a Rams team that is also changing shape.