Rams place Jordan Whittington on IR, bring back Xavier Smith

Rams put Jordan Whittington on IR, steal familiar WR off 49ers practice squad The Rams brought back a familiar face at wide receiver to support with the loss of Puka Nacua.

Key points

• To fill his spot, the Rams brought back Xavier Smith, signing him to the 53-man roster from the 49ers' practice squad.
• Smith was on the San Francisco 49ers' practice squad after his departure from the Rams.
• Nevertheless, Smith would suffer a number of errors in the playoffs, most notably two muffed punts (one lost) in the NFC Championship Game.
• As the team decided to part ways with him after three games, smith's errors continued into 2026.
• The Los Angeles Rams are in the middle of dealing with a variety of injuries, especially to their wide receiver room.

In practice, the Los Angeles Rams are in the middle of dealing with a variety of injuries, especially to their wide receiver room. They already have Davante Adams on injured reserve and Puka Nacua remains a probable candidate due to a knee injury he suffered during the team's win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Things have now gotten even worse for the position group as the team officially confirmed that wide receiver Jordan Whittington has been placed on injured reserve. He's been dealing with a bad back. It sean McVay remarked has been "really bothering him."

Smith was on the San Francisco 49ers' practice squad after his departure from the Rams. He joined L.A. As an undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M in 2023 and created it to the active roster on special teams in 2024, before having a breakout campaign in 2025 as a returner and rotational wide receiver.

Nevertheless, Smith would suffer a number of errors in the playoffs, most notably two muffed punts (one lost) in the NFC Championship Game. His second muffed punt immediately turned into a Seattle Seahawks touchdown on the next drive.

As the team decided to part ways with him after three games, smith's errors continued into 2026. An excellent gunner, Smith is projected to replace Whittington's special teams responsibilities. Nevertheless, it's unclear what his exact role will be, whether it's on offense or special teams. In his career, Smith has 20 catches for 309 yards. SMS Facebook Twitter Email.

For now, rams place Jordan Whittington on IR, bring back Xavier Smith remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.