Aaron Donald won’t play for the Los Angeles Rams against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4. The veteran defensive lineman is unavailable because of a back issue, leaving Los Angeles without one of its most important defensive stars for a difficult road game.
Donald’s absence becomes even more significant because the Rams are already dealing with another major loss along the defensive front. Myles Garrett is also out, meaning Los Angeles will have to find a way to slow down the Eagles without two of the biggest names expected to anchor its defensive line.
The situation puts additional pressure on the rest of the front seven. Against an Eagles offense capable of controlling games with both the passing and running attacks, the Rams will need other players to step up if they want to leave Philadelphia with a crucial road victory.
When will Aaron Donald play for Rams?
The current expectation is that Aaron Donald might return in Week 5 when the Rams face the Buffalo Bills. The schedule could give the veteran defensive lineman an additional day of rest because that highly anticipated matchup is scheduled for Monday Night Football.
The Rams-Bills game has already generated plenty of attention because of the potential implications surrounding two teams with Super Bowl aspirations. A matchup featuring Donald and Buffalo’s offense could be one of the most anticipated games of the early season, assuming the Rams’ star defender is healthy enough to return.
However, Los Angeles cannot afford to look too far ahead. The Rams could be running out of room for mistakes, and a loss against Philadelphia would make their upcoming schedule even more challenging. With several difficult games ahead, every early-season defeat could become increasingly costly in the playoff race.
That makes Sunday’s game particularly important despite Donald’s absence. The Rams will have to rely on their remaining defensive talent to compensate for the missing stars and prevent the Eagles from controlling the game at the line of scrimmage.
If Donald can return against Buffalo, the extra recovery time could be valuable. But first, Los Angeles has to survive a difficult road test in Philadelphia without two of its most important defensive players and avoid allowing its playoff position to become complicated this early in the season.
Key takeaways
- Aaron Donald will miss the Week 4 game against Philadelphia due to a back issue.
- Defensive front teammate Myles Garrett is also ruled out for the road matchup.
- Donald might return in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills.
