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 likely 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 announced that wide receiver Jordan Whittington has been placed on injured reserve. He's been dealing with a bad back, which Sean McVay said has been "really bothering him."
To fill his spot, the Rams brought back Xavier Smith, signing him to the 53-man roster from the 49ers' practice squad.
LA Rams Roster Moves: • Reserved/Injured WR Jordan Whittington • Free Agent
Signing WR Xavier Smith pic.twitter.com/TbAUH4OMEx
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 10, 2026
Smith was on the San Francisco 49ers' practice squad following his departure from the Rams. He joined L.A. as an undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M in 2023 and made it to the active roster on special teams in 2024, before having a breakout campaign in 2025 as a returner and rotational wide receiver.
However, Smith would suffer several 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.
Smith's errors continued into 2026, as the team decided to part ways with him after three games. An excellent gunner, Smith is expected to replace Whittington's special teams responsibilities. However, 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.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams place Jordan Whittington on IR, bring back Xavier Smith
