Rams Injury Report: Aaron Donald Among Three Key Starters Who Could Return vs. Bills

The Los Angeles Rams will hope to get multiple starters back in Week 5 as they get set to take on the Buffalo Bills. After missing Aaron Donald, Colby Parkinson, and Jaylen Watson against the Philadelphia Eagles last week, the Rams are hopeful that all three will be back for Monday night’s game.

"The expectation is that as long as they progress accordingly then they'll be ready to go," said head coach Sean McVay. "I want to see how Jaylen feels. We'll get a little shoulder harness out there, [see] how he's going to be able to block destruct. Colby is really progressing in a very positive direction. We'll be smart with the kind of reps that he takes. Then like I mentioned to you guys with Aaron, [we'll] see how his back responds. Everything is trended in the right direction.”

Rams Week 5 Initial Injury Report | Rams Media

Rams Could Get Three Key Starters Back Against Bills

On the initial injury report, Donald, Parkinson, and Watson were all listed as limited participants on Monday. Donald was a surprise addition to the injury report last week after head coach Sean McVay said that he had a sore back after the game. The Rams erred on the side of caution by resting Donald last week, and the team was able to get a win without him. All indications are that Donald could play on Monday night.

Additionally, the Rams will hope to get Parkinson back after he was inactive last week with an AC sprain in his shoulder. The Rams will certainly welcome Parkinson back as they look to get back to 13 personnel this week. Without Parkinson, the Rams utilized 11 personnel at their highest rate since Week 5 of last season.

Jaylen Watson also missed last week after dislocating his shoulder in the loss to the Broncos. Getting Watson back before facing a good Bills offense would be a huge boost for the defense. The Rams will look to ramp up Donald, Parkinson, and Watson as the week progresses.

Other Rams Injuries to Monitor Ahead of Week 5

Also on the injury report were linebacker Grant Stuard (hamstring), edge rusher Josaiah Stewart (groin), safety Quentin Lake (hip), linebacker Nate Landman (shoulder), and wide receiver Davante Adams (rest). None of them participated in practice on Thursday.

According to The Athletic’s Nate Atkins, Lake’s injury is minor, and he was heavily iced after Sunday’s game. Landman has been on the injury report the last three weeks and has played. Stewart showed up on the injury report toward the end of last week and managed to play on Sunday. Still, he’ll be one to monitor.

"He's so tough. He pushed through it," said McVay. "He got it when he fell backwards on something so it's a weird deal, but he's doing good. We're just being smart with him."

Not practicing today will be DB Quentin Lake (hip), LB Grant Stuard (hamstring), OLB Josaiah Stewart (groin), ILB Nate Landman (shoulder) and WR Davante Adams (veteran rest day).

Lake's injury is minor, Sean McVay said. Lake had it pretty iced up after the game on Sunday.
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) October 8, 2026

McVay mentioned that wide receiver Konata Mumpfield had a rotator cuff contusion during his Monday press conference. Mumpfield was a full participant on Thursday.

On the Bills’ side, the Rams will be monitoring the availability of wide receiver DJ Moore, defensive lineman Ed Oliver, and cornerback Dee Alford. All three did not practice on Thursday. Additionally, defensive lineman Landon Jackson and cornerback Christian Benford were limited.

The Rams will certainly hope to be as close to full strength as possible heading into Monday night’s matchup against the Bills. While they managed to overcome several key absences against the Eagles, doing so against the Bills will present a more difficult challenge. With Donald, Parkinson, and Watson trending in the right direction, the Rams could be getting some much-needed reinforcements at an important point in their season.

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