Overview
- Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone publicly labeled Xavier Smith "inconsistent" through three games but said the Rams will continue to use him as their primary punt and kickoff returner.
- Smith's early 2026 numbers are modest, with a roughly 9.9-yard average on punts and a 20.6-yard average on kickoffs, and Pro Football Focus ranks him low among qualifying returners.
- Coaches singled out three specific fundamentals—tracking the flight of the ball, judging whether to field a punt, and cleanly catching it—as the areas Smith must improve.
- A visible example of the decision-making problem came in Week 3 when Smith fielded a punt at the goal line and returned it only 10 yards, a sequence that hurt Los Angeles' field position and helped Denver rally.
- The Rams brought in Ventrone and new special-teams personnel in the offseason to fix returns, and with the team 1-2 this season Smith's next performance against Philadelphia will be watched for signs of immediate correction.