{
  "id": 2811305,
  "title": "5 notable players the Rams held out vs. Saints (and what it means)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/5-notable-players-the-rams-held-out-vs-saints-and-what-it-means",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-23T15:16:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/5-notable-players-rams-held-151615864.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Los Angeles Rams put five notable players on the bench during their preseason matchup against the New Orleans Saints, signaling their confidence in their roster. The five players withheld from action were WR Xavier Smith, OL Beaux Limmer, DT Ty Hamilton, OLB Desjuan Johnson, and CB Zech McPhearson. While some may view this as a guarantee of their roster spots, it's not definitive. Smith played extensively in the preseason opener, which likely secured his place as the backup receiver and punt returner. However, holding him out could be a precautionary measure to prevent any potential injuries. Similarly, the Rams probably won't need Limmer or Hamilton, given their previous performances and versatility. On the other hand, McPhearson was surprisingly absent from the game despite impressive performance in the previous preseason game, which could suggest that he might be holding injuries or the Rams might want to avoid potential injuries by keeping him out of the game.",
  "summary": "These five players were all held out against the Saints, which could be a sign of their chances to make the 53-man roster.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}