The Los Angeles Rams have suffered another massive blow to their defense just days after a disappointing season opener in Australia. Star pass rusher Myles Garrett will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee and is headed to injured reserve, leaving Sean McVay’s team without one of the biggest pieces of its revamped defense.
Tom Pelissero reported the latest update on Garrett’s condition, revealing that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year had been dealing with lower-leg pain and was not himself during Thursday’s 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The expectation, however, is that the Rams could get their superstar back relatively quickly.
“Rams star Myles Garrett will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his ailing knee and is headed to injured reserve. Garrett has been dealing with lower-leg pain and wasn’t himself in Thursday’s opener. The hope is he’s back in four weeks.”
When will Myles Garrett play for Rams?
Myles Garrett is out at least a month with the Rams. The unexpected injury is particularly damaging because Los Angeles already entered the season without Aaron Donald. The future Hall of Famer had come out of retirement after the Rams acquired Garrett, but McVay decided not to bring Donald to Australia for the opener as the team took a cautious approach with his comeback. Now, after one game, the Rams have lost Garrett as well.
As a consequence, the biggest question surrounding the Rams is no longer simply when Garrett will return. It is whether his absence could change the timeline for Aaron Donald. Donald was already expected to make his comeback at some point early in the season, and Garrett’s injury suddenly makes his presence much more important to a defense that struggled to slow down San Francisco.
Los Angeles built one of the NFL’s most intimidating defensive fronts around the idea of having Garrett and Donald together. Garrett was supposed to provide elite edge pressure while Donald would bring his interior dominance, creating problems for opposing offensive lines from multiple directions. With Garrett now expected to miss at least several weeks, the Rams could have even more reason to want Donald back on the field as soon as he is physically ready.
Still, the Rams cannot afford to rush Donald simply because Garrett is injured. He has not played in an NFL game since January 2024 and only recently returned from retirement, meaning his conditioning and readiness remain more important than any immediate roster need. But after the loss in Australia and now Garrett’s surgery, the pressure surrounding Donald’s comeback has changed dramatically. If he is ready to play, the Rams may have a much bigger reason to put him back on the field sooner rather than later.
