Garrett had already been expected to miss the matchup with the Giants after the Rams announced that he would undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. However, his official placement on injured reserve now makes his absence certain and gives Los Angeles a clearer timeline for his recovery.

The timing is particularly significant for the Rams because Garrett was one of the biggest additions to their defense during the offseason. After acquiring him from the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles expected him to become a centerpiece of its pass rush, but the knee issue limited him throughout training camp and ultimately affected his performance in the season opener.

When will Myles Garrett return with LA Rams?

The Rams’ decision means Myles Garrett will miss at least four games, including Monday night’s game against the Giants. Los Angeles will also be without its star pass rusher against the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills before he becomes eligible to return in Week 6.

Garrett’s injury became a major concern after the Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He played despite the knee issue but finished without a tackle in Los Angeles’ 27-7 loss, later acknowledging that he was not playing at the level he expected from himself.

The Rams subsequently determined that surgery was the right course of action. Head coach Sean McVay has said the team does not yet have a definitive timetable for Garrett’s return beyond the four-game minimum associated with injured reserve, meaning his recovery will have to be monitored before Los Angeles knows exactly when he can come back.

Aaron Donald’s possible return with Rams

Garrett’s absence also puts even more attention on Aaron Donald as the future Hall of Fame defensive lineman continues working toward his return to the NFL. Donald did not travel with the Rams to Australia for the season opener, but he has been preparing for a possible comeback against the Giants.

That does not mean Donald is guaranteed to play Monday night. McVay has continued to emphasize that the Rams are taking a separate approach with Donald and will determine his status based on his progression. Still, with Garrett now officially unavailable, having Donald back would give Los Angeles another elite presence along the defensive front.

For the Giants, Garrett’s absence removes one of the most dangerous pass-rushing threats they could have faced Monday night. But with Donald potentially returning and the Rams playing their first home game of the season, New York will still have a major challenge waiting at SoFi Stadium.

After the significant setback, head coach Sean McVay addressed the media regarding the timeline for Garrett’s recovery. According to Nate Atkins on X, McVay stated that he is uncertain about how long Garrett will be out following his knee surgery, though it is confirmed that Garrett will miss at least four games while on injured reserve.

Further explaining the decision to hold back on a definitive recovery timeline, Stu Jackson reported on X that McVay wants to wait until he has all the post-surgery information before providing a clearer estimate.

What happened to Garrett?

Prominent edge rusher Myles Garrett began experiencing knee discomfort and swelling during training camp, which forced him to miss most of the team’s practice sessions in the weeks leading up to the season opener. However, Garrett failed to register a single tackle and looked well below his usual standard during Friday’s embarrassing loss to the 49ers in Australia.

The 30-year-old Garrett will miss next Monday’s home game against the New York Giants, road matchups against Denver and Philadelphia, and a home contest against the Buffalo Bills before becoming eligible to return. McVay offered no estimated timeline for his return.

“It’s all contingent on how do things go [Monday],” McVay said. “But I think it would be unfair to him, without having the totality of all the information, to put any sort of timeline on it.”

The decision made by Garrett

Garrett, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, played only 40 of 65 snaps against the 49ers. McVay said the decision to pursue surgery was made after consulting with Garrett immediately after the game.

“We thought we were doing the right thing,” McVay said of the Rams’ attempt to manage the situation. “In hindsight, you’ll always be able to learn from it. I’ll never hang onto whether you want to say it was a mistake or just different things to be able to kind of change course.”

With Garrett out, the Rams could use a spark for a defense that allowed three touchdown passes and 174 rushing yards against the 49ers. The 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals all won their openers, putting the Rams in last place in the NFC West. While it remains early in the season, the road to a spot in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium suddenly appears more challenging.

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.

Garrett was dealing with a knee injury ahead of the Rams’ game vs. 49ers. He said he was “the worst version” of himself in Thursday’s game in Australia. Hence, he was clear on stating that his goal ahead of the Giants game is to “get healthy.”

While Garrett still managed to play on 40 snaps, he only generated three pressures and fail to even touch 49ers’ QB Brock Purdy. Garrett was neutralized by Trent Williams during the game.

The good thing for Garrett vs NY Giants

There is a silver lining. First, the Rams have a long week to rest and recover, as they will play the Giants until Week 2’s Monday Night Football. Hence, Garrett will have more than a week to heal up.

Second of all, while the Giants have a great left tackle in Andrew Thomas, he is no Trent Williams. After all, Williams is a certified first-ballot Hall of Famer. It will always be a tough matchup. Thomas is very good, but a healed up Garrett could still win that battle in the trenches.

The Rams looked deflated as a whole

The debacle wasn’t solely on Myles Garrett’s bad game. The team as a whole was not playing at its top level. The Rams arrived in Australia 28 hours before the game and while they had their strategy to be at top shape, they looked jet-lagged.

The offense looked stagnant, the defense couldn’t get to pressure the quarterback, and as the game continued to move on, the Rams looked tired and less physical. Against the Giants, a bounce back week must be in order.

The Rams have assembled one of the NFL’s most talented teams. On offense, the Rams feature an explosive core led by Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams, and Puka Nacua, while the defense has been transformed after the blockbuster trade that brought Garrett to California.

General manager Les Snead once again embraced his aggressive roster-building philosophy, sacrificing premium draft capital to acquire elite talent now rather than focusing on the future. The Rams also strengthened their secondary by adding key pieces such as Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, making it clear the franchise intends to maximize the final years of Stafford’s career.

Myles Garrett wants Aaron Donald back

Even with an already stacked roster, Myles Garrett admitted he would love to see Aaron Donald come out of retirement and return to Los Angeles. That move could change the entire landscape in the NFC.

“I don’t want to push him in one way or another. If he’s here, I’m going to be excited to be his teammate, his partner in crime. I think we can do great things, but it’s a difficult thing coming back, and I know he has a family. He has a lot of decisions to make. There’s a lot we can learn from each other. I’d love to pick his brain on the kind of things he does to attack his matchups, and I think the same could be said vice versa.”

Garrett made it clear he respects Donald’s decision while also acknowledging how special it would be to line up beside one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.

What would Aaron Donald’s return mean for Rams?

If Aaron Donald decided to return, the Los Angeles Rams could instantly boast one of the most dominant pass-rushing duos the league has ever seen. Pairing Garrett with Donald would create a nightmare for opposing offensive lines and elevate an already championship-caliber defense to another level.

Combined with Los Angeles’ explosive offense, the Rams would likely become the overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl. For now, though, Donald hasn’t made official any plan to end his retirement. Even so, Garrett’s public recruiting effort will only fuel speculation that the Rams could make one final blockbuster move in their pursuit of another championship.

Clowney previously spent two seasons with the Browns (2021–2022) before departing after a tumultuous end to his second campaign. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Browns hosted Clowney for a visit on Wednesday as full training camp practices got under way.

While the meeting was reportedly positive, no contract has been finalized, and negotiations remain active between both parties. Schultz also unveiled that a team from the NFC West is also following Clowney closely.

Filling the void left by Garrett

The Browns sent shockwaves through the league when they traded Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, to the Rams in exchange for a haul that included young pass rusher Jared Verse. Losing a generational talent leaves Cleveland’s defensive line thin on proven experience.

While Clowney is no longer in his prime, he demonstrated that he can still produce at a high level. In 2025, playing on a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, the 33-year-old registered 8.5 sacks, 41 tackles, and 12 tackles for loss across 13 games, proving to be one of the few bright spots on the Dallas front seven.

Adding Clowney alongside Jared Verse, Alex Wright, and Isaiah McGuire would give Cleveland’s new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg a reliable rotation off the edge as the team adjusts to life after Garrett.

Myles Garrett gave an interview to the Rams’ social media channels, and he said he wanted to discuss future plans with Donald. “We haven’t talked yet but definitely expect to talk soon. I don’t know what his plans are and I won’t pretend to know, but a lot of people are excited and thrilled about the possibility of him coming back.”

Donald retired in 2023 after a full decade of action in the NFL, all with the Rams. He recently said that the Rams acquiring Garrett made him think about coming back from retirement to join Garrett.

Aaron Donald is still in top shape

Aaron Donald has always been a freak of nature. He was an undersized linemen but that didn’t stop him from wrecking havoc despite getting double or triple coverage. Judging by the lifestyle of the 35-year-old, he is still in incredible shape.

Donald’s last season saw him get eight sacks, 23 QB hits, three passes defended, and got an All-Pro first team selection. He literally retired being the best in his position in the NFL. Now, a fire might have been re-kindled.

Rams’ projected defensive lineup if Donald returns

The Rams already had a top defense. It could get even better with the moves they made this year, and Donald coming back. Also, they managed to keep defensive coordinator Chris Shula, which was a great outcome for them.

• DE: Braden Fiske
• NT: Poona Ford
• DT: Aaron Donald
• LOLB: Byron Young
• LILB: Nate Landman
• RILB: Omar Speights
• ROLB: Myles Garrett
• LCB: Jaylen Watson
• SS: Kam Curl
• FS: Kamren Kinchens
• RCB: Trent McDuffie

Bold: New names for this season.

The possibility has gained momentum following the Rams’ aggressive roster construction. They now boast one of the league’s most talented teams after adding Myles Garrett to a defense that could become dominant, while the offense features stars such as Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams, and Puka Nacua.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Donald acknowledged that the idea of returning has crossed his mind when asked about the possibility of joining Garrett on the Rams’ defensive front. “I texted Aaron Donald about coming out of retirement and playing for the Rams, alongside Myles Garrett: ‘I’m for sure flirting with the idea. Helluva an opportunity with the Super Bowl in SoFi this year. If I can find the fire, it’s a possibility.'”

Is Aaron Donald coming out of retirement to play for Rams?

Aaron Donald might come out of retirement. The intrigue surrounding a potential comeback grew even further after Pat McAfee also reached out to Donald to ask about the possibility of returning to the NFL. His response sounded remarkably similar to the one reported by Schultz. “It for sure got me thinking. Gotta see if that fire can light back up.”

At 35 years old, Donald has been away from the NFL for two seasons, but he has remained in outstanding physical condition since stepping away from the game. The biggest question does not appear to be whether his body can handle a return, but whether he can rediscover the motivation required to compete at the highest level again.

If Donald ultimately decides to come back, it would instantly become one of the biggest stories of the 2026 NFL season. Pairing one of the greatest defensive players of all time with Garrett on a roster already viewed as a legitimate Super Bowl contender could transform the Rams into one of the most feared teams in football.

The NFL landscape shifted on Monday when news confirmed that the Cleveland Browns and Rams had agreed to terms to send Garrett to Los Angeles. Almost immediately, Donald ignited the internet by hinting at a potential comeback on social media.

The retired future Hall of Famer uploaded a video teasing that he would seriously consider unretiring just to play alongside Garrett. When asked about the clip, McVay openly admitted that a return is not entirely off the table for the organization.

“Here’s what I would tell you guys overall, too: Aaron is a guy that I stay really close in touch with, and I know the respect that he has for Myles,” McVay said. “Talked to him about the opportunity to bring him on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust ’em off at the age of 35, I bet you he can still do it at a pretty high clip.“

The Rams position themselves as top 2026 contenders

After watching their division rival Seattle Seahawks hoist the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LX, the Rams’ front office wasted no time launching an aggressive offseason arms race. The acquisition of Garrett is a massive statement, but it is far from their only high-profile move.

Los Angeles has poured significant resources into rebuilding their defense from the back out. This offseason, the team pulled off a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for cornerback Trent McDuffie and fortified the secondary further by signing cornerback Jaylen Watson to a three-year deal.

Meanwhile, the offense secured its short- and long-term stability. The Rams handed veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford a new contract extension that runs through 2027. By subsequently selecting quarterback Ty Simpson in the 2026 NFL Draft, the front office has designed a seamless transition plan, allowing Stafford to serve as a premier mentor before eventually handing the keys over to the rookie.

The ultimate dynamic duo

If Donald decides to lace up his boots once again, it would provide an unprecedented boost to a roster already overflowing with star power. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year is reportedly still in phenomenal physical shape; his retirement was driven by a lack of competitive desire rather than physical decline.

The arrival of Garrett might be exactly the catalyst Donald needs to return, giving football fans a chance to see what happens when you pair two of the most destructive defensive forces in modern NFL history on the exact same line.

“Good for us,” Flacco said via the Bengals official website. Not having to face one of the league’s best defensive ends twice during the season could be beneficial for Cincinnati, but there are those who believe the team cannot afford to relax because of this situation.

“It doesn’t matter. You still have to go win on Sundays. Congrats to Myles. That’s how I feel. We still have to go win,” Orland Brown Jr. said. “(Verse) is a young player who is also a great player. Very talented. I have a lot of respect for his game.”

Amarius Mims will also be tasked with protecting his quarterback, whether that ends up being Joe Flacco or Joe Burrow. The addition of Jared Verse to the Browns as part of that trade does not necessarily weaken the Rams’ roster, as Los Angeles still boasts plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. “It’s the hardest division anywhere, whether it’s Myles Garrett or Jared Verse,“ he said.

Garrett takes his talents to the NFC West

The Los Angeles Rams have completely shaken up the NFL with a true blockbuster trade. Myles Garrett’s arrival to Rams instantly makes their defense terrifying, especially considering he is coming off a legendary 2025 campaign.

Garrett was named the Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring the league with a historic NFL record of 23 sacks, while also racking up 17 tackles for loss, 31 quarterback hits, and 4 forced fumbles.

When do the Bengals and Browns face off?

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns are scheduled to face each other twice during the 2026 NFL regular season. Their first division rivalry matchup will take place in Week 13 on Sunday, December 6, at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.

They will wrap up their season series in Week 18 on Sunday, January 10, 2027 (or Saturday, January 9, depending on NFL flexing), when the Bengals host the Browns at Paycor Stadium.

The trade was first reported on X by ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter. “Myles Garrett is the rare player who had a no-trade clause in his contract,” the insider wrote regarding the unique contractual landscape. “He is waiving it to be traded to Los Angeles, per sources, and he will keep the same clause in his Rams’ contract.”

In a league where front offices can normally move contracts at a moment’s notice, this specific provision prevents the franchise from shipping him to an undesirable destination without his explicit consent. For a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, it guarantees that he remains the ultimate decision-maker regarding where he plays.

Elite NFL stars who secured no-trade clauses

Legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers famously negotiated a similar safety net during his final extension with the Green Bay Packers to ensure control over his career’s twilight years. Likewise, superstar signal-caller Russell Wilson utilized his contractual veto power with the Seattle Seahawks to dictate his eventual departure to the Denver Broncos.

All-Time great quarterback Tom Brady made sure to include a firm no-trade provision when he signed his historic free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Similarly, legendary pass rusher J.J. Watt commanded a identical level of respect and protection during his dominant defensive tenure with the Houston Texans.

Ultimately, these unique contractual protections are reserved strictly for franchise-altering talents who possess immense power at the negotiating table. Teams are notoriously reluctant to surrender this type of roster flexibility, making it a badge of honor for the league’s absolute elite.