Rams Still Don't Have a Real Timeline for Myles Garrett's Return From Knee Surgery

The Los Angeles Rams traded a package headlined by promising young pass rusher Jared Verse to the Cleveland Browns this offseason to land Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Three weeks into the season, Garrett has yet to play a full, healthy snap for his new team, and nobody in the organization will say exactly when that changes.

Garrett played through knee soreness in the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. Bolavip reported he finished that game with zero tackles, zero sacks and zero quarterback pressures across 27 pass-rush snaps. Yahoo Sports described the same box score as empty but said Garrett still generated 'several pressures,' a detail that conflicts with Bolavip's account. Either way, Garrett wasn't close to the player who set the single-season sack record a year ago, and he had arthroscopic surgery immediately after the game to clean up persistent swelling. He landed on injured reserve, which by NFL rule means a minimum four-week absence.

From there, the reporting splits. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Garrett was given roughly a six-week recovery window, a timeline Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports both cited directly. Yahoo pegged Garrett's return to the Rams' November 8 game against the Washington Commanders. Sports Illustrated calculated that a six-week absence would also push his return to that Washington matchup, after Garrett would additionally miss games against the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers.

Then, on October 3, The Athletic's Jonathan Jones offered a more optimistic picture. Jones reported the Rams are 'hopeful' Garrett can return as soon as he's eligible on October 18 against the Arizona Cardinals, with a separate team source telling him Garrett is more likely to be back by October 25 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Jones' sourcing framed the six-week, early-November scenario as a worst-case outcome, not the expectation.

McVay himself won't pick a side. Speaking to reporters on October 2, he said Garrett 'physically looks good' and has 'a good look in his eye' while attending meetings and working through rehab, but he declined to commit to any date. 'As far as a specific timeline, not ready to be able to give you guys that,' McVay said. 'As soon as I have those things, I'll give you guys updates.'

A banged-up roster heading into Philadelphia

The uncertainty around Garrett lands at a bad time. The Rams are 1-2, having lost to the 49ers and Denver Broncos, both playoff teams a year ago, with their lone win coming against the New York Giants in Week 2. They're scheduled to play at the 2-1 Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, a team Heavy noted the Rams have not beaten in their last four tries, including a loss during the 2024 NFC Divisional Playoffs.

Los Angeles will be without more than Garrett for that game. The Rams ruled out defensive tackle Aaron Donald on Friday with a back injury, according to Newsweek. Donald came out of retirement this offseason specifically because the Garrett trade happened, and the two stars still haven't played a single snap together. Cornerback Jaylen Watson, signed in free agency to pair with Trent McDuffie, is also out with a shoulder injury, and wide receiver Puka Nacua is set to miss his second straight game, per Sports Illustrated.

The absence up front is showing up on the stat sheet. Bolavip reported the Rams have managed just three total sacks through three games, tied for 28th in the league, while allowing a 43.6% third-down conversion rate. Garrett signed for a reported $210 million, according to Bolavip, and the Rams need that investment on the field, not in a meeting room.

The schedule doesn't get easier after Philadelphia. Los Angeles hosts the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 5, and depending on which version of the timeline holds up, Garrett could still be weeks away. Whether he's back for the Cardinals on October 18, the Raiders on October 25, or not until the Commanders game in early November depends on which source inside the Rams organization is telling it straight, and the team itself says it doesn't know yet either.