The Los Angeles Rams put Myles Garrett on the injured reserve list on Thursday, as expected following his recent knee surgery. As a result, he’ll miss at least four games and won’t be eligible to return until Week 6 against the Cardinals.
Unfortunately, that stretch of games is probably the toughest four games on their schedule. Games against the Giants, Denver, Philadelphia, and Buffalo are exactly when the Rams need him most.
In the first episode of the Coach McVay show, head coach Sean McVay explained
the thought process behind not getting the arthroscopic procedure done sooner:
“He had a knee issue that prevented his ability to practice. Thought it could be something that he’d be able to kind of work through. And then once you get into real game-like settings and situations you realize all right, hey, he’s not feeling the way that, you know, he’s accustomed to. And so, let’s get this thing fixed.”
He emphasized that it was a collective approach among him, Garrett, and the team’s medical experts. McVay is looking to a variety of players, including rookie Wesley Bailey, to help fill the void in his absence.
Sean McVay calls him ‘Wolverine’
Garrett will miss a minimum of four games and the Rams are hesitant to set any expectations for how long it will take to have him back on the field. McVay told Long that the team would not rush him back:
“He’s feeling good,” McVay said. “… He had crutches yesterday, and then he was walking without crutches today, so he’s like Wolverine, healing fast. I’m reluctant to put a timeline on it. We’ve kind of talked about it, but we know that he’s going to miss those four weeks at a minimum, and we’re not going to rush him back. We want to make sure that he’s feeling good, (that) he’s able to get out on the practice field and do all the things that are necessary for him to perform at a level that he’s been accustomed to. And so that’ll be something that I’ll kind of keep you guys posted as we have updates as we go.”
Aaron Donald could come back from retirement on Monday against the Giants, which would be a needed boost for the defensive line at a time of need. In addition to Bailey, the Rams look to Byron Young, Josiah Stewart, and Desjuan Johnson at the outside linebacker position.
Young had 12 sacks last season without Garrett, so he’s proven to be a productive player before this season and latest injury. Stewart was credited with one pressure last week. L.A. defensive coordinator Chris Shula must be hopeful that New York’s offensive line, typically a weak point, isn’t as improved as the Giants hope that it is. The Giants drafted guard/tackle Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick and they allowed Jaxson Dart to be sacked twice in Week 1 against the Cowboys.
The Rams look to rebound from a poor defensive performance in Week 1 against the 49ers, especially against the run. They’ll just have to do it without their marquee offseason trade acquisition.
