For two teams that do not play against each other this season, the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams are uniquely linked this season because of the Myles Garrett trade. While the Rams bounced back in Week 7, injuries continue to be a big story for a team that was expected to be the Super Bowl favorite and started the year with four losses already.
It all started with Los Angeles’ loss in Week 1, in Australia, which was followed by Garrett having surgery and going on injured reserve. In early October,
the Rams still didn’t have a timeline for when Garrett would return, and he is now set to miss Week 8, with uncertainty about when he could return to practice.
Once Los Angeles opens Garrett’s return-to-practice timeline, it still could be multiple weeks before he’s back on the field. With the NFL trade deadline two game weeks away, the Rams could be in a difficult position after Week 10.
On top of that, with or without Garrett, LA looks like they will be facing fellow star pass rusher Micah Parsons on Thanksgiving Eve against the Green Bay Packers:
Parsons had ACL surgery after being injured last year, but has taken longer to return to the field than others who had a similar injury and timeframe.
The NFL is a week-to-week league, so assuming anything about what will happen in Week 12 of the season is a bit foolhardy. By then, Garrett could have returned and helped the Rams turn their season all the way around, while the Packers could have hit a slump without their top pass rusher.
For now, Browns fans will continue to keep one eye on anything and everything related to the Rams, while looking for their team to make a big push to the NFL playoffs.
