Rams plan to keep Myles Garrett out of practice this week as knee recovery continues

The Los Angeles Rams did not expect to bring defensive end Myles Garrett back to practice this week, according to an update that arrived Saturday after coach Sean McVay had promised Monday that the team would provide clarification by Thursday. The message, as reported by Yahoo Sports, points to a cautious approach with Garrett’s knee recovery rather than an early step into full weekly preparations.

Garrett was placed on injured reserve after Week 1 following knee surgery, setting the recovery timeline that now drives the Rams’ practice-week decisions. Under the league’s injured reserve and return-from-injury structure, he can return to practice after Week 5, which would represent the fourth game he misses while continuing to heal.

Even with that possible practice window timeline in mind, the Rams, per the report, do not plan to open Garrett’s practice window this week. In practical terms, that means Garrett’s availability for team drills remains limited for the near term, regardless of how he may progress day-to-day in rehabilitation and offseason-style conditioning.

For a defense built on pressure, the timing of a high-impact edge rusher’s return affects more than just a single game-day snap count. The Rams have to balance Garrett’s snap-readiness with the need to keep the rest of the defensive line and pass-rush rotation in rhythm, especially if the team is managing multiple personnel gaps while he remains sidelined.

The Rams’ internal communication cadence is also part of the story. McVay’s Monday promise of an update by Thursday, followed by a Saturday arrival of the information, suggests the team was actively evaluating whether Garrett could safely begin practicing before the earliest allowed point. The decision to delay, as described, indicates that the staff is prioritizing a conservative recovery approach over a short-term practice experiment.

What to watch next is whether the Rams shift Garrett into practice at the earliest point described in the report, after Week 5, and how quickly the team increases his workload. If he returns to practice but is limited in reps, expect the Rams to lean on their existing pass-rush options while using Garrett as a gradual reintroduction to defensive schemes.