Sean McVay expects Myles Garrett to miss next week’s Rams practice window after IR eligibility

The Los Angeles Rams are not planning to have defensive end Myles Garrett return to practice next week, even though he is eligible to come off injured reserve, coach Sean McVay said Saturday. The decision keeps the focus on timing and recovery as the Rams manage the final portion of his return process from the injured reserve designation.

McVay’s comments indicate the Rams will be cautious with Garrett’s first days back with the group. While Garrett’s eligibility creates a clear pathway for his return to the active roster, McVay said he does not anticipate Garrett practicing this week and suggested the team will likely align his re-entry with the NFL’s 21-day window framework.

Under the injured reserve return mechanism, teams can begin using the 21-day activation period once a player is eligible to return. In practice terms, that means a player can be brought back to practice and then potentially activated based on the window timeline and the team’s evaluation of readiness. McVay’s approach suggests Los Angeles wants to avoid compressing the process into the current week if the earliest meaningful participation can be handled immediately once the window opens.

The Rams’ defensive front has been built around pressure and edge-setting, roles Garrett typically supplies as a disruptive pass rusher. For a team that needs consistent production from its outside rush, the difference between practicing right away and waiting for the 21-day window can affect how quickly a player reaches full workload and game-level rhythm.

For Garrett himself, missing a single practice week is not the same as being unavailable for games, but it does point to a deliberate ramp-up rather than an immediate return to on-field reps. The key detail is McVay’s expectation that Garrett will not be in practice next week, which suggests the team is prioritizing medical clearance and readiness over a fast reintroduction.

What to watch next is whether the Rams open the 21-day window on schedule and, once it begins, how quickly Garrett builds participation during practices. Because McVay has framed the decision as a timing issue rather than an unexpected setback, the immediate storyline is likely the return timeline, not a change in status beyond the planned IR activation process.

The coming days should clarify whether the Rams will use practice to ramp Garrett cautiously within the activation period, and whether that lines up with the team’s game plan on the defensive side of the ball. Until practice begins within that window, Garrett’s participation will remain limited, even as his eligibility provides a defined next step for Los Angeles.