The Los Angeles Rams could be without one of their most important defensive weapons longer than initially anticipated. Following the Rams’ Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, star edge rusher Myles Garrett was placed on injured reserve after undergoing treatment for a knee injury.
Garrett’s absence immediately created a significant challenge for the Rams’ defense. While his placement on injured reserve already guaranteed that he would miss multiple games, the latest reports suggest his rehabilitation could stretch beyond the original timetable.
Garrett’s Recovery Could Take Six Weeks
The initial expectation surrounding Garrett’s injury offered some hope that he could return relatively early in the season. However, reports indicate that the recovery period following his knee surgery could be closer to six weeks rather than four.
That extended timetable would potentially keep Garrett sidelined beyond Week 5 and make a return closer to Week 7 or Week 8 more realistic.
For Los Angeles, the difference between four and six weeks could be significant. October represents an important stretch of the NFL schedule, and playing without an elite pass rusher changes how the Rams must approach opposing quarterbacks, protection schemes and critical third-down situations.
Garrett was already dealing with the knee issue during the Rams’ Week 1 game in Australia. His limitations were noticeable enough that the team subsequently moved him to injured reserve, allowing him additional time to recover.
Rams Must Adjust Their Defensive Strategy
Garrett’s impact goes far beyond sacks.
Elite edge rushers can influence an entire offensive game plan. Opponents often have to account for their location before the snap, use additional blockers, adjust protection and get the football out of the quarterback’s hands more quickly.
Without Garrett available, Los Angeles will need other members of its defensive front to increase their production.
The Rams could rely more heavily on rotational pressure, creative blitz packages and contributions from younger defenders while Garrett continues rehabilitation. The coaching staff must find ways to generate pressure without overexposing the secondary.
That makes the coming weeks an important test of the Rams’ defensive depth.
Week 7 or Week 8 Becomes the Focus
If Garrett’s recovery follows the reported six-week timetable, Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders could potentially become an early target for his return.
However, the Rams may decide that additional recovery time is more valuable than rushing one of their biggest defensive investments back onto the field.
That could shift attention toward Week 8, depending on Garrett’s rehabilitation progress, medical evaluations and ability to return to full football activity.
A four-week absence followed by an immediate return now appears less likely based on the extended recovery expectations.
The Rams have every reason to approach the situation carefully. Garrett’s value extends well beyond one October matchup. The organization needs him healthy for the demanding second half of the season, when divisional positioning and playoff implications traditionally become increasingly important.
A Major Piece of the Rams’ Bigger Picture
Garrett’s presence was also part of the excitement surrounding the Rams’ defensive outlook entering the season.
The team has been working to strengthen its veteran leadership and create a roster capable of competing deep into the schedule. Garrett represents the kind of established defensive force who can transform a unit through both production and leadership.
His absence therefore creates more than a statistical void.
Los Angeles must maintain momentum while allowing Garrett enough time to fully recover. The objective will be balancing short-term competitiveness with the long-term importance of having one of football’s premier defensive players available when the games become increasingly consequential.
What the Rams Face Without Garrett
Until Garrett returns, Los Angeles will need a collective defensive response.
The Rams cannot expect one player to completely replace what Garrett brings to the field. Instead, several defenders will need to contribute additional pressure, tackles and disruptive plays.
Key developments to watch include:
- Recovery timeline: Garrett’s rehabilitation could extend approximately six weeks following knee surgery.
- Potential return: Week 7 or Week 8 could emerge as possible return windows depending on medical clearance and rehabilitation progress.
- Defensive adjustments: Los Angeles must find alternative ways to pressure quarterbacks and compensate for Garrett’s absence.
- Roster depth: Younger and rotational defensive players now have an opportunity to take on larger roles.
- Long-term priority: Protecting Garrett’s health for the second half of the season could outweigh bringing him back as soon as he becomes eligible.
The Road Back
For the Rams, patience could ultimately prove more valuable than urgency.
Garrett is too important to the defense for Los Angeles to risk bringing him back before his knee is ready for the physical demands of NFL competition. Every additional week of rehabilitation could help position him for a stronger and more sustainable return.
The immediate challenge is clear: the Rams must continue competing without one of their biggest defensive difference-makers.
If Garrett’s rehabilitation remains on schedule, attention will increasingly turn toward Weeks 7 and 8 as potential opportunities for his return. Until then, Los Angeles will have to rely on its defensive depth, coaching adjustments and collective effort to withstand his absence.
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Kaleef Thompson
WEDGEDIN News
