He’s back.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said at Friday’s press conference that Los Angeles plans to activate star linebacker Myles Garrett from injured reserve for Sunday’s Week 9 road game against the Washington Commanders (1 p.m. ET on FOX), “barring any sort of setbacks.”
Garrett went down with a knee injury in Week 1, underwent arthroscopic surgery and was placed on IR. Without him, the Rams went 4-3 in games he missed and sit at 4-4 on the season.
Defensively the Rams have been strong in several areas—ranked fourth in opponent passing yards (191.9 per game), fifth in total yards allowed (301.1), 12th in points allowed (21.0), and 14th vs. the run (109.3). However, they’re tied for 26th in sacks with just 12.0, a category where Garrett’s presence should make an immediate impact.
Last year Garrett—already a five-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler—set the NFL single-season sack record with 23, forced three fumbles, led the league with 33 tackles for loss and finished with 60 combined tackles for the Cleveland Browns.
A two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2023 and 2025), Garrett averaged 13.9 sacks and 2.6 forced fumbles per season during his nine years in Cleveland (2017–25) and topped the league in tackles for loss in each of his final two Browns seasons (2024–25).
Los Angeles acquired Garrett from Cleveland in June in a deal that sent defensive end Jared Verse (the Rams’ 2024 first-round pick) plus a 2027 first-rounder, a 2028 second-rounder and a 2029 third-rounder to the Browns.
On the injury front, cornerback Jaylen Watson has been moved to season-ending IR after suffering a shoulder injury that requires surgery.
Fan Take: Garrett’s return immediately raises the Rams’ ceiling and could spark a much-needed surge in their pass rush, which has lagged without him. For NFL fans, his comeback is a reminder of how a single elite defender can shift a team’s trajectory—and potentially alter playoff pictures and defensive schematics around the league.
Source: www.foxsports.com
