Rams Receive Fresh Update on Myles Garrett’s Knee Injury Status

The Los Angeles Rams are sitting at 2-3 after a Monday night overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills, and the defense is still waiting on its biggest offseason addition, pass rusher Myles Garrett . He has watched from the sideline since opening week. With Arizona next on the schedule, the latest word from NFL Network about his recovery offers a clearer look at when he may finally return.

Myles Garrett return timeline points to Week 7

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said Tuesday on The Rich Eisen Show that Myles Garrett is closing in on a return. Garrett underwent arthroscopic knee surgery the Monday after the Rams' Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and was placed on injured reserve with an estimated recovery of about six weeks.

Rapoport noted that Garrett was visible on the Rams' sideline during Monday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills while still recovering.

"Week 7 should be around when he's ready, which could mean practicing this week and then playing next week. Or it could mean somehow practicing this week—we're getting to the window," Rapoport told Eisen. That timeline points to the Rams' game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 25.

Although Garrett is already eligible to come off injured reserve, but he is not yet ready to practice. Head coach Sean McVay said Tuesday that the Rams will not open Garrett's 21-day practice window this week, meaning he will miss Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The latest comments provide a clearer target for Garrett's return , even as the team remains deliberately cautious.

McVay had said Saturday that the surgery went well and Garrett is making good progress, emphasizing that the goal is a full return to performance rather than simply a return to the field.

In the meantime, Josiah Stewart has assumed a larger share of the pass-rush snaps. However, Garrett's eventual return would deliver a significant boost to the Rams' defense, especially given the substantial investment Los Angeles made to acquire him.

In a major offseason trade, the Rams acquired Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for established pass rusher Jared Verse and three draft picks, including a 2027 first-round selection.

The 30-year-old arrived as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year after posting a record 23 sacks the previous season. His limited impact in the season-opening game in Australia highlighted why the Rams are determined to ensure he is fully healthy before returning to the field.

Myles Garrett's tough Rams debut in Australia

Garrett played through knee swelling in the opener, a 27-7 loss in Melbourne, after missing most of training camp. He had five quarterback pressures but no sacks and no tackles. According to ESPN Research, it was only the fourth tackle-less game of his career.

Garrett called it "the worst version of myself that I've put out there."

"I've got to be better. I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I've shown that I've been before," Garrett said . Surgery followed within days, and the Rams have gone 2-2 without him.

Before the season, Los Angeles was widely seen as a Super Bowl favorite, and Garrett was a major reason why. The Rams beat the Eagles in Week 4 to stay afloat, but penalties and special teams problems hurt them against Buffalo. His return would give them a pass rush they have yet to see at full strength.

The Rams (2-3) host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 18, still without Garrett. Los Angeles needs a win to steady its season, while Arizona looks for a divisional upset. Next comes the Raiders, a game that could finally bring Garrett back.