Panic Meter: How Worried Should Rams Fans Be About Myles Garrett's Injury?

As the Los Angeles Rams head into their second week of training camp, edge rusher Myles Garrett is set to miss his third day of practice. Garrett has missed the previous two days as the Rams manage his workload, but he is set to be out of Monday’s practice as well.

It’s not out of the ordinary for the Rams to manage veterans throughout training camp and the regular season. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is practicing just every other day while Davante Adams has taken a rest day. The Rams have also managed Byron Young’s knee injury and Alaric Jackson’s blood clot situation.

Sean McVay Explains Myles Garrett's Status

However, three days in a row is certainly odd and is at the very least eye-opening. Still, it’s not something that the Rams and head coach Sean McVay seem overly concerned with at this point. Garrett has fit into the team nicely and the early impressions have met expectations.

“He has a little soreness in his lower half, but nothing to worry about. We're erring on the side of being smart with him,” said McVay on Sunday. “We are erring on the side of caution. He's had checkups, all that stuff, so there's nothing to worry about. It's more about how do we keep him as fresh as possible…There's no reason for concern and I look forward to getting him back out there.”

This isn’t to say that what McVay is saying shouldn’t be taken at face value. It’s very possible that the Rams are simply erring on the side of caution to keep Garrett fresh. There’s no point to risk an injury at this point of the offseason.

Garrett is 30 years old with a lot of miles under his belt. As the Rams enter a Super Bowl season, the most important thing is staying healthy. That’s especially true for a player like Garrett, who the Rams expect to play a large role in that.

The Rams Have Downplayed Injuries Before

At the same time, it’s fair to have some concern. It was around this time last year that Matthew Stafford was dealing with back soreness and the Rams downplayed that issue before the quarterback missed the entirety of training camp.

“Ultimately, it’s about having him feel as good as possible mentally, physically, emotionally, going into Year 17,” said McVay at the time. “He’s so in tune with his body. In talking with him, I feel really good.”

The Rams aren’t known for being completely honest when it comes to injuries. Back in 2019, the Rams were extremely vague with Todd Gurley’s arthritic knee, insisting that he was fine. When Stafford managed an elbow injury during training camp in 2022, McVay downplayed that before saying after the year that it was more of a big deal than people remembered.

Garrett's Status Is Worth Monitoring

Whatever Garrett is dealing with may actually be nothing and the Rams are simply managing him. However, it’s hard to take what they’re saying at face value given how they’ve communicated these injuries in the past. If Garrett continues to miss time once the Rams enter the third and final block of training camp, there may be more cause for concern.

Garrett is at a point in his career where training camp reps aren’t necessarily important. While he is in a new defense, Garrett should be able to dominate regardless. It also provides more opportunity for someone like Josaiah Stewart, who can take advantage of those reps. With that said, an injury would be concerning given how much the Rams gave up to get him. Again, it may be nothing, and the Rams are correct in that they are simply playing it safe. However, given the Stafford saga last year, it’s understandable why some will remain skeptical.

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