There’s been a lot of buzz recently about the potential of Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett teaming up on the Rams’ defensive line, but it’s possible that neither will take the field in Week 1.
Garrett has only fully practiced twice this summer, as he deals with some swelling in his knee. That’s definitely something for fans to keep an eye on, especially since the Rams are gearing up to face the 49ers in their season opener next week.
“He’s making good progress. Really good progress. The goal all along has been Australia,” noted head coach Sean McVay on Monday.
The Rams are being careful with Garrett, who was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year last season with an impressive record of 23 sacks while playing for the Browns. By bringing him on board, the Rams not only secured a top-tier defensive player but also added another leader to the team—Garrett has been named one of the captains for the 2026 season.
Yet, the fact that the 30-year-old has missed so much time in training camp raises some eyebrows.
Still, McVay didn’t seem too concerned, even if fans and critics on social media are a bit more anxious. It’s natural to worry, right?
The Rams had anticipated Garrett would be back practicing last week, but that didn’t pan out as expected.
As for Donald, the Rams have been pretty tight-lipped about his status for the upcoming international matchup. It’s unclear what his availability will be.
“If he’s not ready, and that’s not what’s best for him and the team, absolutely wouldn’t have him play in Australia,” McVay said.
While the thought of Garrett and Donald together could be quite intimidating for opponents, it remains uncertain if we’ll actually see them on the field when the 2026 season kicks off.
