The Los Angeles Rams made one of the biggest moves of the offseason when they acquired Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster trade. Just one game into his Rams career, however, the knee issue that followed him throughout the offseason and training camp has become something much more serious.
Garrett is reportedly set to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and will be placed on injured reserve, with the hope that he can return in approximately four weeks.
A Lingering Issue Finally Catches Up With Garrett
This did not come completely out of nowhere. Garrett’s knee had been bothering him throughout the offseason and training camp, with the Rams having to manage the issue leading into the regular season.
The hope was that Garrett would be able to work through it and eventually return to full strength, but surgery now appears to be the best option.
For the Rams, getting the problem addressed now may ultimately be better than having Garrett attempt to play through a lingering knee issue for months. If the procedure allows him to return genuinely healthy, Los Angeles could still get the version of Garrett it expected when making the trade.
This Hurts After the Blockbuster Trade
The timing makes this especially painful for Los Angeles.
The Rams did not acquire Garrett simply to add another good defensive player. They made a massive investment because they believed one of the best pass rushers in football could become another centerpiece of a championship caliber defense.
To lose him this early after making that kind of blockbuster move hurts.
There is no replacing a player of Garrett’s caliber, and the Rams will undoubtedly miss the pressure and attention he commands on the edge. But the encouraging part is that the initial expectation does not appear to be a season ending absence.
Aaron Donald Keeps This Defensive Line Dangerous
This is also why I am nowhere near ready to panic about the Rams.
Aaron Donald still gives this defensive line an elite presence in the middle, and Los Angeles has enough talent throughout its roster to remain a very good football team even without Garrett.
Garrett was brought in to make an already talented team even more dangerous. The Rams were never supposed to become completely dependent on him.
Donald will continue demanding enormous attention from opposing offensive lines, and that should create opportunities for the rest of the Rams defense while Garrett recovers.
Then imagine getting Garrett back healthy later in the season and putting him alongside Donald again.
That is the defensive front Los Angeles envisioned when it made the blockbuster trade.
I’m Still High on the Rams
Despite the injury, I still believe this team can contend for the NFC West.
The season is far too young to change that opinion because of one significant injury. The goal over the next month is simple. Stay competitive, remain in the division race and give Garrett the time he needs to properly recover.
The Rams should still be good regardless.
If they can stay in position while Garrett is out, his eventual return could provide a massive boost at exactly the right time. Instead of trying to survive an entire season with a compromised Garrett, Los Angeles could potentially get a healthy superstar back for the heart of its schedule.
There is no way around it. Losing Garrett hurts, especially after everything the Rams invested to bring him to Los Angeles.
But it does not change my overall outlook on this team.
The Rams can still contend for the NFC West, and if Garrett returns healthy, they still have an excellent chance to make some serious noise in the NFC.
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