The Los Angeles Rams got their star pass rusher back Wednesday. Myles Garrett returned to full practice participation at training camp, ending a four-day absence that had fans watching every injury report a little too closely.
Garrett ran onto the field for the start of team drills, according to ESPN Rams reporter Sarah Barshop, who posted on X: “Myles Garrett just ran onto the field for the start of team drills. He missed the last four-practice block with ‘lower body soreness.'” —
Myles Garrett just ran onto the field for the start of team drills. He missed the last four-practice block with “lower body soreness.”
— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) August 6, 2026
The absence had stirred some concern given what Los Angeles gave up to get him. The Rams acquired the two-time Defensive Player of the Year from the Cleveland Browns this offseason in a deal that sent Cleveland the 29th overall pick along with 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, according to CBS Sports, which cited Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times on the trade’s origin.
Head coach Sean McVay never treated the soreness as a real concern. He first addressed it after Sunday’s session, calling it precautionary. According to ClutchPoints, McVay told reporters Garrett had “a little soreness in his lower half,” but added the team was “erring on the side of being smart with him.”
Garrett backed that up himself once he was back in pads. He spoke with reporters after Wednesday’s practice and downplayed the whole thing. “I feel good. I’m allowed to get sore,” Garrett said, per NBC Sports. He added that bumps and bruises pop up “every now and then,” and that the training staff was simply making sure he got back to full strength before pushing him further.
Why the Rams Played It Safe
Garrett wasn’t alone in getting a lighter camp workload. McVay has also managed reps carefully for Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams and Byron Young this summer, treating August as a maintenance month for veterans rather than a proving ground. That approach matters more with Garrett specifically. The Rams open the regular season in Melbourne, Australia against the San Francisco 49ers, a long trip that compresses the runway for getting new pieces synced up. Managing his workload now, rather than risking a deeper injury in a padless August practice, protects the bigger investment.
It’s also just who Garrett is. He’s played all 17 games in each of the past two seasons and has missed only four games total over the last six years. A four-practice pause in training camp barely registers against that track record, especially for a player who doesn’t need August reps to prove what he can do on Sundays.
What’s Next for Garrett and the Defense
With Garrett back, the focus shifts to building chemistry with his new line mates as camp wraps up. He’s still learning a new scheme after spending his entire career in Cleveland, and the Rams have two practices left in this camp block before relocating to their Woodland Hills facility.
There’s a bigger storyline still developing in the background. Barshop also reported that McVay described the possibility of a Donald return as “trending upward,” though no decision is expected until the team wraps camp. If Donald does come back, a Garrett-Donald pairing on the same defensive front would give Los Angeles one of the most dangerous pass-rush duos in the league — but that remains speculation until something is confirmed.
For now, the update Rams fans wanted is the one they got: Garrett is moving, working, and by his own account, feeling good with four weeks still to go before Week 1.
