The Los Angeles Rams expected Myles Garrett to transform their defense after acquiring the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Instead, his first game with the team raised more questions than answers.
Garrett was held without a tackle, sack, or quarterback hit in Thursday’s 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and his comments afterward about his health are now raising legitimate concern.
Garrett admitted he wasn’t 100 percent
Garrett’s performance was particularly surprising because he entered the season as one of the most dominant defensive players in football. He set an NFL record with 23 sacks last season and was expected to immediately become the centerpiece of a star-studded Rams defense.
Instead, Garrett acknowledged after the loss that he was dealing with a lingering knee issue and wasn’t completely healthy entering the game.
“This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there,” Garrett said. He added that he needs to recover and get back to the player he knows he can be.
That admission is concerning considering what happened on the field.
The Rams have to be concerned
Garrett’s lack of production wasn’t the only thing that stood out. He was repeatedly coming off the field during the game, and reports indicated that he appeared fatigued at times. He ultimately played just 27 pass-rush snaps without registering a pressure, his first game without a pressure since 2018.
The situation is even more noteworthy because Garrett missed much of training camp while dealing with knee swelling. Rams head coach Sean McVay had previously insisted Garrett would be ready for Week 1, and the team did not give him an injury designation entering the game.
One poor performance shouldn’t erase everything Garrett has accomplished, but his health makes this different.
The Rams invested heavily in Garrett because they believe he can be the difference between a good defense and a championship defense. If the knee continues limiting him, Los Angeles could have a much bigger problem than one disappointing night in Australia.
The Rams have 11 days before their next game, giving Garrett valuable time to recover. But until he looks healthy again, there will be legitimate questions about whether the superstar pass rusher is capable of being the player Los Angeles expected.
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