Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, didn’t hit the practice field Tuesday before the Rams jetted off to Australia, but make no mistake: head coach Sean McVay says he’s playing in Thursday’s season opener down under. This ain’t just some minor detail, folks, it’s a massive, flashing red light for a team about to kick off their entire season on another continent.
The DPOY’s Debut Is Already a Rollercoaster
Dude was *not* out there with his teammates on Tuesday, straight up. No drills, no nothing, right before the plane took off for Melbourne. This ain’t a new thing either, man. He’s been battling this knee swelling *all summer*, barely practicing, which is a gnarly way to start your first season with a new squad, right? We’re talking about the *reigning* DPOY here, an absolute game-wrecker, and he’s heading into his Rams debut on Thursday in Australia having missed a ton of time. They literally traded for him in June, so this is his first shot to show what he’s got in their uniform. He did get back to practice Sunday and participated Monday, but the Rams didn’t even have to drop their first official practice report until Tuesday. That’s when we got confirmation that Garrett wasn’t doing any work with the team before they took off Tuesday night. You gotta wonder what kind of shape he’s really in, going from summer knee swelling to no practice Tuesday, then straight into a season opener across the world.
Massive Gaps on Defense as the Team Flies Out
But wait, there’s more pain on the defensive side for the Rams. Aaron Donald, an absolute monster and a future Hall of Famer, isn’t even making the trek to Australia. The guy hasn’t played an NFL game since 2023, and while he did get some limited work in on Tuesday, it’s obvious he’s still trying to claw his way back into game shape. That’s a huge hole in the middle of their defensive line right out of the gate. And the injury report for the trip? It’s a whole novel of guys not participating. Tight end Tyler Higbee and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson are both on the ‘rest’ list, whatever that means this early in the season. Cornerback Jaylen Watson is nursing a toe injury, and linebacker Byron Young is also resting. Linebacker Grant Stuard was limited with a hamstring issue too.
So yeah, the Rams are heading into Thursday’s opener in Melbourne with their DPOY playing on a swollen knee for his debut, and a future Hall of Famer not even on the plane. You gotta wonder how this squad is gonna hold up against whatever’s waiting for them down under. It’s gonna be a wild one for sure, and we’ll see if Garrett’s knee holds up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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