The Los Angeles Rams have been without Myles Garrett since Week 1, but now it appears they will have him back as they prepare for a matchup on the road against the Washington Commanders in Week 9.
Myles Garrett Expected to Be Back For Rams in Week 9 vs Commanders
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Oct 18, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Heading into Week 9, the Rams need to figure out a way to earn their third straight victory as they prepare to take on the Commanders, and it appears that the defense will be getting a major boost based on the latest report.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Rams star edge rusher Myles Garrett is on track to be activated for Sunday’s game against the Commanders. Rapoport also noted that Garrett has been practicing all week, and all indications are trending toward him playing as a result.
This is huge news for the Rams as they have suffered a variety of injuries, especially on the defensive side, with the latest injury being that of cornerback Jaylen Watson, who is now out for the year with a shoulder injury and needs surgery. Additionally, it sounds like fellow cornerback Trent McDuffie was not spotted at practice on Thursday, so that is a bit concerning, but with Garrett back, that should provide a huge boost to the defense nonetheless.
Garrett has not played since Week 1, when the Rams traveled to Melbourne, Australia, to play the San Francisco 49ers in a game that the 49ers dominated. Additionally, after the game, Garrett said he did not feel like himself, which was part of the reason he was held off the stat sheet, but now it appears he is ready to go and cause some havoc against the Commanders.
If Garrett plays on Sunday, it would be the first time he and Aaron Donald play alongside each other, something opposing offensive lines will be terrified to block, with Washington as the first test.
While the addition of Garrett will no doubt be a boost for the defensive line, the secondary does have to figure out a way to play well whether or not McDuffie can play. With that said, the best thing that the Rams can do to combat injuries in the secondary is to have defensive coordinator Chris Shula dial up blitzes or simply have the defensive line win their matchups, and with Garrett back, the Rams should be able to do just that.
In addition to Garrett and Donald, the Rams also have several other great pass rushers, including Braden Fiske, Byron Young, and Josiah Stewart, who all have the ability to win one-on-one matchups, which is likely what they will get if Garrett and Donald are both in the lineup this week.
So, as the Rams prepare to take on the Commanders this Sunday, it does appear that the defense is getting a major boost with Garrett expected to be back, and if he is truly back to his normal self, it is going to be a long day for the Washington offensive line and their quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
The Last Word
After taking a look at the outlook for Sunday, it is now time to analyze what this means for the Rams moving forward, and the overall sense for this team is that this could be the start of a great stretch, especially if the defense can be very disruptive.
There is no doubt that the Rams have plenty of tests on their schedule, but with a dominant pass rush, the Rams can have the ability to disrupt opposing offenses, which is one of the biggest advantages that a defense can have, because without a rhythm, an offense will have a lot of trouble putting up points.
So far this season, the Rams have struggled with injuries and have had inconsistent performance in all three phases, but with Garrett back, Los Angeles has the ability to get right, especially on defense, and put themselves in a great position for a playoff push, with several key matchups left to go on the schedule that could enable them to get back in the playoff race and potentially even make a run at an NFC West title if they can get some help.
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