Before the blockbuster Myles Garrett trade on June 1, 2026, the Los Angeles Rams were tied with the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks at a 10% win probability on Polymarket. With Garrett’s addition, the Rams skyrocketed to a 16% dominant favorite, while Seattle fell to 9%. That’s how big of a game-changer the 5x First-Team All-Pro pass rusher is. However, the Rams have missed his presence in practice sessions now, most recently in the joint team practice alongside the Dallas Cowboys.

Head Coach Sean McVay was asked about Myles Garrett’s repeat absence, which raised concern at Tuesday’s practice.

“He’s still got a little swelling in that knee, but he said, ‘I’m feeling about 85%.’ I don’t know what 100% is going to look like, but it must be pretty good if that’s 85%. So we just erred on the side of caution… He’s so tough, he wanted to be able to be out there, but listening to Reggie (Rams’ head athletic trainer Reggie Scott) and just kind of erring on the side of caution… when he’s been out there he has certainly made his impact felt, but we want to make sure that when he returns to play he’s able to return to full performance and feel like himself… There’s nothing to be concerned about.

“There’s nothing to be concerned about… There weren’t any setbacks, anything like that… We’re just making sure as we kind of get to know him and what’s the best way to ultimately get him ready to be able to peak when we start in Australia is kind of what the end goal in mind is,” McVay told the reporters.

This isn’t the first time Myles Garrett has missed consecutive practice sessions in this training camp for the Rams. Garrett sat out 4 consecutive training camp sessions (leading up to August 5, 2026) due to reported “lower-body soreness.”

“I feel good… I’m allowed to get sore. I’m a little old,” Myles Garret told the reporters last Wednesday, August 5, 2026. “I don’t think it’s happened every training camp, but every now and then I get a bump or bruise… They’re just trying to make sure I get back to 100 percent.” 

McVay, on the other hand, had framed it as load management, per ViralSportsNews.net’s Simeon Kotto, and 2x DPOY subsequently returned to full practice on Wednesday, August 6, 2026. 

In Myles Garrett’s absence in joint practice against the Cowboys, the Rams fielded a pass rush of Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart, Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, and Poona Ford.

According to TheRams.com, Stewart stepped in for Garrett, and the pass rush was able to pressure Cowboys QB Dak Prescott consistently, forcing errors out of him and backup QBs Joe Milton and Sam Howell. McVay told the reporters that they (pass rush) made “their presence felt.”

Despite the positive signs in camp from the backups, the Rams wouldn’t want to start their Super Bowl push without the reigning DPOY on the field. 

Myles Garrett recorded the highest-ever sacks (23.0) in a single season in NFL history in 2025, just when people thought he couldn’t get any better. He also led the league in tackles for loss (33)  last season. His 125.5 career sacks stand as the 2nd-most in NFL history through a player’s first 9 seasons, trailing only HOF Reggie White (137.0). 

The goal, as McVay put it, will be to get the best version of Myles Garrett on the flight to Melbourne, Australia, where the Rams are scheduled to play the San Francisco 49ers in their 2026 season opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026.