Myles Garrett injury update: McVay says probably next week
The Rams enter the final days of training camp with two high-value contributors — Myles Garrett and Puka Nacua — absent from practice, creating immediate questions about Week 1 availability and preparation for an upcoming overseas game.
Sean McVay characterized their returns as probable next week, and local reports have reflected that cautious timeline in recent updates from Turf Show Times.
Key Takeaways
- Sean McVay said both Myles Garrett and Puka Nacua are unlikely to return to practice this week, with a probable return next week.
- Garrett’s knee issue has already cost him the equivalent of two weeks of training camp and the absence is approaching three weeks.
- Nacua suffered a psoas (hip) injury during joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys and his return timeline was pushed after an initial expectation he would resume practice sooner.
- Keagen Trost and Mario Williams are expected to be out for a few weeks, and Aaron Donald’s workout was described as “semantical” by McVay.
Myles Garrett timeline and roster impact
Garrett’s knee issue has translated to a multi-week absence during a compressed block of final camp practices, with the missed time described as the equivalent of two weeks so far and approaching three weeks.
The offseason acquisition of Garrett was a high-leverage roster move, and his availability directly affects the Rams’ edge rotation and pass-rush schematic planning.
Coaches will need to balance preserving pass-rush concepts with protecting Garrett’s recovery window while increasing reps for rotational rushers in practice and game planning.
Puka Nacua injury and offensive adjustments
Nacua’s hip (psoas) injury occurred during joint practice with the Cowboys and McVay pushed his expected return to next week after earlier indicating he would resume practice sooner.
His absence removes a primary slot target and route-creator from the offense, forcing redistribution of slot reps and intermediate targets to veterans and younger receivers who have shown versatility in camp.
Offensive availability is further complicated by the hamstring absences of Keagen Trost and Mario Williams, which limit immediate in-house depth and increase the need for cross-training in perimeter and interior roles.
Practice absence timeline comparison
| Player | Injury | Reported practice absence | Role or impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myles Garrett | Knee | Equivalent of two weeks so far, approaching three weeks | Primary edge acquisition; affects pass-rush snaps and rotation |
| Puka Nacua | Psoas (hip) | Missed practices after joint practice; return pushed to next week | Primary slot receiver; loss reallocates intermediate targets |
| Keagen Trost | Hamstring | Out for a “few weeks” per team | OL depth; impacts interior line rotation and practice continuity |
| Mario Williams | Hamstring | Out for a “few weeks” per team | Receiver depth; limits special teams and situational packages |
| Aaron Donald | Workout limited | Described by team as “semantical” workout | Veteran defensive anchor; limited sessions suggest managed ramp-up |
SEC roster construction considerations
Extended absences for high-investment players force the front office to revisit short-term roster construction decisions and depth priorities ahead of early-season travel and nonconference matchups.
From a communications and recruiting standpoint, the club must balance transparency with protection of player recovery plans when messaging to recruits and potential free-agent targets in NIL-sensitive markets like the SEC.
For younger players, increased practice reps create a development and evaluation window for coaches to identify who can handle higher-leverage roles during the regular season.
