The Rams are missing two of their biggest offseason moves for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Myles Garrett remains on injured reserve after hurting himself during Week 1 in Australia. Aaron Donald, who came out of retirement in late August to rejoin the Rams, will also sit out Sunday. The team says Donald is dealing with back issues.
Coach Sean McVay said Donald felt soreness after last week’s loss to the Denver Broncos. The coach made the announcement, and the Rams’ defensive front will be short-handed for the game.
“He’s as tough as it gets, just not feeling good enough. And I think it would be irresponsible on my part — and obviously talking with [team doctor] Reggie [Scott] — to ask him. He would do it and he could probably go be productive, but part of our job is to protect these tough dudes like him from themselves.”
McVay also offered a hopeful note about Donald’s recovery. “He’s working as hard as he can to get himself feeling as good as possible. And we’re hopeful and optimistic that good days are ahead.”
Garrett’s Status
Garrett hurt himself during Week 1 in Australia and has not returned from injured reserve. The Rams have not announced a timeline for his return.
Donald’s case is more complicated. He came back from retirement in late August, but his ramp-up process took longer than expected. He did not travel with the team for the season opener, according to McVay, because he had not progressed far enough in his return.
The Back Issue
Donald’s latest setback involves his back. The team described the issue as back problems, and McVay said the soreness showed up after last week’s loss to the Broncos.
The coach framed the decision as a matter of responsibility. “Our job as coaches is [to] put our players in positions to have successful outcomes,” he said. That means keeping Donald off the field even when he wants to play.
McVay also spoke directly about the risk involved. “He would do it and he could probably go be productive, but part of our job is to protect these tough dudes like him from themselves.”
Protecting Donald From Himself
The phrase “protecting him from himself” is the kind of line that lands with sincerity but carries little weight. A star player’s drive to play often outmatches a coach’s ability to stop him.
Donald is known for his toughness, and McVay acknowledged that directly. But the coach’s argument rests on a simple calculation: asking Donald to play when he is not fully ready would be irresponsible.
Whether that protection is doing any good is another question. The Rams enter Week 4 at 1-2, and their record so far gives reason to doubt the protection is helping.
Nacua Returns on Offense
The Rams do get some good news on the other side of the ball. Wide receiver Puka Nacua is set to return Sunday after sitting out the past two games with a hip injury.
McVay said Nacua looked sharp during practice this week, especially through the more physically demanding portions of the sessions. That suggests he is close to full strength, though the coach did not offer a timeline beyond Sunday’s game.
Nacua finished Week 1 with five receptions for 74 yards. His return gives the offense a reliable target back in the lineup.
The Defensive Front
The Rams’ defensive front took shape over the offseason, and now two of its most notable additions are out. Garrett is on injured reserve, and Donald is dealing with back issues.
The team will be shorthanded for Sunday’s game against the Eagles. The Rams will need other players to step up in their place.
What Comes Next
The Rams face the Eagles on Sunday, and the game will test how well the team adjusts to losing both Garrett and Donald. The offense has Nacua returning, which helps balance the loss on that side of the ball.
Los Angeles entered the year as a preseason Super Bowl odds-on favorite, and the 1-2 record shows where things stand so far.
Sunday’s game will show whether the Rams can compete without two of their most important players. The coaching staff’s job, according to McVay, is to put players in positions to have successful outcomes.
Whether that approach produces results is the open question. The Rams have shown promise, but their record so far gives reason to doubt the protection is doing much good.
The Verdict on the Protection
McVay’s framing of the situation is honest. Coaches are responsible for their players, and asking a player to push through an injury is a serious call.
But the protection line carries little weight against a star player’s drive to play. Donald is as tough as it gets, and that toughness is precisely why the protection exists in the first place.
The Rams are hoping for good days ahead, but the record so far gives reason to doubt the protection is doing much good. The team’s fate this season may depend on how well they adjust to playing without Garrett and Donald.
For now, the Rams will play without their two most notable offseason additions. The Eagles will have a chance to test a thinner defensive front. And the Rams will hope that good days are truly ahead.
Source material: “Rams lose Aaron Donald to back soreness for Eagles game, Sean McVay says he’s protecting star 'from himself',” Fox News.
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