The Rams are treating two of their biggest names with kid gloves, and for now that includes edge rusher Myles Garrett and wide receiver Puka Nacua.
Both players sat out a second straight practice, and on Thursday they were again spotted working off to the side with trainers as Los Angeles continued preparations for its preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Garrett was held out of Tuesday’s joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys because of knee swelling, while Nacua exited with groin soreness.
That caution fits the way the Rams have handled camp all summer. Matthew Stafford has been practicing every other day as he manages his back, and the team has also been careful with veterans like Alaric Jackson, Byron Young, and Davante Adams.
Garrett’s situation is the one that deserves the closest watch. He missed three practices in the middle of camp before returning for the final two days, and Sean McVay said Tuesday that Garrett felt he was 85 percent, which was enough for the Rams to pull back and avoid pushing it. Nacua’s issue was handled the same way once he left the joint session and didn’t come back.
“Puka's doing well. He just had a little soreness in his psoas so we're just being smart with him,” said McVay on Thursday. “We're expecting to be back next week ready to go.”
McVay had a clearer answer on Nacua than he did on Garrett. That doesn’t automatically point to a major problem with Garrett’s knee, but the fact that swelling has popped up more than once in the span of a week is enough to keep this on the radar.
“He's feeling good. I think it's more along the lines of getting to know him and once he gets back to that return to performance,” said McVay.
“He's making really good positive strides. As far as when he'll be back, we want to make sure that that's when it's truly 100%.”
That matters because the Rams gave up a lot to get Garrett, and he’s expected to be a major piece of what they’re trying to build. The team clearly believes he can help carry them toward a Super Bowl run, which is why it makes sense to be careful now rather than force the issue in August.
For all of that, there’s nothing in the reporting to suggest Garrett is dealing with something that will necessarily follow him into the season. When he’s been available, he’s been exactly what the Rams wanted. Still, repeated knee swelling is the kind of thing that naturally gets attention.
There’s also no immediate rush. Los Angeles still has time before Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, and the priority is obvious: get there healthy. That means not asking Garrett or Nacua to do more than they need to right now, even if that leaves a few more practice sessions with both of them watching from the side.
In Other News...
Rams Are Turning Ethan Evans Into A Real Field Position Weapon
Ethan Evans is approaching his fourth NFL season with the Rams with a different kind of priority on the punt team. Rather than chasing pure distance, he has put more emphasis on hang time, a change designed to help Los Angeles squeeze more out of field position and give coverage units a better chance to make an impact. He still wants the leg strength that made him such an intriguing piece in the first place, but the work now is clearly about balance and control as much as power.
For Evans, that evolution has come with the usual NFL adjustment period, from learning how game environments feel on Sundays to finding his place inside a special teams group built on both camaraderie and competition. The Rams have reason to like the direction this is heading, because a punter who can flip the field without sacrificing strength gives them a more dependable weapon than the boom-or-bust version most teams settle for. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Preseason Opener Just Got A Very Different Chiefs Twist
The Rams preseason opener against Kansas City got a different kind of edge this week, even before anyone took a snap, because Andy Reid made it clear the Chiefs will treat it like a true exhibition. Patrick Mahomes is still working his way back from ACL and LCL surgery, and the plan is to keep him out of a game with no stakes as Kansas City focuses on easing players through camp rather than forcing a preview of the regular season.
Chris Jones added to that cautious tone by saying he would prefer the starters sit out as well, which leaves the matchup with a much different feel for Los Angeles. For the Rams, it means the opening preseason test will be less about chasing stars and more about how both teams handle the early reps, the rotation of quarterbacks, and the depth pieces that usually decide August more than the scoreboard does. [Read more 🡒]