Ever since he was placed on injured reserve after Week 1, the Los Angeles Rams have been awaiting the return of edge rusher Myles Garrett. What was initially given a six-week timeline turned into seven. When the Rams activated Garrett’s practice window this week, there was some positive momentum that he could be ready for Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders. On Friday, head coach Sean McVay confirmed that Garrett will play. 

The Rams traded for Garrett in what was their biggest acquisition of the offseason. However, shortly into training camp, Garrett began missing practices with what was described as knee soreness and then was placed on injured reserve that week as he underwent arthroscopic surgery. 

With Jaylen Watson heading on injured reserve earlier this week, the Rams won’t get a look at what their defense could have been with Garrett, Watson, Trent McDuffie, and Aaron Donald. However, the Rams will get a look at what their defense can do with Donald and Garrett on the field together for the first time. 

Trading for Garrett played a large role in Donald coming out of retirement. The Rams’ season certainly hasn’t gone as Donald may have expected, but nine weeks into the season, he’ll finally get to play alongside one of the biggest reasons he came back.

“It's good to have the pieces back to the puzzle. It was good to see him out there yesterday and today. He’s looking good, looking fast,” said Donald on Thursday. “Getting to work with him in full pads and playing off each other. It looked pretty good today, so I'm excited about having him here, having him back, and seeing what we do Sunday.”

As Garrett gets set to make his return, the question now becomes how much he’ll play on Sunday against the Commanders. The Rams have played it safe with Garrett since the summer and paid the consequences for not doing that in Week 1. While the Rams opened Garrett’s practice window and will activate him for Sunday’s game, it remains unlikely that he’ll play 100 percent of the defensive snaps. 

The Rams have a strong rotation with Josaiah Stewart and Wesley Bailey, who have both filled in nicely while Garrett has been out. Additionally, Garrett coming back remains a step-by-step process. The Rams activated his practice window, slowly got him back into rhythm by having him take half the practice reps, and will now see how he reacts to a game.

“As far as what that snap count looks like if he is able to play, it's really truly like, 'Let's just see how today goes, and then let's see how tomorrow goes and [then] the following day,’” McVay said.

Back in Week 2 against the New York Giants when Donald played his first game of the season after slowly ramping up, he played 56.9 percent of the defensive snaps. In Week 1, Garrett played 61.5 percent of the defensive snaps while not being 100 percent. 

It seems likely for Garrett's snap count to end up somewhere in that same range. He may play half or slightly more than half of the defensive snaps against the Commanders. The Rams will slowly ramp him up over the next few weeks, depending on how his body reacts. Overall, the goal will be to get Garrett to 100 percent for the second half of the season after the bye week.