The Los Angeles Rams could have one of the NFL’s most feared defensive fronts this season. But star defensive linemen Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald have left a few questions hanging ahead of Thursday’s opener. 

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday that the Rams are encouraged by Myles Garrett’s progress after his knee issue kept him out for much of camp. The bigger concern is Aaron Donald, who has only just returned and may have his workload limited in the opener. 

“The big question mark is Aaron Donald because they just acquired him, signed him last week... Looks like himself,” Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter. “But you know he's 35 years old; they want to make sure they ramp him up the right way.” 

Donald’s situation is mainly about timing. The veteran defensive tackle has not played since the 2023 season and only came out of retirement less than two weeks before the Rams’ opener.

That leaves him with little time to get back to game speed. At 35, Los Angeles also has to be careful not to put too much on Donald in his first game back, as per Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report.

Still, the Rams have plenty of reasons to be excited about having Donald back. He is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a Super Bowl winner and has recorded double-digit sacks in six seasons.

Garrett’s left knee swelling kept him out of the preseason, but he returned to practice Sunday and is being ramped up ahead of Thursday’s opener.

The Defensive Player of the Year set an NFL record with 23 sacks last season and has recorded double-digit sacks in eight straight seasons.

Donald’s workload will be one of the biggest factors against the San Francisco 49ers. Even on limited snaps, his presence alongside Garrett could give the Rams a major boost on the defensive line.

While Donald and Garrett remain the focus on defense, the Rams are also carrying bigger expectations heading into the 2026 season. 

Rams enter 2026 as Super Bowl favorites

According to Tony Adame of Heavy, the Rams are the favorites to win the Super Bowl after their NFC Championship Game run ended against the eventual champions, the Seattle Seahawks. 

“After making it to the NFC Championship Game and losing to the eventual Super Bowl champions — and NFC West Division rival — Seattle Seahawks, the Rams enter 2026 as Super Bowl favorites,” Adame wrote.

FanDuel lists Los Angeles at +500, ahead of the Buffalo Bills (+1000), Seahawks (+1100), Baltimore Ravens (+1300) and Los Angeles Chargers (+1600). 

Those expectations make the defensive line even more important. With Garrett already established as an elite pass rusher and Donald returning to the lineup, the Rams have the talent to make their defense one of the biggest strengths of the team.  

With the Rams carrying Super Bowl expectations, Garrett and Donald will be key to delivering on them, especially with the team counting on their impact from the very start of the season. 

Written by

Divyanshi Raj