Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said Tuesday that the team will not open outside linebacker Myles Garrett's 21-day practice window this week, according to TheRams.com. The Rams are preparing to face the Cardinals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Week 6.
Asked directly whether the clock would start, McVay answered, "we will not, not this week."
The update matches what McVay said last Saturday. He indicated then that Garrett was unlikely to return to practice from Injured Reserve as soon as he became eligible. McVay described Garrett as "making good progress" but not ready to say whether the window would open.
TheRams.com reports that Garrett has been on IR since Sept. 17, after knee surgery three days earlier. McVay said on Saturday that "the surgery went really well," but added that "it's week-to-week in terms of how he feels."
McVay also relayed a distinction he discussed with Neal ElAttrache, the team's Executive Director of Medical Service and Senior Orthopedic Surgeon: the difference between return to play and return to performance. The goal, McVay said, is to put Garrett in a good position to return to performance.
McVay said that once Garrett reaches the benchmarks the team wants, the Rams can put him in situations in line with playing football and see how the knee responds. He said the team expects a good response, and that is when the conversation about playing can really begin.