The Los Angeles Rams are all in on 2026, and Myles Garrett is a big reason why. After trading for Garrett this offseason, the Rams already have him slotted No. 2 in Rams On SI's countdown of the team's top 25 players for the 2026 season.
That placement says plenty about what the Rams think they added. Garrett is coming off a 2025 season in which he broke the single-season sack record, and the expectation is that he will bring immediate impact to a defense that is counting on him to help push the team over the top.
Why Garrett changes the Rams' defense
Garrett gives the Rams something every team wants and few teams actually have: a game-wrecking pass rusher who can tilt a game plan before it even begins. If the Rams are going to make a real run in 2026, they need players who can create problems on their own, and Garrett fits that description better than almost anyone.
He also changes how the rest of the defense can function. With Garrett on the field, opposing offenses have to account for him first, which should create more opportunities for the rest of the Rams' front to operate. That is especially important for a team that is being built around the idea that one elite addition can raise the level of everyone around him.
A top-two player on a team chasing the top
Rams On SI putting Garrett at No. 2 in its 2026 ranking is a strong sign of how central he is to the team's plans. The Rams are not treating him like a simple addition to the roster. They are treating him like the kind of player who can help define the season.
That is the real takeaway here. The trade was made with a specific purpose, and the Rams are making no secret of it: they believe Garrett is the missing piece that can help turn a good team into one that is ready to compete at the highest level.
