Surgery to keep Rams' Garrett out for at least a month

Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett requires knee surgery that will keep him out of action for at least a month. The 30-year-old, last season's defensive player of the year, joined the Rams from the Cleveland Browns over the summer in one of the biggest trades in NFL history.

Garrett made his Rams debut last week in the season-opening game against the San Francisco 49ers, a match the Super Bowl favourites lost 27-7 in Australia. The two-time defensive player of the year had missed most of training camp with a knee issue, and it became clear after the game that minor surgery would be needed.

The club has placed Garrett on injured reserve, meaning he must miss at least four games. Head coach Sean McVay said there is no firm timeline yet, as everything depends on how the surgery goes, though he suggested Garrett could potentially be available again in around four weeks.

Defensive line boosted by Donald's return

The Rams' defence has also been strengthened by three-time defensive player of the year Aaron Donald, who has come out of retirement. However, the 35-year-old did not travel with the team to Australia, and McVay said a decision has not yet been made on whether he will play in next week's game against the New York Giants.

Garrett set an NFL single-season record with 23 sacks last season, but against the 49ers he failed to register a single tackle, only the fourth time that has happened in his career. After the game, Garrett said he needs to find a way to recover and return to the level of play he has shown he is capable of.