Myles Garrett should be able to fix another flaw in the Rams' defense

Myles Garrett is expected to help the Los Angeles Rams address a run-defense weakness as the team enters 2026 after a strong 2025 season overall. According to Nutshell Sports, the Rams limited only 15.3% of opponent carries for zero o menos yardas in 2025, the third-worst rate in the league on 417 attempts, behind only the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite that, Los Angeles ranked No. 1 in ESPN Analytics’ run stop win rate metric at 34%, highlighting a gap between winning early plays and allowing manageable gains. The Rams acquired Garrett in June from the Cleveland Browns, sending Jared Verse and three future draft picks in a major defensive trade. Pro Football Focus credited Garrett with run-defense grades of 83.7, 78.4 and 82.5 over the past three seasons, while Verse fell to 62.0 in his second year and missed 21 run tackles over two seasons. In 2024, Los Angeles allowed 130 rushing yards per game, then improved after signing nose tackle Poona Ford. The Rams’ personnel, with Ford inside and Garrett on the edge, aims to shut down runs before the back gets started.