The Cleveland Browns traded defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a second-rounder in 2028 and a third-rounder in 2029, the teams announced Monday.
Why they made the move
The Browns had been kidding themselves that they could build a contender before the end of Garrett’s prime while balancing quarterback Deshaun Watson’s string of extraordinary cap hits. It sounds like there are some in the building who wondered why it took the Browns so long to move Garrett, who requested a trade in February 2025 before signing his four-year, $160 million extension in March 2025.
The Rams, as general manager Les Snead’s T-shirt once elegantly stated, do not fret the loss of future draft picks. But this time, they landed one of the only nine humans to ever win a pair of AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. Six of them are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald will soon join them. All that’s to say, Garrett already has a Hall of Fame resume, and he’s still only 30.
Garrett, who set the single-season sack record with 23 this past season, has averaged 14 sacks per season in his nine-year career. If he hits that mark again in 2026, he’ll jump from No. 20 on the all-time sacks list (where he stands with 125.5 sacks) into a tie for seventh with Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. Garrett would jump Kevin Greene (160 sacks) for third if he maintains a 14-sack pace through 2028. And to put a bow on this, Garrett would need 14 sacks per season through 2031 to take the crown from sack king Bruce Smith (200).
Rams grade: A+
Of course, the Rams didn’t swing big for Garrett for the purpose of giving him a Hollywood-style send-off into Canton. They’ve got far more immediate plans, as the NFC finalists are chasing the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in their own division. They already acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs for a package of picks that included a 2026 first-rounder.
They’re going for it, and they should. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who turned 38 in February, is contractually tied to the Rams through 2027. Fresh off his first MVP award and undoubtedly fueled to keep rookie Ty Simpson at arm’s length on the depth chart, Stafford should be a safe candidate to maintain championship-level play for a while longer.
The Rams were viewed as the best team in the NFL last season before the Seahawks solved them down the stretch. The Rams are close, and they’re unafraid to deal with confidence. It will be fascinating to see if the Rams will adjust their strategy with pick trades and keep this offseason as more of a one-off, simply to avoid the drainage of assets that stunted their progression after their Super Bowl victory in 2021.
Browns grade: A+
The Browns probably didn’t lose any value by holding onto Garrett a year or two too long. The Rams’ first-round pick will likely be later on the board, but they’ve added a strong asset if they need to move up the board for a QB in the 2027 draft. They won’t see the benefits of the next two picks for a while, but it’s not like this is an overnight rebuild.
Verse, a 2024 first-round pick, is already a star with the potential for more. The 25-year-old was the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and has made the Pro Bowl in both of his seasons. He has 12 sacks in two years.
The Browns needed to get younger and cheaper across the board to give themselves a chance to compete until the books are cleared of the Watson carnage. Garrett was a franchise pillar, so this will hurt. But they weren’t likely to contend anytime soon, so it made far too much sense to restock the cupboard and give Garrett an opportunity to elevate his profile with the potential for extended playoff runs.
