The Los Angeles Rams saw everyone in the NFL getting better, felt the pressure of the Seattle Seahawks taking over the NFC West and said “nope.” Now the Rams have pulled off the most staggering trade of the year, acquiring Defensive Player of the Year EDGE Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns, in a move that immediately makes them the scariest team in the league.
The trade is now officially official. Here is the full deal between the two sides, as reported by insider Ian Rapoport.
- EDGE Jared Verse
- 2027 1st round pick
- 2028 2nd round pick
- 2029 3rd round pick
At this point the broad strokes of the deal are enough to make a determination on grading out the deal. It’s not only cataclysmic for the Rams, but the rest of the NFC — especially in light of the fact the Philadelphia Eagles were reportedly talking to the Browns about getting Garrett, but were blocked.
The Rams understand they have a very definite window before they retool, and it’s incumbent upon how long Matthew Stafford stays under center. Sure, they drafted QB Ty Simpson in April, but there will be growing pains when they shift who they have under center. This is as much of a “win-now” move on defense as acquiring Stafford was on offense, and it makes this team the favorite to win the Super Bowl.
There’s simply not enough words to convey Garrett’s impact on a football game, both on an individual level and as the ultimate force multiplier. Everyone will benefit from him being on the defense, and for a team that already corrected its biggest issue at corner by trading for Trent McDuffie — man, I just don’t know how anyone is going to attack this team consistently. No price is too high to get a ring, and Garrett provides that.
I love when a team has a plan, and it is clear the Rams want to win right now. They have been aggressive this offseason, acquiring the cornerback they needed in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to add Trent McDuffie. They were reportedly closer than we thought on a potential deal for A.J. Brown. And now? They are adding a Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett.
Truth be told, I think there is a case to be made that the Browns get the better end of the deal here, given where the two teams are in their respective contention windows. But when you add a player like Garrett via a trade, you at least put yourself on the honor roll.
The writing was on the wall for a departure as Garrett marks another Hall of Fame player who never got to contend in Cleveland because of the organizational structure around him. There were reports dating back to last year that the Browns could ship Garrett, and that their asking price would be around three first-round picks, and their return isn’t that far off — all things considered.
It goes without saying that Jared Verse is a step back, but it’s not like they were getting a throw-in JAG on this one. He’s a top-tier pass rusher, and back-to-back Pro Bowler, and turning back the clock on his age lengthens out the window for the Browns to develop into a contender.
It feels like Verse and a 1st is fair value for a 30-year-old pass rusher, even before you add in the 2028 second-rounder and 2029 third-rounder. This is masterful work at getting ahead of the curve where he would force his way out and get a fantastic return. I know it hurts for the fans, but this will make the team better overall for years to come.
There is a temptation here to grade this as an incomplete for the Browns, for a few reasons. One, we do not know the full compensation for Cleveland in this deal. As it was initially framed by Ian Rapoport Jared Verse, a first-round pick, “and more” are heading to the Browns as part of this blockbuster trade. Now that we know a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick are on the way, this is even more compensation for Cleveland than we first thought.
Then there is this angle: The quarterback position. It is hard not to view this as a way for Cleveland to have the inside track to the quarterback they want in the 2027 NFL Draft. After all, that position remains unsettled, and with the expectations that next year’s class is going to have multiple potential first-round picks, having a pair of first-rounders next spring could go a long way to settling that position. But who the Browns draft with those picks remains an open question.
However, if forced to put a grade on this now, I like this move for Cleveland. Yes, the Browns are giving up a Defensive Player of the Year in Garrett but the return, or at least what we know of it. But the Browns are acquiring Jared Verse in this deal, and while he is not the pass rusher that Garrett is, he is just 25 years old, is still on his rookie deal, and might fit with Cleveland’s timeline for contention better than Garrett does at this point in his career. So a cost-controlled pass rusher, a first-round pick to add as a QB hedge, along with two more picks?
That is a good return. A very good return.
