Myles Garrett Dealt to Rams!
Myles Garrett has been dealt to the Los Angeles Rams in an NFL blockbuster.
The greatest pass rusher of the 21st century will be packing his bags for Los Angeles, while one of the better young pass rushers in the NFL heads back to Cleveland.
Trade terms, via Adam Schefter:
To Cleveland:
Jared Verse
2027 1st round pick
2028 2nd round pick
2029 3rd round pick
To Los Angeles:
Myles Garrett
There are so many elements of this trade to break down.
How does it impact the Rams this year? How does this benefit Cleveland's rebuild? How does it impact the Rams' future? Why did the Browns not deal Garrett last year, before giving him a then record-breaking extension? And again, why did the Rams draft Ty Simpson?
Let's get into it!
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams just acquired a Hall of Fame player, arguably the best defensive end of all time, who will likely be on their team for the next half decade. Not bad.
Los Angeles was also the Super Bowl favorite since the day the 2025 season ended, and this move will only help their odds.
Part of the reason the Rams were already favorites was due to two additions in their secondary. Trading for All-Pro Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson to a $51m contract were already majorly impactful moves. But there was a reason the Rams had to make these moves.
Here are some 2025 stats regarding the Rams pass defense:
12th in yards allowed per pass play
10th in EPA allowed per pass play
9th in sack rate
5th in pressure rate
13th in time to pressure
And in their final 7 games, the Rams defense allowed an average of 289 passing yards per game. That would rank 32nd in the NFL by nearly 30 yards, and is an increase of 82 yards from the first 12 weeks of the season.
Point being, the pass defense was not good down the stretch.
All in all, it was good, not great, from the Rams defense in 2025.
Even before adding Garrett, the CB additions were considered team changing moves.
Myles Garrett makes this one of the most dangerous defenses in the NFL.
It also helps that the Rams had the best offense in the NFL in 2025, with the 2nd best point differential in the NFL.
Meaning, the Rams will be leading in lots of game. Meaning, their opponent will need to throw the ball to catch up. Meaning, Myles Garrett will get to rush the QB a lot more than he did on the Browns.
The Rams faced 636 dropbacks in 2025.
The Browns faced 540.
If Garrett plays the same percentage of snaps, and gets sacks at the same rate, he would have had 27 sacks for the Rams.
Insane.
Well, what about the Rams future?
Like I said, Garrett has 5 years left on this contract that he signed last offseason. And he is still only 30 years old. And considering the freak of nature he is, it's not a wild assumption to say he will still be playing at a Pro Bowl, if not All-Pro, level at age 34. And while giving up a homegrown 1st round pick who is cost-controlled for at least 3 seasons in Jared Verse is tough, it's a necessary, and more than fair, price to pay.
The real question for Los Angeles comes in with the draft capital and future contracts.
While I don't even think the Rams gave up enough for Garrett, giving up picks that far in the future could hurt them. Not just in terms of drafting and developing a young team, but in the sense that they have less capital for future trades.
When it comes to future contracts and the salary cap, here's what the Rams have going on(all info via overthecap.com):
Myles Garrett's largest cap hit doesn't come until the last year of his deal in 2030, at $49.9m. He also has a void year cap hit of $40.4m in 2031. But for the most part, this is a very reasonable and manageable contract to deal with.
$82m of scheduled cap space for 2027, with Garrett factored in.
$197m of scheduled cap space for 2028, with Garrett factored in.
Notable 2027 free agents:
WR Puka Nacua
EDGE Byron Young
WR Davante Adams
DT Kobie Turner
LG Steve Avila
C Coleman Shelton
RG Kevin Dotson
RT Warren McClendon
TE Colby Parkinson
TE Davis Allen
All of these guys played over 50% of snaps last season. One was an All-Pro, two others Pro Bowlers. And two others I consider Pro Bowl talents(Turner and Dotson).
All were full-time starters except the TEs.
So the cap space will shrink simply because the Rams need to fill out a roster.
But I would also expect all of these players, with the exception Adams, Shelton, and the TEs, to command a significant paycheck should they hit the open market.
L.A simply won't be able to pay everyone. They'll have to pick and choose.
This was going to be an issue eventually anyways, but has accelerated a bit considering they immediately absorb the Myles Garrett contract.
To me, this is the biggest problem.
The Rams aren't devoid of talent, and still won't be even when some of these starters leave in free agency. And they'll get compensatory picks to lessen the damage.
But losing young starters while trading away future draft capital is not the best way to set yourself up to support your future franchise QB.
And while there is still time for development, their last two draft classes (now without Verse) don't project to have many notable contributors.
And on the note of the Rams "future franchise QB," does this move explain why they drafted former Alabama QB Ty Simpson at 13th overall?
Here's the case for why it makes sense:
For one, once again, acquiring Myles Garrett is not a short-term move. He'll be in L.A while Simpson is making starts.
If Stafford gets hurt during this "win now" window, the Rams have a guy they believe can be a legit QB1 in the NFL and not Stetson Bennett or Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Rams now believe they have their QB of the future. They think that because they already acquired that piece, it allows them to give up future capital, because they don't need to use that capital to get their next QB.
Here's why it doesn't make much sense:
If you're going all in and giving up future picks, why not spend that 13th overall pick on a player that could help right now?
Even with Garrett likely being around for the next 5 years, I am not a fan of giving up valuable, team-building picks when you have a young QB. As highlighted, much the special 2023 draft class will depart before Simpson takes the reins, and their last couple draft classes don't project to have notable contributors.
Besides Garrett, where will those contributors to help Simpson come from?
While you have to take all these things into account, and when taking the entire Simpson situation into account things start to get a bit more messy, the Rams just traded for a future Hall of Famer who had 23 sacks last year.
And it only cost them one 1st round pick.
And yes, while Jared Verse looked like a home run pick, he's being replaced by Myles Garrett. I promise the Rams will get over it.
Los Angeles will be projected as the Super Bowl champions all offseason, for good reason.
Cleveland Browns
Finally, onto the team that gave away the future Hall of Famer.
My first question is, why now?
Garrett requested a trade last February. Instead of heeding to Garrett's ask, they gave him a record breaking extension that included $123m guaranteed. Of course Garrett wasn't going to say no to that.
But what changed from last offseason to now that makes Cleveland more willing to trade Garrett?
If anything, I thought the odds of this decreased.
The Browns 2025 draft class was really solid and they had an elite defense last year.
4th in EPA allowed per play
3rd in pass yards allowed per play
5th in EPA allowed per pass play
10th in rush yards allowed per play
5th in EPA allowed per rush play
6th in pressure rate
2nd in sack rate
Cleveland got closer to getting out of the gutter of NFL franchises, largely thanks to Garrett and that defense.
With a solid offseason this year, it really seemed like QB was the last piece needed before the Browns were ready to compete for a playoff spot.
Now, after sending arguably the best player in the NFL away, they have taken a step back.
While I don't entirely disagree with the move, I'm confused by the process. After all, I was a proponent of trading him last offseason.
But you've paid Garrett, improved the team around him for two offseasons in a row, and had a top 5 defense. Why?
Now, if you told me the trade package was something absurd, I would be more on board, regardless of process.
But Jared Verse, a 1st rounder, and two Day 2 picks?
It's not a bad return, but when you are trading away your best player who just had the best season of all time, I'd expect something heavier.
Based on this package, I assume the Browns believe Verse is a truly elite defensive end who can carry their defense and pass rush.
While I like Verse, and he's shown a lot in his first two seasons, he's soon to be 26 years old and you'll have to pay him big money soon.
Let's play a (very) hypothetical game of "would you rather?"
Would you rather:
pay the greatest pass rusher of this century $40m a year for the next five years(ages 30-34)?
OR....
pay a borderline Pro Bowler $40m a year from ages 29-33? (the cap will go up by this point)
Because this is the scenario I am envisioning for the Browns.
Will those draft picks really be worth it?
Not only are you giving up one of the best players in the NFL who elevates your defense into a Top 5 unit, but you are sending away the best player in your franchise's history.
I don't know about this.
But regardless of what I think, it happened. So let's take a look at where Cleveland's rebuild stands as of June 1st, 2026.
To start, they still don't have a QB. That's the big question that the Browns have never had an answer to. But besides that.
Here's the young talent that they will be relying on to be "building blocks":
DT Mason Graham (2025 1st rounder)
LB Carson Schwesinger (2025 2nd rounder)
DE Alex Wright (2022 3rd rounder)
DE Jared Verse (2024 1st rounder)
S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (2026 2nd rounder)
RB Quinshon Judkins (2025 2nd rounder)
TE Harold Fannin Jr (2025 3rd rounder)
LT Spencer Fano (2026 1st rounder)
WR K.C Concepcion (2026 1st rounder)
WR Denzel Boston (2026 2nd rounder)
Not a bad group of guys.
There are 4 rookies here though, out of the 10 listed. And Quinshon Judkins is coming off a gruesome leg injury. And I love Alex Wright, but he's kind of capped out as a really good rotational DE.
Now, you can add a pair of 2027 1st rounders to this young core, one being apart of the Garrett deal.
And I think it's safe to say that, without Garrett, the Browns will likely be a worse team, giving them better draft positioning.
Cleveland has improved the surrounding for their future franchise QB, resetting their offensive line this offseason and drafting two WRs quite highly. TBD on whether it works out, but an effort was made.
And defensively, the plan is clearly for Verse to simply replace Garrett. While it's unrealistic for Verse to be a direct replacement, if instead of elevating the Browns defense to a Top 5 unit, can Verse and Co. keep them in the top 10?
I believe this is Cleveland plan.
Still maintain a solid defense while getting off a massive contract in the short-term and adding draft capital.
This may seem obvious, but it seems the Browns are heavily relying on their offensive upgrades this offseason to hit. Otherwise they have only moved backwards.
So this trade obviously benefits the Browns rebuild, and is a sign of them truly embracing it. In fact, it really pushes back their rebuild, as they prioritize the future draft picks over a generational talent who elevates their team.
I do wonder if we see a Denzel Ward trade soon, as the 29 year old former All-Pro is one of two veterans left on this defense(Maliek Collins).
Here are my grades for this trade:
Los Angeles Rams: A-
Who cares about the future when you have created a scenario in which you acquired a future Hall of Famer and are the Super Bowl favorites?!
Cleveland Brown: C+
If I am right about their plan, I think that is quite the lofty goal and expectation from their draft class. One good draft class shouldn't give you the confidence for the next four.
Let me know what you think of the trade! Who won, was the package too much or not enough, and is the Browns plan going to work?
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