More On Browns-Rams Myles Garrett Trade

The Rams traded for Myles Garrett in a blockbuster deal with the Browns on Monday, but this was not the first time they attempted to acquire the All-Pro pass rusher.

Los Angeles’ pursuit of Garrett dates back to 2022, per Jordan Rodrigue and Zac Jackson of The Athletic, when they were looking to reload and chase back-to-back Super Bowls. The Browns were not interested in moving Garrett then, nor had he made any effort to leave Cleveland. The Rams considered trading for Garrett again the next year, but instead opted for a soft reset year as they developed their young talent.

The Rams re-engaged after the Browns adjusted Garrett’s contract earlier this offseason. General manager Andrew Berry insisted the alterations were unrelated to a potential trade, but he protested too much. Multiple teams submitted offers for Garrett, with the Rams emerging as the most persistent suitor, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Their package – first-, second-, and third-round picks plus 2024 first-round edge rusher Jared Verse – was too good to pass up. (The third-rounder, slated for the 2029 draft, is conditional, according to Howard Balzer of Cardswire).

“No regrets,” Berry said (via Jackson). “Why now? The opportunity was too great.” Unlike last year, he added, Garrett did not request a move out of Cleveland.

The opportunity Berry speaks of is twofold. First is getting a young, cost-controlled edge rusher whose advanced metrics outpace his traditional production, something that was likely especially appealing to the Browns’ analytically-minded front office. Verse cannot replace Garrett – no player can – but he will still ensure high-quality play off the edge that no one else on Cleveland’s roster could replicate.

Second, and more important for the Browns, is adding draft capital that will help them land their desired quarterback prospect in 2027. Cleveland has been stuck in a black hole at the position for years; their annual search for a starter is practically a running joke around the NFL. Garrett still has years of high-level play left in him, but at 30 years old, he is an imperfect fit for the Browns’ timeline, which is centered around strong draft classes in the last two years and finding a franchise QB next year.

Negotiations between the Rams and the Browns took off this spring with both teams growing confident in a deal by April’s draft. That was part of the calculus in Los Angeles’ surprising first-round selection of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. Solidifying the future of the position allowed them to sacrifice future draft picks that could have otherwise been spent on a different Matt Stafford successor. Locking down a cost-controlled QB on a rookie deal will also ease the financial strain of absorbing Garrett’s contract along with Trent McDuffie‘s extension and potential long-term deals with players like Puka Nacua, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske.