Browns To Trade Myles Garrett To Rams
Myles Garrett‘s time in Cleveland is coming to an end. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is being traded from the Browns to the Rams, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero and ESPN’s Adam Schefter report.
The full trade terms, per Schefter, consist of Garrett being traded for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a second-round selection in 2028 and a 2029 third-rounder. This swap is not official yet, as Browns GM Andrew Berry confirms (video link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). Once it is processed, though, it will no doubt go down as a seminal moment for both franchises.
Schefter reports Garrett has chosen to waive his no-trade clause to allow for this deal to take place. He will retain that clause upon arrival in Los Angeles. As Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports notes, today’s stunning swap represents the first time in history a reigning Defensive Play of the Year has been dealt.
Garrett has been the subject of trade speculation since he requested to be dealt last spring. That request was rescinded when a then-record extension was worked out. The seven-time Pro Bowler seemed to be in position to remain with Cleveland for years to come, but questions continued to be raised after the 2025 campaign saw him add further to his long list of accolades without any accompanying team success. Indeed, whispers about a trade lingered through the 2026 offseason.
In March, the Browns restructured Garrett’s contract in a way which did not add any new money or years to the pact. Nevertheless, the payment dates for his option bonuses were pushed back to one week before the start of the regular season. That move extended the window of opportunity for a trade – something Cleveland has denied would be taking place on multiple occasions – to be worked out.
June 1 is always a key checkpoint on the NFL calendar, and it was recently labeled the time after which a Garrett trade could occur. Just like the case of A.J. Brown, a deal formally being worked out any time after 3:00pm this afternoon will greatly impact the salary cap implications of the deal. Proceeding with this trade in a post-June 1 fashion will generate $8.34MM in cap savings for Cleveland with a $41MM dead money charge being spread out (and accounting for $15.53MM in 2026). Garrett’s contract runs through 2030.
Per Rapoport (video link), the Rams engaged in trade talks with the Browns shortly after the contract adjustment was made. Their efforts continued through the draft, with Cleveland remaining steadfast in rejecting offers. Things changed when Los Angeles general manager Les Snead offered to include Verse in the deal, though. Negotiations on an adjusted package of picks have now resulted in an agreement. Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Rams informed Verse of the news earlier today.
Garrett has made clear his intention of playing on a contending team particularly toward the latter stages of his career. This blockbuster trade will help in that regard; the Rams fell just short of a Super Bowl appearance in 2025 and have made other win-now moves on defense since then. Garrett will join cornerback Trent McDuffie as a new face tasked with elevating Los Angeles’ defense while the teams seeks out another high-end campaign from quarterback Matthew Stafford and Co. on offense.
The Rams were a strong Brown suitor, but Breer notes their inability to acquire him helped set up this Garrett push. Another lucrative pact – one which averages $40MM per year – is now on the books, but Los Angeles will have a future Hall of Famer leading the way along a defensive front which was already among the league’s best. This acquisition will further deprive the Rams of draft capital (which was critical in establishing the post-Aaron Donald core on defense); then again, Snead’s stance when it comes to picks is rather well known.
Verse, whom Schefter notes was born in Dayton, Ohio, has enjoyed a strong start to his career. The 2024 first-rounder took home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors while thriving in a full-time starting role. Last season, the 25-year-old collected a second Pro Bowl nod in as many years while posting 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. His rookie contract runs through 2028, and Cleveland could keep him in place for a longer period via the fifth-year option.
Since Verse is five years younger than Garrett, he will align better with the roster reset Berry is overseeing. The 2025 class offered promising early results with respect to a new core emerging for Cleveland. The fate of the quarterback position beyond 2026 is unclear, but additional capital should help yield options on that front or at least provide upgrades at other spots.
In a series of remarks which have proved to provide noteworthy foreshadowing, new Browns head coach Todd Monken said earlier on Monday (video link via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan) he was not given any assurances upon being hired about Garrett remaining with the team. Instead of having the single-season sack record holder in the fold for his first year leading an NFL team, Monken will be tasked with integrating Verse and developing the group of younger players brought in via Cleveland’s haul of draft picks.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford Addresses Ty Simpson Pick
The Rams’ decision to select quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall in this year’s draft rather than pursue immediate help for a team with the reigning MVP under center and an open competitive window was one of the biggest surprises of the event. Post-draft reporting indicated head coach Sean McVay and GM Les Snead were in agreement on the pick, and Matthew Stafford has done his part to avoid fanning the flames of controversy.
In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (video link via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler), Stafford said he is “trying to share as much knowledge as I can” with his new protege.
“Listen, I was a big fan of Ty when he was playing at Alabama. … I sent him a text after he got drafted and said, ‘I really enjoyed watching you play, just you were in the wrong jersey,'” Stafford remarked, referring to the rivalry between his and Simpson’s alma maters. “He’s a talented kid, I’m going to do everything I can to get this team ready to play, to win, but at the same time share some of the knowledge that I’ve gained throughout my career because I wouldn’t be in the seat that I am right now … if I didn’t have people helping me out along the way too. So I’m happy to do that, but he has been a sponge, he’s looking to get better.”
When addressing the media after he inked a new deal that will tie him to the Rams through at least the 2027 season, Stafford echoed those sentiments.
“I think my job, first and foremost, is to get myself and our team ready to play as best I possibly can,” the 38-year-old said (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com). “[Simpson is] a part of that team, there’s no question about it. We’re in a unique position in the fact that we play the same position. I have a ton of experience, and he’s just now starting his journey as an NFL player. So, listen, I know he’s gonna watch, not only me, but other guys, you know?”
McVay did call Stafford before the draft to tell him the team may select Simpson, a courtesy the Falcons did not extend to Kirk Cousins before they chose Michael Penix Jr. in 2024. Stafford did not disclose the details of his conversation with his HC, but he did express gratitude for the heads up.
“I’m not gonna get into much of what our conversation was,” he said. “I appreciate him talking with me about those kind of things. We have constant dialogue and a great relationship, so I appreciate that. I understand where the team’s coming from. Listen, I’m not 25 years old, and I get that. So, we’re doing everything we can to be as good a football team as we can for now, for the future, for all of it.”
Speaking specifically about his contract extension, Stafford said he is pleased to have wrapped up the negotiations.
“Happy to have next year taken care of if I decide to play and they still want me back,” he said (via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry). “But just excited to get that behind me because I just want to come out here and play and not think about that kind of stuff.”
Rams G Steve Avila Hoping For Extension
The Rams took care of a crucial piece of offseason business when they inked MVP-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford to a contract extension last week. With that out of the way, Rams general manager Les Snead can turn his attention to other extension candidates as the summer approaches.
The Rams have a slew of prominent players entering contract years. The list includes (but is not limited to) wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams; outside linebacker Byron Young; defensive lineman Kobie Turner; guards Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson; and right tackle Warren McClendon Jr. Snead will prioritize some of those players before others. Nacua, Young and Turner appear to have the highest long-term earning power of the group. The 26-year-old Avila could also be among those to cash in on a lucrative deal, and he has made it clear he wants to stick with the organization.
“I feel like everybody that’s up for extension is hoping to get one,” Avila said (via Nate Atkins of The Athletic). “That’s definitely something I wish could happen. I try my best to stay the same every single year. I know for me, I’ve always improved every single year I’ve played football. I feel like I owe it all to the team to be the best version of myself.”
The Rams spent the 36th overall pick in the 2023 draft on Avila, a former TCU standout who primarily played center in his first couple of college seasons. He shifted to left guard in 2022, a 15-start campaign in which he earned consensus All-America honors. Avila carried his effectiveness into the NFL, where he started all 17 games as a rookie left guard and was the lone member of the Rams’ offense to play every snap (1,148 in total).
To this point, Avila’s first season has been the only full one of his career. After missing seven games with a sprained MCL in his second year, he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1 last season. The injury sidelined him for two games, though it may as well have been four. Avila was active in Weeks 4 and 5, but the Rams deployed Justin Dedich as their starter in those games. They permanently turned back to Avila the next week. He took just one penalty and yielded only one sack over 13 starts, according to Pro Football Focus, which rated his performance 10th among 79 qualified guards.
Back in February, head coach Sean McVay specifically named Avila as one of the “guys we have strong interest in continuing our journey with” (via Stu Jackson of the team’s website). That suggests an extension could come together with Avila, who is a legitimate starter with age on his side. The team also has a decision to make on Dotson as he enters the last season of a three-year, $48MM pact, but he will turn 31 in September 2027.
If the Rams are only going to pay one member of their guard tandem, Avila’s relative youth could tip the scale in his favor. The average annual value of Avila’s second contract should at least end up in the neighborhood of Dotson’s current deal. Dotson is one of four guards raking in between $14MM and $17MM per season on a multiyear arrangement. There are a dozen other guards making between $17.5MM and $24.5MM per annum. With the cap continuing to rise, perhaps Avila’s camp will push to join that group.
Rams Sign Second-Round TE Max Klare
The Rams have kept progress on the signing of their rookie draft class slow and steady so far. Today, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire, they signed just the third of five rookie draft picks in their class, inking Ohio State tight end Max Klare. Klare was one of many tight ends who benefitted from a huge elevation in draft stock due to a wild Day 2 run of tight ends; Klare was the fourth of eight to be selected in Rounds 2 and 3.
Klare started his collegiate experience committing to Purdue as a three-star recruit. After redshirting his true freshman year, Klare started making an impact as a redshirt freshman. His first year of extensive play time was abbreviated to only five games due to an ankle injury, but in those games, Klare recorded four starts and 22 receptions for 196 yards. In 2024, he started all 12 games for the Boilermakers, leading the team in catches (51), receiving yards (685), and receiving touchdowns (4).
Following the breakout campaign in West Lafayette, Klare opted to enter the transfer portal and committed to the Buckeyes. In Columbus, Klare became one half of Ohio State’s main tight end duo with Will Kacmarek, a blocking tight end who went nearly a round after Klare to the Dolphins. Though most of the Buckeyes’ passing attack was dominated by No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate and underclassman Jeremiah Smith, Klare finished third on the team in receptions (43) and receiving yards (448) while reeling in two touchdowns.
With seven drops and three fumbles in his final two seasons of collegiate play, ball security will be a big focus for Klare early, and he isn’t known for breaking a lot of tackles. Past that, though, there’s a lot of promise in Klare’s game. He’s got speed and athleticism, and he should be a quick study when it comes to blocking at the NFL level.
The Rams have a diverse group of returning tight ends on the roster in Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, and Davis Allen. Parkinson and Allen are entering contract years, so space could be clearing up soon, but Klare stands a chance at making an impact in the receiving game considering Higbee, Ferguson, and Allen all finished with 281 receiving yards or fewer last year. He’ll compete with Parkinson, who led the room in 2025 with 43 catches for 408 yards and eight touchdowns, and could be the future if Parkinson isn’t given a new contract.
Here’s how the rest of the Rams’ 2026 NFL Draft class is looking to date:
- Round 1, No. 13 (from Falcons): Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
- Round 2, No. 61: Max Klare (TE, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 93: Keagen Trost (T, Missouri) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 197 (from Falcons via Eagles): CJ Daniels (WR, Miami) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 232 (from Ravens): Tim Keenan III (DT, Alabama)
Rams’ Puka Nacua Resumes On-Field Work
The Rams were among the teams whose OTAs began this week. Puka Nacua has been present for offseason work since April, so to no surprise he has also been a participant in early on-field practices.
Nacua spoke to reporters on Thursday, marking his first public comments since being sued by a woman over allegations of making an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” and later biting her on the shoulder during a Dec. 31, 2025 incident. Nacua checked himself into a rehab center in March. He addressed the lawsuit simply by referring to it as an “ongoing legal battle” but also spoke about his recent time away from the team.
“I’ve been really grateful for the support from the organization, especially my teammates,” the 25-year-old said (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop). “Some of the things I feel like I’ve learned is it’s OK to ask for support and then to recognize the platform that I have and being a professional football player and trying to use that for the betterment of myself and for those around me. There’s been a lot of good things in the midst of some of these things that have been challenging for me, but it’s been a great improvement in my life.”
Nacua is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. The former fifth-round pick has emerged as one of the game’s top receivers during his time with the Rams, racking up nearly 4,200 yards and 19 touchdowns to date. Nacua’s 129 receptions and 107.2 yards per game from 2025 led the NFL, and he will be expected to remain a focal point on offense for Los Angeles during the coming campaign. Off-field concerns have played a role in preventing a big-ticket extension from being agreed to so far, however.
On that note, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirms (video link) this situation is being viewed as a reset of sorts for Nacua. A strong showing on the field, along with the absence of any further legal matters or other off-field issues, would create the circumstances for a blockbuster second contract. Davante Adams is a pending 2027 free agent, and electing not to retain him – or trade for another veteran wideout – would point further to a lucrative commitment in Nacua’s case. The top of the receiver market now stands at $42.15MM per year thanks to Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s extension.
A deal carrying a similar value is not forthcoming for Nacua as things stand. He said an extension is not a concern at this time, but it will be interesting to see if talks on a new deal pick up at some point in the future.
Vikings Complete Second Interviews With Five GM Candidates
MAY 28: Minnesota has completed its second round of GM interviews, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis tweets. Those wrapped Thursday afternoon. A decision should be expected by early June at the latest, Lewis adds.
MAY 20: The Vikings are making progress in their search for a general manager. The team has requested in-person, second-round interviews with interim GM Rob Brzezinski and four assistant GMs from other teams, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. The list includes Reed Burckhardt (Broncos), Terrance Gray (Bills), John McKay (Rams) and Nolan Teasley (Seahawks).
The Vikings have been without a full-time GM since they fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in late January, which occurred three weeks after the end of a disappointing 9-8 season. Brzezinski, who has been with the Vikings in various roles dating back to 1999, has since guided them through the heart of the offseason. As the Vikings’ executive vice president of football operations since 2014, Brzezinski is a serious candidate for a full-time promotion. Perhaps Brzezinski’s familiarity with Vikings ownership and head coach Kevin O’Connell will tip the scale in his favor.
With help from search firm TurnKeyZRG, the Vikings began looking for Adofo-Mensah’s replacement after last month’s draft. In addition to the names mentioned above, they requested initial interviews with Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew, Dolphins AGM Kyle Smith, Titans AGM Dave Ziegler, 49ers AGM R.J. Gillen and Chargers AGM Chad Alexander. After Alexander withdrew from the race on his own last week, it appears the Vikings have now crossed off Agnew, Smith, Ziegler and Gillen as possibilities.
As for the contenders still competing with Brzezinski, a couple have notable Vikings connections. Before becoming the Broncos’ director of player personnel in 2022, Burckhardt worked in various scouting and personnel roles with the Vikings for 13 years. Gray, who has been with the Bills since 2017, was a college scout for the Vikings from 2006-16.
While McKay and Teasley do not carry past Vikings experience, both are important members of two of the NFL’s best front offices. McKay, now in his 10th year with the Rams, has worked with the Super Bowl-winning tandem of GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay. He is also familiar with O’Connell, who was the Rams’ offensive coordinator from 2020-21. Teasley has served under Seahawks GM John Schneider, a two-time Super Bowl champion, since 2013.
Details On Matthew Stafford’s Extension
The Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford came to terms last week on a one-year, $55MM contract extension – a deal that could keep him under wraps through at least 2027. Further details on the pact have emerged, most of which are courtesy of Albert Breer of SI.com.
[RELATED: Fallout From Stafford’s Latest Extension]
The Rams previously restructured Stafford’s contract in May 2025. The reigning NFL MVP would have made $40MM in 2026 if not for his new extension, but Stafford is now guaranteed $45MM – a relatively small raise over the $44MM he pulled in last season. The 38-year-old will collect $40MM in base pay and a guaranteed $5MM roster bonus that will kick in early in 2027.
There is another $5MM on the table for Stafford in playoff incentives for the upcoming season. Specifically, Stafford would get $2.5MM with an NFC title game win and $2.5MM more with a Super Bowl LXI victory, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Along with winning those games, Stafford would have to play at least 70% of snaps to rake in the incentives.
As mentioned, the Rams will have the option of retaining Stafford for two more seasons. However, none of his $45MM million base pay for 2027 is guaranteed yet. Both that and a $5MM roster bonus for 2028 will trigger if Stafford is still on the Rams’ roster on the third day of the league year next March, Pelissero reports. If the Rams keep Stafford around in ’27, the same playoff incentives would also be available that season.
Stafford’s agreement also includes a whopping $100MM base salary for 2029, per Pelissero. That money is due to vest on the 10th day of the league year in 2028, but there is no chance it will happen. As Pelissero notes, tacking on a “dummy” year will give the Rams extra time to work something out with Stafford ahead of what would be his age-40 season in ’28. A lot can happen over the next couple of years, potentially including Stafford’s retirement, but it would come as a surprise if Ty Simpson is not the Rams’ starting signal-caller by then.
Looking for an heir apparent to Stafford at last month’s draft, the Super Bowl hopeful Rams turned heads when they resisted a win-now move at No. 13 overall and selected Simpson. After making just 15 starts in four seasons at Alabama, Simpson will begin his pro career sitting behind Stafford for at least one year. Whether that turns into two years will depend on how the Rams handle Stafford’s contract in March, though he may call it a career after the season. Stafford briefly mulled retirement last winter before announcing during his MVP speech that he would return for the 18th season of a potential Hall of Fame career.
Eagles Eyeing 2027 First-Rounder For WR A.J. Brown; Rams No Longer Suitors
A.J. Brown will remain a member of the Eagles through at least June 1. A trade after that upcoming date is still expected, although an agreement between Philadelphia and Brown’s long-presumed next team does not appear to be in place.
[RELATED: Chiefs Have Not Pursued Brown]
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms (video link) the Patriots are still considered the likeliest team to swing a trade in this case. Negotiations have taken place throughout the offseason on a swap which would see Brown reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel. To no surprise, though, the matter of the price in a trade is still unresolved.
The Patriots have not previously been willing to part with a first-round pick to acquire Brown. Rapoport notes Philadelphia continues to seek a Day 1 selection in the 2027 draft, one projected to be much stronger than the class from last month’s event. New England’s preference, meanwhile, remains a lower price to finalize the trade. It will be interesting to see the Patriots’ efforts to avoid outbidding themselves ultimately result in an agreement relatively soon.
The Rams have loomed as a strong Brown suitor at times this spring. Rapoport adds Los Angeles was the three-time Pro Bowler’s preferred destination, but he will not be heading there. Despite the fact previous talks between the Eagles and Rams went further than they did with the Patriots, Rapoport confirms Los Angeles is no longer in the running for Brown. Once the Rams elected to retain Davante Adams, the expectation emerged that he would spend a second season with the team as a complement to Puka Nacua.
Both Nacua and Adams are pending 2027 free agents as things stand. That led many to connect Los Angeles to wideout Makai Lemon ahead of the first round of the draft, but the Rams drafted quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall instead. The Rams’ decision on that front helped allow the Eagles to trade up to No. 20 and draft Lemon, their latest move to bring in a new receiver and help soften the impact of the long-anticipated Brown departure.
The Patriots currently have roughly $35.5MM in cap space. Absorbing the remainder of Brown’s contract – which runs through 2029 – should be feasible as a result. The possibility of trade talks picking up between Philadelphia and New England will make for an intriguing storyline with the window of opportunity for a swap opening soon.
Examining Fallout From Matthew Stafford’s Fourth NFL Extension
For a third straight offseason, the Rams have adjusted Matthew Stafford's contract. Unlike the past two years, the latest move represents a full-on extension rather than a rework. The 2024 and '25 changes provided some extra security for Stafford, but this one-year, $55MM pact will set him apart in NFL contract history.
The reigning NFL MVP is no longer in a contract year, and he has now become the rare player to sign four extensions (two with the Lions, two as a Ram). This was a long-expected conclusion, though the new timeline will create some questions. Once viewed as a player Los Angeles was open to trading -- after a concerning 2022 season -- Stafford boosted his leverage with strong mid-2020s showings. A year after the Rams balked at authorizing a $50MM-per-year contract, Stafford secured one -- albeit a deal structured differently than any other in this NFL salary bracket.
Several short- and long-term components are part of this negotiating endpoint, one that provides the first construction of the Rams' Ty Simpson onramp.
Stafford breaks new contractual ground
The NFL has now seen 14 $50MM-per-year contracts designed (15 if Patrick Mahomes' 2023 rework is included). Multiple facets separate Stafford from the pack. All but three of those contracts covered at least five years in length. Dak Prescott, armed with historic leverage, managed a four-year extension in 2024. That came two years after the Packers started the $50MM-per-year club with a three-year Aaron Rodgers extension. The Texans just gave Will Anderson Jr. a three-year, $150MM pact to make the edge rusher the first non-QB in this exclusive contingent. None of the previous $50MM-AAV players even scored a two-year deal.
Rams Considered Placing Matthew Stafford On IR To Open 2025 Season
Matthew Stafford now has a second Rams-designed contract, being extended on a one-year deal worth $55MM on Thursday. That agreement came after Stafford’s MVP 2025 season.
While the agreement helps the Rams with quarterback stability as they develop first-rounder Ty Simpson, Stafford has battled through injuries for most of his career. This included a bout with a back issue during training camp last year. Stafford experienced back soreness early in camp and was shut down until mid-August, not getting in a full workout until August 21. The Rams had continually said Stafford was on track for Week 1, and that turned out to be an accurate timeline. But Sean McVay revealed the team considered placing the veteran passer on IR to open the campaign.
“What people don’t realize is how close — he and I sat down — and I was like, ‘Hey, this isn’t responding the way we had hoped,'” McVay said of the injury during an appearance on the Bussin’ With the Boys podcast (h/t CBS Sports’ John Breech). “‘Let’s put you on temporary IR so we don’t put this, where we feel like this anxiety of having to hit a timeline to be ready to go.‘”
The Rams needed to determine Stafford’s status when they set their 53-man roster August 27. Los Angeles carried its fifth-year quarterback on the active roster and had him available in Week 1. Despite Jimmy Garoppolo spending most of training camp working with the team’s first-string offense, the veteran was not needed for meaningful regular-season snaps. The PFR pages did not have a Stafford update between his August 21 return to practice and the playoffs. In between, the former Lions mainstay claimed an MVP honor to strengthen his Hall of Fame case.
Had the Rams used IR to help Stafford return to full strength, they likely would have utilized one of their two August IR-return designations. Although eight regular-season activations are allowed, teams can use two of them in setting their 53-man roster each August. L.A., however, did not use either of those slots. Stafford started 17 games for the second time in his Rams career and finished with a 46:8 TD-INT ratio. Had Stafford began the season on IR, Drake Maye would likely have been named MVP. Stafford narrowly edged the second-year Patriots passer in the voting.
Upon winning MVP honors, Stafford confirmed he would return for an 18th NFL season. The 38-year-old QB is now signed through 2027, and while precise figures from this one-year, $55MM bump are not yet known, the Rams no longer have their top signal-caller in a contract year. That will help give Simpson a longer developmental period and ensure the Rams, who let Stafford shop himself in trades last year, have one of the game’s best QB options at the controls.