Myles Garrett Trade Fallout: Rams, Eagles, Carter, Browns, Verse, McCoy
The trade that sent longtime Browns defensive end Myles Garrett to the Super Bowl-hopeful Rams was a long time in the making — two months and four days, to be exact. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, that’s how long it took for negotiations between Rams general manager Les Snead and his Browns counterpart, Andrew Berry, to conclude.
This wasn’t the first time the Rams had sent an offer to Cleveland; it wasn’t even the second. Los Angeles went shopping for pass rushers around the trade deadline in 2022 and, among offers to several other teams, offered two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder for Garrett, though Berry has no interest in trading him at the time. Then, following this past season, Snead called the Browns in late March and upped the offer.
The offer purely comprising of draft capital was not going to be enough, as Cleveland made clear following the draft that Rams defensive end Jared Verse would have to be a part of any trade, but it demonstrated how serious Los Angeles was about getting a deal done.
Over the long course of these negotiations, Berry made sure to keep Garrett in the loop. Per Breer, Garrett wasn’t the only one hearing from Berry. The seventh-year GM reportedly reached out to three well-known personnel executives in other sports. St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti, and Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas were trusted for advice and expertise, especially given Bloom and Presti’s trade experience in their respective sports. The trio’s input led to the team’s insistence on getting a player — not just draft picks — in the return-side of the trade.
Before ultimately agreeing to the final terms, Jimmy Haslam and his family hosted Berry and Garrett for one last meeting to reminisce and make sure Garrett was good with how things were concluding. Garrett’s contract included a no-trade clause, so his go-ahead was a crucial part of the deal, and according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, it was a decision Garrett needed to “sleep on” before finally waiving the no-trade clause.
In the immediate fallout of the trade, some rumors emerged that the Eagles had been a team that expressed interest in trading for Garrett and that defensive tackle Jalen Carter was a potential trade target for Cleveland. Negating that notion, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported this week that Philadelphia “never made a play” for Garrett and that “there’s zero chance they would’ve wanted (Carter) in return.”
The player the Browns did want, Verse, also had some negative feelings about being traded, not towards his new team but in regard to leaving his home of the past two seasons. After the Rams drafted Verse at No. 19 overall in 2024, Verse rewarded them with two Pro Bowl campaigns to go along with his own Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
In his introductory news conference in Cleveland (via Andy Backstrom of Yahoo Sports), Verse told the media, “I loved LA. I loved the coaches, the organization, my teammates, everybody a part of it, the fans — I loved the whole vibe of LA, the Los Angeles Rams, and it was upsetting. I was upset for a good little bit of time.”
The last tidbit of information relayed by Breer pertains to a different trade the team performed in the offseason. Los Angeles traded its second first-round pick in this past year’s draft, the 29th overall pick, to Kansas City in a package of picks that landed them Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie in return. Per Breer, the Rams had interest in Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy at the end of the first round, but when his draft stock plummeted for medical reasons, the team pivoted and made the move for McDuffie. McDuffie and Garrett now stand as two gigantic additions to a team looking to make the most of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s last few good years.
Myles Garrett Fallout: Schwartz, Eagles, Quotes
Following this afternoon’s stunning Myles Garrett trade, we’re learning new details about what ultimately led to the Browns deal with the Rams. Unlike last year, Garrett did not request a trade, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi.
[RELATED: Browns Trade Myles Garrett To Rams]
However, the reporter notes that “an air of uncertainty lingered over the relationship” between the player and the Browns, and Garrett remained open to “new scenery.” The player continued to make it clear that his commitment to the organization was contingent on them being competitive.
That obviously didn’t come to fruition in 2025, as the Browns finished with only five victories. However, Garrett did have a prolific season that saw him break the NFL sack record. The pass rusher also earned his second Defensive Player of the Year award, with both of his accolades coming while playing in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s system. So, it’s not a surprise that the Browns’ decision to pass over Schwartz for their head coaching gig “didn’t help matters” when it came to Garrett sticking in Cleveland, per Oyefusi.
We heard earlier that the Rams were persistent in their pursuit of the defender, but the Browns did make their star edge rusher available to other potential suitors. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that the list of landing spots ultimately proved to be limited since Cleveland was focused on acquiring a “young, ascending pass rusher” in exchange for Garrett. The team specifically had eyes on Jared Verse, so the Rams were seemingly in the driver seat throughout the unofficial sweepstakes.
One team that also expressed interest in acquiring Garrett was the Eagles, although NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ryan Fowler describes their pursuit as more “exploratory.” Fowler believes Philly would have had to surrender someone like Nolan Smith or Jalyx Hunt plus a combination of picks to pull off the blockbuster trade, and the Eagles front office determined that asking price was the “tipping point.” Jalen Carter was also mentioned as a potential trade target of the Browns, but Fowler says there was “zero potential” of that swap coming to fruition.
The Browns continually stated that they wanted Garrett to play his entire career in Cleveland, and their four-year, $160MM reinforced that point. Browns GM Andrew Berry provided some insight into what changed the front office’s mind about dealing their star player.
“We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career,” Berry said (via Bleacher Report’s James Palmer). “After rewriting the record books and representing our organization with excellence, we were sincere in that desire as we entered this offseason and did not envision a world where Myles was not a Cleveland Brown.
Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell Will Likely Be Ready For Training Camp
Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell underwent shoulder surgery in March with an original projection to “probably miss most of the offseason” from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Fangio has since confirmed that timeline, indicating that the second-year defender is progressing well in his recovery but is not ready for the field yet. He could get onto the field for the end of OTAs or mandatory minicamp, per 94WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks. Barring that, he should be ready to go by training camp.
Philadelphia traded up to select Campbell with the 31st overall pick in last year’s draft. The 22-year-old stepped into a starting role right away with Nakobe Dean starting the regular season on the physically unable to perform list. He returned to bench in October when his veteran teammate returned to the field and started the last two games of the regular season after another Dean injury.
Campbell is now positioned to take over the full-time No. 2 linebacker job with Dean now playing in Las Vegas. However, until he is on the field, recent Day 3 picks Jeremiah Trotter and Smael Mondon will be in line for more first-team reps next to Zack Baun.
In other Eagles shoulder-related news, Fangio also said this week that defensive tackle Jalen Carter was progressing well through the team’s offseason program after undergoing surgery on both of his shoulders last year.
“I think his shoulders are fine,” Fangio said (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio). “He’s had a good offseason of lifting. I think he started that earlier than normal for him and you can see the difference in that regard. I think he’s in a better spot now than he was.”
Philadelphia did not seem to have any concerns about Carter’s shoulders when he returned from surgery that sidelined him for most of December. He played 58 of the team’s 76 defensive snaps in Week 17, rested in Week 18 with other starters, and stayed on the field for 58 of the Eagles’ 60 snaps in their wild card loss to the 49ers. The team can still be cautious and manage Carter’s workload through the offseason, but at the moment, there is little reason to worry about his status.
2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
May 1 marked the deadline for teams to decide on fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth. Twenty-two options were exercised this year. Here is how each team with an option decision proceeded with 2023 first-round contracts:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): Exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): Exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM): Exercised
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM): Declined
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Tyree Wilson, Saints ($14.48MM): Declined
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM): Exercised
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM): Exercised
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM): Exercised
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM): Exercised
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM): Exercised
- LB Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM): Exercised
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM): Declined
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): Exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM): Declined
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): Exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM): Declined
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM): Exercised
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM): Exercised
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): Exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): Exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM): Declined
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): Exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM): Declined
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM): Declined
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM): Exercised
- LB Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM): Exercised
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($14.48MM): Declined
Eagles Exercise DT Jalen Carter’s Fifth-Year Option
Both the Eagles’ 2023 first-round picks will see their fifth-year options exercised. With Nolan Smith‘s 2027 salary now fully guaranteed, The Athletic’s Zach Berman reports Jalen Carter‘s will be as well.
Carter’s 2027 compensation will be more than double Smith’s expected option number, being a two-time Pro Bowler. Players chosen for two more more Pro Bowls on the original ballot match the franchise tag value at their positions. The defensive tackle tag came in at $27.13MM this year. Teams have until 3pm CT on Friday to exercise options on 2023 first-rounders.
Carter, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers are eligible for the top option tier at their respective positions among the 2023 draftees. Carter and Flowers’ prices lead the pack among ’23 first-rounders, surpassing even the numbers going to C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. Flowers’ $27.3MM number leads the way, as the wide receiver franchise tag checked in just north of the D-tackle number this year.
Although Carter came into the NFL with considerable baggage — which allowed the Eagles to land the impact defender at No. 9 overall — he has delivered, becoming one of the league’s top D-tackles. Carter earned Pro Bowl invites in 2024 and ’25, boosting his option price. He earned second-team All-Pro acclaim in 2024, as he helped the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX rout despite Fletcher Cox retiring the previous offseason. The Eagles have moved on from Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick and Jaelan Phillips; Carter, however, figures to be prioritized in the way Jordan Davis was when he signed a March extension.
The Eagles gave Davis a three-year, $78MM extension. Because Carter is a three technique responsible for backfield disruption, he may become the candidate to unseat Chris Jones atop the NFL’s D-tackle salary hierarchy. Jones has held that distinction since signing a five-year, $158.75MM Chiefs deal in March 2024. The Bengals gave Dexter Lawrence a one-year, $28MM extension to bridge the gap between Jones and the field. But Davis sits as the next-closest DT on a multiyear accord.
Carter’s asking price figures to be lofty, pointing to a future in which the Eagles have two players among the top-five DT earners. Jones signed his latest Chiefs contract when the cap stood at $255.4MM; it now resides at $301.2MM, providing Carter’s camp with more ammo. Even though Carter came into the league with baggage and was effectively suspended for a game — being ejected before the Cowboys’ first offensive play on opening night last year — for spitting on Dak Prescott, he has become a cornerstone player for the Eagles.
A January report suggested Davis and Carter were atop Howie Roseman‘s extension priority list. The Eagles have been known to act early on deals, as their O-line dealings and the 2024 DeVonta Smith extension (the first Round 1 wide receiver extended with two rookie-deal years left on a contract in the option era) illustrated. Acting this offseason with Carter would make sense, as the cap — based on recent growth — will likely be north of $320MM in 2027. Carter could also boost his case for a deal well beyond $30MM per year with an All-Pro-caliber season.
The Eagles traded up one spot for Carter in 2023, with the Bears sliding down to No. 10 and drafting All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright. Viewed as perhaps the 2023 class’ top talent, Carter fell due to character concerns. A handful of teams passed on Carter after he was hit with misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. These charges came in connection with the accident that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy on Jan. 15, 2023 (LeCroy and Willock were in a separate vehicle). Carter reached a plea deal in this case, avoiding jail time, but some teams removed him from their draft boards as a result of the accident.
Beyond the spitting incident, Carter has avoided controversy in the NFL. He finished with six sacks as a rookie and totaled 4.5 (to go with a career-high 12 tackles for loss) in 2024. ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric ranked Carter fourth in 2024 and 18th in 2025. He missed more time in 2025 because of procedures on both shoulders. The Eagles did not place Carter on IR, though, and he returned in Week 17. The 2025 absences are unlikely to impact a Carter extension push.
Eagles Have Inquired On Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard; Jalen Carter Drawing Trade Interest
One of this year’s biggest trade candidates has already been dealt, with the Raiders agreeing to send DE Maxx Crosby to the Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks. Another high-profile edge rusher, the Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard, is also said to be available via trade, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Eagles have inquired.
It is unclear if talks between Minnesota and Philadelphia are ongoing, though Fowler adds the Vikes have received a number of calls on Greenard. The price to acquire him will be substantially less than the haul Baltimore gave up to land Crosby, with Fowler reiterating his prior report that a Day 2 pick will likely get it done.
The complicating factor here is that Greenard is seeking a raise despite having two years remaining on his current deal and despite coming off a season in which he played in just 12 games due to injury and recorded three sacks. It would make plenty of sense for a team to give up a Day 2 selection to land a pass rusher who posted 24.5 sacks over the 2023-24 seasons, but it would be more surprising to see Greenard secure a new deal at this juncture.
Meanwhile, the Eagles continue to negotiate with Jaelan Phillips, whom they acquired from the Dolphins at the 2025 trade deadline. Philly elected against putting the $28MM franchise tag on Phillips but are nonetheless prepared to authorize a notable contract. Per Fowler, the Eagles are willing to go “well above” $20MM per year for Phillips, who played well during his brief Philadelphia stint.
In addition to Greenard, the Eagles view the Seahawks’ Boye Mafe as a contingency plan if they are unable to retain Phillips, according to Fowler (who adds the club was never really in on Crosby). As those situations continue to unfold, and as A.J. Brown trade rumors continue to swirl, Fowler says Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman is also fielding trade calls for someone other than Brown.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter is generating outside interest, as Fowler reports. We heard in January that Carter and fellow DT Jordan Davis were among Roseman’s top extension priorities, and the team just agreed to a lucrative extension for Davis. Our Ely Allen suggested that deal may cloud Carter’s future with the Eagles, especially since the 2023 first-rounder could be shooting for an historic pact.
Since he has accumulated three years of service time, Carter is now extension-eligible. The Eagles must make a decision on his fifth-year option by May 1, though it should be an easy call to exercise the option and lock in a $21.04 salary for 2027. To be clear, Fowler does not say whether Philadelphia is entertaining trade inquiries, and he does not mention which teams have reached out.
Micah Parsons: “I Was Really About To” Join Eagles
As the relationship between the Cowboys and Micah Parsons publicly unraveled last offseason, the Eagles reportedly put forth the best trade package for the star edge rusher. Dallas naturally did not want to deal Parsons to a division rival and ultimately shipped him to the Packers (that swap included a poison-pill provision to guard against the possibility of Green Bay sending Parsons to Philadelphia down the road).
Nonetheless, Parsons himself recently stated he very nearly became an Eagle. On a recent episode of his The Edge With Micah Parsons podcast, the five-time Pro Bowler covered a number of topics with Eagles WR A.J. Brown and Panthers QB Bryce Young, including the fact that he and Brown were almost teammates in 2025.
“To be honest with you, bro, it was very close,” Parsons said (via Geoff Mosher of Philly Voice). “Eagles – before [trade deadline acquisition] Jaelan Phillips, before all of them, it was me.”
Of course, any team that acquired Parsons was going to need to authorize a record-setting extension for him, and the Packers did just that with a four-year, $188MM deal. If he were to sign a new contract with the Eagles, though, Parsons wanted to play alongside Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The Cowboys were known to be targeting DT reinforcements in any Parsons swap – they landed Kenny Clark from Green Bay – and it sounds as if Dallas wanted Carter to be part of a would-be trade with the Eagles.
“I was really about to come [to Philadelphia], but there was one person that I had to play with that if he was gone I did not want to be there, and that was Jalen Carter,” Parsons added. “[The Cowboys] wanted a d-tackle and they wanted to trade me plus some picks. I’m coming to play next to JC. Sorry, Cowboys fans … It really almost happened.”
Prior reporting indicated the Eagles’ offer was comprised of two first-round picks, a third-rounder, a fifth-rounder, and other unspecified assets. Assuming Parsons’ remarks are accurate, Carter was either one of the “unspecified assets,” or Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was not entirely forthright when he said he did not make a counter to Philadelphia’s proposal.
Parsons turned in a stellar first season in Green Bay, compiling 12.5 sacks in just 14 games en route to a third First-Team All-Pro selection. Unfortunately, a Week 15 ACL tear ended his campaign prematurely and kept him sidelined for the Packers’ lone playoff contest. He hopes to return no later than Week 3 of the 2026 slate.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ defense was among the league’s worst in 2025, which undermined a strong effort from the Dallas offense. While Parsons’ presence will improve any front seven, the Eagles finished the 2025 regular season 13th in sacks and fifth in points allowed. It was their offense that proved to be more problematic.
Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis Among Eagles’ Extension Priorities
The Eagles are heading into the 2026 offseason with a number of extension candidates, and defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter could be at the top of general manager Howie Roseman‘s list, per Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena of The Athletic.
The Georgia products were drafted by the Eagles in the first round of back-to-back drafts – Davis in 2022 and Carter in 2023. Davis had a quiet rookie year before emerging as a starter in his second year. Pre-draft concerns about his conditioning seemed to be validated as the team carefully managed his snap count in 2024, but he played 61% of the team’s snaps in 2025. That corresponded with career-highs across the board, giving Philadelphia plenty of reason to pursue an extension.
The Eagles picked up Davis’ fifth-year option – worth $12.94MM – so an extension would clear up some 2026 cap space. The same is not true for Carter, who is set for a $6.94MM cap hit that could go up depending on the size of his signing bonus. The team also has to make a decision on his fifth year option, which is currently projected to be $21.04MM, per OverTheCap. Given the rapidly-escalating price of interior pass rushers, that would be a bargain for an additional year of Carter’s services,
Carter has already become one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the game, while Davis’ expanded production proves he is more than just a massive run-stopper in the middle of the defense. That should push the combined price of the duo over $50MM per year and potentially as high as $60MM.
The Eagles also have Nolan Smith‘s fifth-year option to consider. He would cost $15MM in 2027, a good price for an edge rusher. However, Roseman may not be as motivated to pursue a long-term deal with Smith as he failed to even match his 2024 breakout season in 2025.
Eagles’ Jalen Carter Expected To Return In Week 17; Latest On Lane Johnson
Having already clinched the NFC East, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles are getting healthier ahead of another potential title run. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter is expected to return in Week 17 in Buffalo, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The same goes for right tackle Lane Johnson, per Schefter. However, his status is murkier after he did not participate in practice on Thursday.
Carter fully practiced on Thursday, a sign he’s set to come back after a three-game absence. The third-year star did enough over his first 10 games this season to earn his second straight Pro Bowl nod, but shoulder problems have kept him out for all of December.
Carter received multiple shots in both shoulders earlier this month. His shoulders have bothered him since last spring, and the 6-foot-3, 314-pounder may not bounce back to 100% this season. It’s something he’s likely to address in the offseason, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
In the meantime, Philadelphia should benefit from Carter’s return. Even though he hasn’t played at full strength this year, Carter has totaled 32 tackles, 11 QB hits, six passes defensed and two sacks.
The Eagles’ defense, tied for third in points per game allowed, relied on Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo and Byron Young while Carter was on the shelf. Defensive end Brandon Graham has also seen action along the interior in recent weeks. With three sacks over the past two games, the 37-year-old Graham has turned back the clock.
Like Graham, the 35-year-old Johnson remains a valuable contributor despite his age. Johnson has started in all 10 appearances this season, but the six-time Pro Bowler and potential Hall of Famer hasn’t played since suffering a Lisfranc injury in his right foot in Week 11. Although Johnson has missed five games in a row, the Eagles opted against placing him on injured reserve.
In the event Lane Johnson’s absence drags into Sunday, Fred Johnson will continue filling in for him on the right side. The seventh-year man would make a career-high seventh start in that scenario.
Eagles DT Jalen Carter To Miss Time After Procedures On Both Shoulders
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter underwent procedures on both of his shoulders to address lingering injuries and will miss one week as a result, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It is important to note that Carter had a medical procedure, but not a surgery, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He is considered week-to-week, but is expected to return at some point this season.
After last week’s loss to the Bears, Carter revealed that he had been dealing with his shoulder issues since the spring. He played through it up to this point and has done so with an impressive 85% snap share, which is a lot for his position even without the injuries. The 2023 first-rounder has not been as dominant in the trenches with only two sacks and four tackles for loss in 12 games, a step back from last year’s production. He still has 36 pressures, 10th-most among defensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Carter, 24, opted to have the procedures now in order to get back to 100% before the playoffs. The Eagles are currently leading the NFC East and are expected to qualify for the postseason, but the conference race is much tighter. Five other teams have a record equal to or better than Philadelphia’s, with three teams one game back. Having Carter at full strength in the playoffs is more important than having him below 100% in the next five games.
The Eagles will hope Moro Ojomo and Jordan Davis can step up in terms of their performance in Carter’s absence, but both are already at a 60% snap share and will not be able to fill their teammate’s snaps. The team will instead ask Byron Young and Ty Robinson to take on a bigger role in the defense. Young, a Raiders third-rounder in 2023, has not produced much this season, while Robinson is a fourth-round rookie who has only played 35 snaps this year.
Philadelphia’s D-line will have to hold the line over the next few games until Carter returns. If he can come back with a vengeance at last year’s level of play, he could be a crucial difference-maker in the playoffs.