An earthquake shook the NFL on Monday: out of nowhere it leaked that Myles Garrett would be joining the Los Angeles Rams via trade after nine years with the Cleveland Browns. Both teams confirmed the move later in the day, with Andrew Berry, Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager of the Ohio franchise, then providing some background information.
To secure the services of the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the Rams sent two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse and a 2027 first-round draft pick to Cleveland. In addition, there is apparently a second-round pick for 2028 and a selection right for the third round in 2029. According to Berry, the inclusion of the 25-year-old in the deal was groundbreaking for the negotiations.
“The decisive factor in this decision was the inclusion of Jared Verse – a player that our fans will love,” explained the club boss: “With 25 years, two Pro Bowl appearances and an award as Defensive Rookie of the Year, we are getting a young elite player at a key position who will only continue to improve in his third NFL season.”
NFL: Browns have “great opportunities”
The 39-year-old added that the Garrett trade opens up “great opportunities” for the team: “It was not an easy decision, especially in the case of Myles, as we have seen him join us and grow as a member of our family. Our goal continues to be to build a franchise that consistently wins – as our fans and this region deserve – and we believe this move paves the best way to get there.”
The pass rusher was informed on Saturday that he was about to be traded to California. At first, the Browns didn’t want to let their superstar go. “We have long maintained our goal of Myles Garrett being a one-helmet player throughout his career,” Berry said.
Internally, they “couldn’t imagine a world in which Myles wasn’t a Cleveland Brown,” he added. But then the opinion changed: “We recognized that certain opportunities needed to be seriously considered and we believe this is the right move for our team.”
Garrett set a new league record with 23 sacks last season and was consequently voted Defensive Player of the Year. He had already won the award in 2023 when he led the NFL with 33 tackles for loss. The edge rusher was taken to the NFL by the Cleveland Browns as the number 1 pick in 2017. Since then, the superstar has been one of the best defenders in the league.
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