The Los Angeles Rams acquired star edge rusher Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for linebacker Jared Verse and three draft picks. The trade represents one of the most significant defensive player acquisitions in recent NFL history.
Garrett, 30, is a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. Since the Browns selected him with the first overall pick in 2017, he has established himself as one of the league's premier defensive players. He holds the record for most sacks (125.5), pressures (413), and tackles for loss (149) among all players since his draft year. In 2025, he set a single-season sacks record with 23.
Garrett had requested a trade from the Browns in 2024 after the team finished with a 3-14 record. He stated he wanted to play for a team with a realistic championship opportunity. Despite his trade request, he signed a four-year extension worth $160 million in 2024, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league at that time. The deal included $122.8 million in guaranteed money and an average annual salary of $40 million.
The Browns finished the 2025 season with a 5-12 record and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year, though Garrett earned All-Pro recognition as the team's lone standout performer. Head coach Kevin Stefanski was fired in January and replaced by Todd Monken, the former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator.
General manager Andrew Berry made the deal possible after the Browns and Garrett agreed to modify his contract in March, deferring option payments over the 2026-2028 seasons. This restructuring allowed both sides to move forward with the trade.
"As discussions intensified we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: do we hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organization over the long run?" Berry said following the trade announcement.
The Browns received Verse, a 2027 first-round selection, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round selection. Verse, 25, was a first-round pick by the Rams in 2024 and earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He was selected to the Pro Bowl this past season with 12 career sacks and 22 tackles for loss.
The Rams, who lost to the eventual champion Seattle Seahawks in last season's NFC championship game, have a history of making significant trades. In 2021, they acquired Matthew Stafford from Detroit and won the Super Bowl in his first season. Garrett's arrival brings together the reigning NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year as teammates for the first time, as Stafford won his first MVP award last season.