The trade of the decade might have just happened as the Los Angeles Rams are acquiring superstar and future Hall of Fame edge rusher Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. In return, the Browns are getting star edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick. So, how did such a huge trade come to be?
How the Rams and Browns Pulled Off The Myles Garrett Trade
NFL Insider Albert Breer went into detail in a recent article about how this massive deal was made possible.
“They knew, of course, that generating that sort of rare opportunity would force them to do something uncomfortable, and that in this case was trading a young player they badly wanted to keep,” Breer wrote. “The Rams tried, right up until the end, to find a way not to include Verse in the deal.”
“As such, GM Andrew Berry and the Browns had three principles they’d stick to on a deal,” he added. “First, because Garrett isn’t a normal star, the normal two-first-round-picks framework of a star-centered deal (Khalil Mack, Ramsey, etc.) wasn’t going to work — the deal would have to serve the Browns both short term and long term.”
“Second, along those lines, a young star on a cost-controlled deal at a premium position would have to be included in the deal,” Breer continued. “And third, having that star in the deal would be on top of getting premium draft capital.”
“Getting a two-time Pro Bowler, Verse, who’s only 25 and has two years left on his rookie deal, plus an option for 2028, on top of top 100 picks in the next three drafts, with a first-rounder coming in 11 months, would satisfy all of that,” Breer concluded.
Last year, Verse earned a B grade and ranked 13th in the league, according to PFSN’s EDGE Impact Metric, which puts Verse above players like Danielle Hunter of the Houston Texans and Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos.
In Verse’s rookie year in 2024, he had 7.5 sacks. One of his best performances was on Thursday Night Football in Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings. In this game, Verse had 1.5 sacks as the Rams won 30 to 20. This game was huge for Los Angeles as it was only the Rams’ third win of the season. After this game, the Rams went 7-3, finishing 10-7 and making the playoffs.
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Verse has had a huge impact on the Rams, which is why it was tough for them to part ways with him. However, they now arguably have the best player in the NFL on their team.
Garrett is an amazing player, as he was not only PFSN’s top-ranked edge rusher and received an A grade according to PFSN’s EDGE Impact Metric, but he also broke the single-season sack record last year. He was in trade rumors last season, with the idea of him going to a contender such as the Philadelphia Eagles or Detroit Lions being floated. However, the Browns did not pull the trigger.
The Rams now have arguably the best roster in the NFL. As they have the MVP in Matthew Stafford, DPOY in Garrett, and one of the best receivers in the league with Puka Nacua.
Overall, though, it should not be lost that the Browns also received a great haul. Verse is an impactful player who can show up in big games, and the draft capital will help in their rebuild.
