Rams, Browns Garett Trade a Win-Win Deal
On June 1, the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns agreed to a blockbuster trade, with the Browns sending NFL Defensive Player of the Year DE Myles Garrett to the Rams for two-time Pro Bowl OLB Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, and additional draft compensation. ESPN first reported the news.
Hot takes are abundant about this trade on social media, with many feeling that the Browns sold low on Garrett, while the Rams become the Super Bowl favorites with the addition of the All-Pro EDGE rusher. It's in this writer's opinion that this trade is a win-win deal for both teams, and one that will benefit both of them for now and into the future.
Blockbuster Deal Makes Rams the Super Bowl Favorites
There is no question that the Rams received the best player in the deal in the form of Garrett, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M.
Garrett has starred for the Browns for nine years since then, being the linchpin of the team's defense. The 30-year-old native of Arlington, Texas, is a five-time first-team All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowler, and he was just named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year after breaking the NFL single-season sack record with 23, his second time winning that honor.
In 134 career games played, Garrett has racked up an eye-popping 125.5 sacks, proving that he is the best defensive player in football for nearly the past decade.
But with the Browns having zero playoff success during his time there, he became disinterested in the team, and you can't blame him. The Browns are basically the laughingstock of the NFL, and although Garrett did his part on defense, the team around him let him down, as did the Browns' front office, which never built a winner around him.
After missing OTAs for the Browns this spring, speculation began that he would be dealt, and that's exactly what happened when the Rams traded for him.
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With Garrett now on the Rams, the team is the odds-on betting favorite to win the Super Bowl according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Rams recently gave MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford a one-year contract extension, so they are going all-in for the next two seasons before Stafford likely retires from the NFL.
With Garrett now anchoring the Rams' defense, and with Stafford captaining the team's offense, the Rams are the clear favorite to win the Super Bowl.
Browns Did Well to Trade Disgruntled Garrett
Taking a look at this trade from the Browns' perspective, it's completely understandable why Cleveland fans are sad today to see Garrett dealt away after nine incredible seasons with the team. He was simply amazing for Cleveland, and anytime you trade a true superstar like Garrett, it's tough on the fanbase.
But Garrett did not want to be back in Cleveland, and you can't blame him after how bad this franchise has been for so many years. He wanted out, and the Browns finally dealt him when they traded him to Los Angeles.
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In return for Garrett, the Browns get Verse, the 19th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida State. Verse won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2024, making the Pro Bowl in his first season in Los Angeles, and he followed it up with a second Pro Bowl appearance this past season.
In two NFL seasons, Verse has played 33 games and has racked up 12 sacks. That obviously pales in comparison to what Garrett can do, but it's still a solid total for an outside linebacker. He is only 25 years old and is a Dayton, Ohio, native, so he will be heading back home after this trade. Given how young he is, he still has room to grow.
In addition to Verse, the Browns will also get the Rams' first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. That pick will likely be a late first-rounder, but it's a first-rounder nonetheless. In addition, they are set to receive additional draft-pick compensation.
Anytime you give up the best player in a trade, like the Browns did here with Garrett, the immediate assumption is that you lose the trade. But the Browns did well to trade away a player who did not want to be in Cleveland any longer for a young Pro Bowler, a first-round pick, and extra compensation, making this a win-win trade for both teams.
Related: Myles Garrett Trade Chatter Ignites After OTA Absence
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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 12:08 PM.