In one of the biggest trades of the 2026 NFL offseason, the Cleveland Browns are finalizing a deal to send two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, according to multiple reports from Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport, and Tom Pelissero.
In exchange, the Rams are sending Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, and additional draft compensation (reportedly including a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick) to Cleveland.
Related: Myles Garrett Trade Talk Heating Up: 3 Teams Interested
Why the Rams Are Going All-In
The Rams have made no secret of their Super Bowl ambitions — especially with Super Bowl LXI being hosted at SoFi Stadium next February. Adding Garrett, who set a new single-season sacks record with 23 in 2025, gives Los Angeles a terrifying defensive front to complement Matthew Stafford (if he returns healthy) and an already strong roster. For a team that has repeatedly shown willingness to mortgage future assets for present success, this is classic Rams behavior under Sean McVay and Les Snead.
Schefter reports that the Rams pushed hard for this deal and kept pushing. It wasn’t until Verse was included in the package that the Browns finally said it was the kind of deal they could live with.
Browns Grab Verse and Draft Capital
For the Browns, this trade is taking place now because they feel OK about giving up a potential MVP and are likely to split the cost of the move over two seasons. Sports Illustrated wrote that after June 1, the “Browns can split any dead money from a Garrett trade over two seasons instead of all at once. If the Browns trade Garrett, they would take on $15.5 million in 2026 and the remaining $25.6 million in 2027.”
Verse is a Dayton, Ohio, kid who will be excited to go home. They got a guy who is younger and a fresh new start; they felt like the Rams became the right trade partner.
Garrett has been the face of the franchise since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2017. Moving him clears roughly $30 million in cap space for 2026 and nets them a young, proven edge rusher in Verse plus valuable future draft capital.
Cleveland now has multiple first-round picks in 2027 (a loaded draft class) to help them select a potential franchise quarterback. However, the move is already drawing heavy criticism from Browns fans who feel the return is not enough for a player of Garrett’s caliber.
Next: Deshaun Watson Has Inside Track to Browns’ Starting Quarterback Job
