Myles Garrett Traded to Rams, Browns' Return Includes Jared Verse, NFL Draft Picks

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead has pulled off his biggest blockbuster yet.

The Rams acquired star Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for linebacker Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.

NFL insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Adam Schefter first reported the deal.

Rapoport reported the inclusion of Verse made a big difference toward getting the Browns on board with the swap. Meanwhile, Schefter noted Garrett waived his no-trade clause to make the deal happen and will maintain the no-trade clause with his new team.

Garrett is only a year removed from signing a record-setting $160 million extension, which came after he had requested a trade from the Browns. That the contract only bought a temporary reprieve isn't a total shock.

Cleveland went 5-12 in 2025 and its playoff drought could extend to three years when it's going to roll out Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders at quarterback.

Sooner or later, Garrett would grow tired of being stuck in a perpetual rebuild, or an offer would be too good for the Browns to turn down. This could be a combination of the two.

Especially with the benefit of hindsight, it's hard not to conclude trading the reigning Defensive Player of the Year became Cleveland's preference when it modified his contract.

As great as Garrett is individually, the Browns aren't in a position where they can reap the full benefits of his impact on the field. That things reached this point is an indictment of the front office, but a trade became the best value play.

On the other side, Snead is one of the NFL's foremost wheelers and dealers. He has never met a draft pick he wouldn't love to trade for proven talent.

Verse is a two-time Pro Bowler who registered 12 sacks since entering the league in 2024, but Garrett is a massive upgrade off the edge. He fills the void that existed in the two years after Aaron Donald's retirement.

Verse is also a prime example of how Snead has deftly balanced his short-term ambitions with a long-term approach. The Rams took Verse with the 19th overall pick, which isn't where you typically find players who make the kind of impact he has out of the gate.

Puka Nacua, Byron Young and Kyren Williams are some of the notable players L.A. got outside of the first round. Snead keeps giving up prized draft capital and winding up with good home-grown talent anyway.

The Rams already made a big splash to improve the defense when they added Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie to the secondary. By getting even more aggressive and targeting Garrett, anything short of a Super Bowl title within the next three to four years will be considered a disappointment.