Myles Garrett Traded to Rams: Browns Land Jared Verse, 2027 First-Round Pick in Blockbuster Deal

The Cleveland Browns are trading two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Pro Bowl edge Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, and additional draft picks, per NFL Network insiders.

The Cleveland Browns are finalizing a trade to send two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, per NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and a third reporter. Los Angeles is sending back Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, and additional draft compensation still being negotiated. The deal is one of the most significant defensive player trades in NFL history and immediately reshapes the NFC title race.

Myles Garrett Trade Details: What the Browns and Rams Are Sending in Each Direction

Cleveland receives Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, and additional picks still being finalized. Los Angeles gets Garrett, a 30-year-old two-time Defensive Player of the Year who is widely considered the best pass rusher in football.

The package puts the Browns in position to pursue a franchise quarterback in 2027 while giving them a young cornerstone edge rusher on a cost-controlled deal to anchor their defense through the transition.

Why the Browns Traded Myles Garrett After June 1 - The Cap Explanation

The timing was never accidental. By waiting until after June 1, the Browns save over $8 million against their 2026 salary cap. Had they traded Garrett on Monday, Cleveland would have absorbed a $17 million cap hit, pushing the deal past the point of financial feasibility for the current roster.

Earlier this year, the Browns restructured Garrett's contract, deferring a payment and extending their window to potentially trade him this summer. If the trade is completed after June 1, Cleveland carries $15.53 million in dead money on their 2026 cap, with the remaining $25.56 million pushed to 2027. Splitting the dead money over two seasons made the economics workable. The Browns had this date circled for months.

Garrett had not appeared at the facility for voluntary workouts or OTAs and had yet to meet new head coach Todd Monken or defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg in person, a clear signal that the relationship had run its course even after last year's extension.

Who Is Jared Verse? The Rams Edge Rusher Cleveland Is Getting Back

Verse is not a throw-in. The 25-year-old recorded a 15.7 percent pass rush win rate and accumulated 100 pressures according to PFF. He is considered one of the best power players at the position in the league. Only in the third year of his rookie contract, Verse arrives in Cleveland as a long-term foundational piece the Browns can extend and build around heading into their next competitive window.

The Rams have built defensive line depth with both Verse and Braden Fiske, making the cost of parting with Verse significant but survivable for a team operating in a championship window.

Myles Garrett's Stats and Legacy With the Cleveland Browns

Garrett leaves Cleveland as the greatest defensive player in Browns history. A first-team All-Pro in four of the past five seasons, Garrett posted 83 pressures, 14.5 sacks, 28 quarterback hits, and an 18.4 percent pressure rate last season alone. His 102.5 career sacks rank third all-time among players before age 30, behind only Reggie White and Jared Allen. He is the first player in NFL history with 14-plus sacks in four consecutive seasons.

Garrett first went public with a trade request in February 2025 before signing a four-year, $160 million extension with $123.5 million guaranteed to remain in Cleveland. That deal looked like a resolution. It was not. This offseason, Garrett did not formally request a trade, but insiders noted he still wanted out, and the Browns were taking calls.

Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan said Monday morning he believed there was only a 40 percent chance Garrett would still be in Cleveland when mandatory minicamp opens June 9. That question is now settled.

How the Myles Garrett Trade Changes the NFC in 2026

For Los Angeles, the addition of Garrett is transformative. The Rams are a win-now team built around reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, and adding Garrett elevates them from being among the NFC's contenders to the clear favorite, pairing him alongside existing defensive talent in what is unquestionably a championship window.

For Cleveland, the trade is a calculated reset. The Browns acquire a 25-year-old Pro Bowl edge rusher, a top-10 caliber draft pick, and the flexibility to build a new contender on their own timeline. It is a painful move. It is also defensible football.

What the Rams Get: Garrett's Numbers Make the Case

At 30, Garrett is not a rental. He is under contract and playing at the peak of his powers. No player in NFL history has recorded 14-plus sacks in four straight seasons. Garrett is the second player all-time with 12-plus sacks in five consecutive seasons, joining Lawrence Taylor. The Rams are not acquiring a declining veteran. They are acquiring a future Hall of Famer who has yet to play in a Super Bowl and is highly motivated to change that.

The Browns had the best defensive player in football for eight years and never built a team worthy of him. Now it is the Rams' turn to find out if they can.

IDP Fantasy Football Impact: Myles Garrett and Jared Verse Trade Grades

This trade is an IDP earthquake. Both players involved rank among the top dynasty assets at the edge defender position, and the change of scenery affects their fantasy value in ways that cut in opposite directions depending on your roster.

Myles Garrett, EDGE - Los Angeles Rams

Garrett is an IDP1 in every format, and this trade only improves his fantasy ceiling. He moves from a rebuilding Cleveland defense with a murky quarterback situation to one of the most complete rosters in the NFC. The Rams run an aggressive, pressure-heavy defensive scheme, and Garrett will be unleashed in a system built to win now. Expect his pass rush opportunities to increase playing alongside a front four with genuine depth, as opposing offensive coordinators can no longer gameplan exclusively to neutralize him with double teams and chip blocks. In dynasty, Garrett's value ticks up. In redraft, he is a first-round IDP selection. Buy if you can.

Jared Verse, EDGE - Cleveland Browns

Verse is the IDP winner of this trade. In Los Angeles, Verse was outstanding but operating as the second option in a pass rush rotation that included Garrett, Braden Fiske, and additional depth. In Cleveland, Verse steps into the role of unquestioned alpha, the every-down defensive centerpiece of a defense that will be rebuilt around him. Verse recorded 100 pressures and a 15.7 percent pass rush win rate last season, and those numbers were produced in a complementary role. As the featured edge on a Browns defense that will be generating pressure volume to stay competitive, his sack and tackle totals have legitimate upside.

In dynasty leagues, Verse is a must-add if he is available. At 25 years old on a cost-controlled contract, he profiles as a top-five IDP dynasty asset at the edge position for the next five-plus years. In redraft, he immediately slots as a high-end EDGE2 with EDGE1 upside depending on Cleveland's defensive coordinator usage and how quickly he settles into the featured role.

Secondary IDP Ripple Effects

The Browns' remaining defensive line depth, notably Za'Darius Smith and any veteran additions Cleveland pursues this summer, bears watching. With Verse as the clear starter, a complementary pass rusher next to him becomes a potential IDP sleeper if Cleveland adds talent in free agency or via trade. Monitor that situation as the Browns reshape their roster around their new defensive cornerstone.

On the Rams' side, Braden Fiske's value rises with Verse's departure. Fiske was already a strong run defender and rotational pass rusher. As a full-time starter opposite Garrett, Fiske becomes a legitimate IDP target in deeper formats and a must-own in dynasty leagues with large rosters.

The bottom line: Garrett owners hold or buy more. Verse owners in dynasty should be ecstatic. This is one of the cleanest IDP trade impacts of the offseason. Both players are better off in their new situations, and the fantasy floor for each is higher heading into 2026.