Cleveland Browns trade Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in one of the NFL's largest defensive player deals

Summary

The Cleveland Browns traded defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams on 2 June 2026, receiving pass rusher Jared Verse and three draft picks in return: a first-round pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a third-round pick in 2029. Garrett, 30, had spent his entire nine-year Nfl career with Cleveland, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award twice. The Browns had repeatedly rejected inquiries about Garrett, whom they considered untouchable; the Rams were the only franchise that maintained contact through the refusals and were ultimately the team that persuaded them to deal. The Rams' decision to include Verse alongside multiple premium picks triggered final agreement.

The split

US sports media split between short-term and long-term framing. Los Angeles outlets and Rams coverage positioned Garrett alongside Verse as a potential generational edge-rushing tandem and the factor that makes the Rams the NFC's most dangerous team. Cleveland media debated whether the draft capital received was adequate compensation for the franchise's best defender and whether management had read the rebuilding timeline correctly. National analytics commentary noted Garrett's age-30 season creates a compressed window for the Rams to win before decline, while the Browns' three picks in the top two rounds position them for a 2028-29 contention cycle.

By the numbers

• 2, Myles Garrett's NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards (with Cleveland)
• 30, Garrett's age at time of trade
• 9 years, Garrett's tenure with the Browns (2017-2026)
• 2027 first-round, 2028 second-round, 2029 third-round picks received by Cleveland
• Jared Verse included in the Rams' trade package

Why it matters

Franchise-calibre defenders of Garrett's standing rarely change teams mid-career in the Nfl, making this trade a precedent for how teams quantify defensive star value. The Rams demonstrated a path: sustained pursuit over multiple offseasons plus inclusion of a young established talent tips a reluctant club toward agreeing. For the Browns, the trade signals a formal rebuild cycle. The deal is expected to recalibrate asking prices in future defensive player trade negotiations across the league.

What to watch

• Garrett's 2026-27 production with the Rams and whether they reach the NFC Championship
• How Cleveland uses Verse and the 2027 first-round pick in rebuilding
• Whether other Nfl clubs trade established defensive stars rather than letting them reach free agency
• Garrett's trajectory approaching his mid-30s on a multi-year Rams deal