Myles Garrett Traded: The Browns Move Their Franchise Icon in a Blockbuster Deal With Rams

After going 1-15 in the 2016 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns invested the first overall pick in the following draft into Myles Garrett not just to be an infusion of talent to the team but to be the face of the biggest sports team the city has. Now, after nine years, he is being traded away to one of the most prominent markets in the country. 

The Browns announced Monday that they are sending the NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse, along with three draft choices, including a 2027 first-rounder.

Garrett, 30, is under contract until 2030, but Verse, a 2024 draft pick, is still under his rookie contract until 2027. The Browns would have the opportunity to pick up his 2028 option to keep him if the franchise doesn't extend the defensive player, per Spotrac.

According to ESPN, the Browns will likely save $30 million by trading Garrett. But the face of the franchise and one of the most talented defensive players to ever take the field leaves behind a record of 55-81-1 during his nine seasons, with only one playoff win. 

“We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career. After rewriting the record books and representing our organization with excellence, we were sincere in that desire as we entered this offseason and did not envision a world where Myles was not a Cleveland Brown," says Andrew Berry, the Browns' general manager. "When the Rams first approached us with the possibility of trading Myles, we remained convicted in our position, but as discussions intensified, we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: do we hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organization over the long run? In that framework, the decision became clear, although our emotions were muddled. We, and more importantly, our fans, have grown up with Myles, and he's an enormous source of pride for our team. However, as we embark on a new era of Browns football with a young core and a replenished asset base, we felt this move was important to our transition."

"Myles Garrett has been the best player on our team and one of the best defensive players in the history of the game, since we drafted him in 2017. His legacy is immense and we could never adequately articulate our appreciation for how he played the game and for being the best player he could be for the Cleveland Browns over the last nine years. He has left a deep imprint on our franchise, with our fans and with the Dawg Pound," said team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam in a news release.

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