Rams land Myles Garrett after rare trade swing

Los Angeles acquired Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns, sending Jared Verse to complete the blockbuster deal. Garrett, a reigning Defensive Player of the Year and the NFL’s single-season sack leader, joins a Rams roster built to chase another Super Bowl

Standing room only filled the room in Woodland Hills. where Myles Garrett arrived as the newest star on the Los Angeles Rams. He didn’t show up with a soft landing. He walked into a press conference flanked by general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay after Tuesday’s organization team activities—then watched the questions turn immediately to what it means for a franchise that already believes it’s close.

McVay was asked about the decision’s weight. and Snead answered the first time with one word: “Finality.” The trade that brought Garrett to Los Angeles had been weeks in the making. but the final move sharpened the stakes: the Rams have the reigning NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year on the same roster. reshaping the offseason in a way that’s hard to unwind.

To complete the blockbuster deal, the Rams sent young edge rusher Jared Verse to the Browns.

The timeline leading up to the trade started in March. when the Cleveland Browns modified the language of Garrett’s contract. The change pushed back bonuses Garrett was due, creating the opening the Rams needed to start pushing. Snead initially reached out to Browns general manager Andrew Berry, but was denied. He stayed persistent.

Eventually, the trade moved forward with Jared Verse included to sweeten the deal.

McVay didn’t dress it up as an easy goodbye. “That was the hardest part of this decision, parting with somebody that we love and care about. Wishing (Verse) the best in Cleveland,” he said Tuesday. Then he turned to what Verse had meant in Los Angeles: “He’s done an amazing job for us these last couple years. brought in energy. a production level and toughness.”.

Verse arrives in Cleveland with strong credentials of his own. The 25-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler and was the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Garrett, meanwhile, lands as the kind of player teams build plans around. He’s a generational defensive talent widely regarded by many as the best defensive player in football. The 30-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in 2017, and he’s a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year—the reigning recipient of the award.

His production last season has become the center of the conversation around this trade. Garrett recorded 23 sacks, setting the league’s single-season record. Over his career. he has compiled 125.5 sacks and 149 tackles for loss. and he has registered the most sacks in the NFL since 2017. He’s also a five-time first-team All-Pro.

“It’s a rare opportunity, and it is challenging. When you look at being able to acquire a player like this, these things don’t come up often,” McVay said. “He knows the respect and reverence I’ve had for his game. Just getting to know him over the course of his career and my coaching career. We feel like he can upgrade our football team. He’s going to make a great impact.”.

Garrett’s presence changes more than a depth chart. He joins a Rams roster that already has championship-level building blocks. including the defending NFL MVP. Matthew Stafford. along with the leader in receiving touchdowns. Davante Adams. and the top receptions-getter. Puka Nacua. from a season ago. On the defensive side, Los Angeles added cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason.

Garrett addressed the shift when he spoke about arriving at the facility. “Very excited to be here. It’s an honor and blessing to be in this building. I have a lot of respect for all the guys here, from the coaching staff, management and the players. I’ve got to see it firsthand. Very quality team, quality business,” he said. “I’m looking forward to helping bring a championship here to LA.”.

The Rams’ expectations come with a statistical kind of weight as well. Garrett’s acquisition means the team is now the first in NFL history to unite the reigning NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. via NFL Research. Garrett is also the first player since 1997 to win an NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and then change teams the very next season. per the Elias Sports Bureau.

That combination—big-name star power on both sides of the ball—has turned this trade into more than a bold move. It’s also a continuation of a long Rams tradition of producing dominant defensive linemen. From the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome” led by the late Hall of Famer Deacon Jones to three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. who has been generating buzz about an unlikely comeback at 35 years old.

Garrett said he understands what’s been expected here for generations. “Definitely recall watching film of the ‘Fearsome Foursome.’ I actually grew up watching that,” he said. “Definitely very aware.”

Even for a player known for intensity, the move carries a personal thread. Garrett’s father, Lawrence, is from Los Angeles. His girlfriend, Chloe Kim, is a two-time Olympic halfpipe champion.

“My dad’s from LA. That’s an obvious tie,” Garrett said. “Chloe, her being from here and us being in the same city is something that I love and appreciate. Everything else is really just looking forward to the future.”

Now, the near future—especially this season—looks set up for pressure from the outside as well. With Garrett aboard an already loaded roster, a championship is expected, and the Rams are being described as now prohibitive Super Bowl favorites.

The union itself took weeks, but for Garrett it has the feel of something overdue and immediate. The trade moved fast once the contract language shifted in March. and by Tuesday the focus had shifted again—away from the negotiation and toward what he can do when the games begin. For Los Angeles, this wasn’t just an offseason splash. It was a decision that brought a record-setting pass rusher to a defense with momentum. an offense already built to win. and a single. clear objective: bring a championship to LA.

Myles Garrett Los Angeles Rams Cleveland Browns Jared Verse NFL trade Sean McVay Les Snead Matthew Stafford Davante Adams Puka Nacua Trent McDuffie Jaylen Watson