Why the Browns Finally Decided to Trade Myles Garrett Right Now

The Cleveland Browns executed a blockbuster trade, sending Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. Here's why general manager Andrew Berry decided to pull off the trade right now.

Jan 4, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) kneels on the field during a first half timeout against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Last offseason, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry refused to trade superstar defensive end Myles Garrett, claiming that the future Hall of Famer has a direct path from Cleveland to Canton.

That path will now have a pit stop in Los Angeles, as less than 18 months later, the Browns decided to trade Garrett to the Rams in a blockbuster surprise on Monday.

But why did the Browns decide to go back on this messaging from last year?

Why the Browns decided now is the time to trade Garrett

It’s clear that the Browns misjudged their timeline. Last season, they sold themselves on a quarterback competition between Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco, with Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders waiting in the wings as rookies. They brought back Garrett on the richest contract that a defensive player has ever seen to get him to drop his trade request and go into the 2025 campaign with a combination of veterans like David Njoku, Wyatt Teller, Denzel Ward and Joel Bitonio mixed in with their rookie draft class.

But after Pickett was traded before Week 1 and Flacco was moved after Week 5, it was clear that Cleveland’s youth movement was underway.

That’s up until Gabriel underwhelmed during his six starts. Cleveland’s veteran offensive line depreciated quickly, and the Browns found themselves without many answers at receiver, also. By the time Sanders was up for his seven-game sample size, Cleveland’s roster was decimated with injuries. 

Following the 2025 season, it was clear the team still didn’t have an answer at quarterback. Moving on from Garrett for Jared Verse, a 25-year-old pass rusher that fits Cleveland’s timeline, and three future draft picks is the way to springboard that quarterback search.

Garrett had an NFL-record 23 sacks last season on a Browns team that won five games. During the greatest season ever by a defensive end, it became abundantly clear that Garrett is Hall of Fame bound – but he doesn’t throw touchdown passes, and that’s what the Browns need.

In Berry's statement following the trade, he acknowledged being stuck at a crossroads about building around Garrett or planning for the future.

“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?"

A 2027 first round pick gives the Browns two first rounders in back-to-back drafts. In April, the Browns landed left tackle Spencer Fano at No. 9 overall and KC Concepcion at No. 24 overall. Next year’s quarterback class is expected to be much better than the 2024 and 2025 quarterback classes. 

Expect the Browns to be well-represented during high profile college football games, as they’ll take a deep dive into scouting Arch Manning at Texas, Oregon’s Dante Moore and plenty of other options that could be first-round picks in 2027. 

Talks have persisted since NFL Draft

League sources told the BIGPLAY Sports Network over the weekend that Garrett was informed of the decision to trade him to Los Angeles on Saturday.

But Rams general manager Les Snead consistently called Berry ahead of the NFL Draft, trying to orchestrate a trade for Garrett. That’s part of the reason why Rams head coach Sean McVay publicly rejected Berry’s proposal to allow five years worth of draft picks to be traded at the league meetings in Arizona. That’s how Berry famously knew that the Rams would be selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall. 

Once Los Angeles had their replacement plan for 38-year-old Matthew Stafford in place with Simpson, Snead continued calling the Browns, understanding that they have no need to be in the 2027 quarterback derby. 

The Rams weren’t the only team calling Berry’s phone. But Snead’s “F them picks” mentality that gave Berry three future draft picks and a premier player was enough for the Browns to move off of Garrett, whose four-year, $160 million extension hasn’t even kicked in yet.

The Browns really wanted Verse

Berry didn’t “just get one first-round pick” for Garrett.

The Rams drafted Verse with the No. 19 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and has been a Pro Bowler in his first two seasons in the NFL. 

Verse fits Cleveland’s young roster better than Garrett did. He gives the Browns back-to-back defensive rookies of the year winners, as linebacker Carson Schwesinger took home the award in 2025. The 25-year-old will be extension eligible next offseason. Schwesinger is eligible the offseason after that. 

In 2027, the Browns will be eating a pricey dead cap charge for Watson and Garrett. But with those players in the rearview mirror, they’ll confidently be able to hand out fresh cash to their new nucleus, as long as these players continue to develop under first-time head coach Todd Monken.

The Browns weren’t going to trade Garrett if they weren’t getting a premium, young pass rusher in return. That dwindled the team of possible trade suitors for Garrett, as teams like the Philadelphia Eagles couldn’t meet that demand.

Verse will be introduced to Cleveland on Wednesday at the team’s voluntary OTA session.