Browns Clips
It’s official: Myles Garrett is headed to Los Angeles.
Just after 4 p.m. on Monday, the Browns and Rams both announced that Garrett has been traded to L.A.
In exchange for Garrett, Cleveland will receive edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick.
Browns General Manager Andrew Berry noted earlier on Monday that he would have more to say once the deal was complete. He issued a lengthy statement in Cleveland’s announcement of the deal.
“We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career,” Berry’s statement reads. “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.
“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.
“Chief among the considerations to make the decision was the inclusion of Jared Verse — a player our fan base will love. At 25 years old with two Pro Bowls and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award under his belt, we receive a young, elite player at a premium position who will only continue to improve in his third NFL season. Jared’s passion and relentless style of play will be embraced by our fans. He will fit right in with the established identity of our defense. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome him to the Dawg Pound!
“We recognize the unexpected nature of this trade, but it opens up great opportunities for our franchise. We are excited to welcome Jared into the organization, along with the cap flexibility and draft pick resources to deploy to the rest of the roster that will allow us to add to our budding core on both sides of the ball.”
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam also issued a statement on the deal to send Garrett to Los Angeles:
“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,” the Haslams’ statement reads. “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.
“Clearly, this was not an easy decision, particularly with Myles because we’ve watched him come into our organization and grow like a member of our family. Trading Myles was never our intent, but we also recognize that certain opportunities demand serious consideration, and we believe this is the right move for our team. Adding a young defensive star like Jared Verse, along with valuable draft assets, are necessary to strengthen a talented young core and align with the youth of our team. Our goal continues to be building a consistently winning franchise that our fans and this region deserve, and we believe this move creates the best path towards that.
“We met with Myles on Saturday and told him we are extremely grateful for all that he contributed to our team and to our community and that he will always be a Cleveland Brown. We look forward to welcoming him back at the appropriate time and wish him and his family only the best.”
Garrett departs the Browns as arguably the best defensive player in franchise history. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2017 draft, Garrett has a franchise record 125.5 sacks, setting the NFL’s single-season record with 23.0 in 2025.
A two-time AP defensive player of the year and five-time, AP first-team All-Pro, Garrett played 134 games for the Browns, registering 23 forced fumbles, 18 passes defensed, six fumble recoveries, 149 tackles for loss, and 239 QB hits.
Cleveland’s best defensive player is on the way out of Northeast Ohio after the Browns agreed to trade Myles Garrett to the Rams on Monday.
Is another elite defender going to depart the Browns, too?
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the answer is no. Cleveland is not planning a proverbial fire sale, as Fowler reports the Browns are a “hard no” on making cornerback Denzel Ward available via trade.
Ward, 29, was the No. 4 overall pick of the 2017 draft, the year after Cleveland selected Myles Garrett at No. 1 overall. He is a five-time Pro Bowler, having been selected in each of the last three seasons.
In his 110 games with 107 starts, Ward has registered 18 interceptions with 104 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries.
Cleveland may not have interest in trading Ward now. But after G.M. Andrew Berry said earlier this offseason that Garrett would be a “career Brown,” nothing is completely off the table when it comes to potential deals.
The Rams are back in “eff them picks” mode.
According to ESPNFL Network, the Rams will send three picks to the Browns for defensive end Myles Garrett, along with defensive end Jared Verse.
The picks consist of a 2027 first-rounder, a 2028 second-rounder, and a 2029 third-rounder.
Given that Verse was a 2024 first-round pick who panned out, that’s a massive haul for arguably the best defensive player in the NFL.
The Rams are obviously trying to close the small gap between themselves and the Seahawks at the top of the entire league, while the Browns will continue to build for a future that always seems to remain in the future. Given the young nucleus of talented players the Browns have been compiling, they could finally be moving in the right direction.
And here’s the key — by the time they get there, Garrett may have been beyond his prime years. And Verse, a two-time Pro Bowler and the 2024 NFL defensive rookie of the year, could be smack dab in the middle of his own.
The Browns are picking up some additional draft picks by trading Myles Garrett.
Could they use one of their future picks to select a quarterback in the supplemental draft?
If head coach Todd Monken has his way, Cleveland will stay far away from quarterback Brendan Sorsby if he declares.
Sorsby, whose representation is currently arguing to have his college football eligibility temporarily reinstated, could subsequently declare for the supplemental draft this summer if that request is denied.
Monken told reporters on Monday that he hasn’t been kept in the loop on how the Browns’ personnel staff, led by G.M. Andrew Berry, is evaluating Sorsby. But either way, he’s not interested.
“I mean, that’s not even come across my desk. I don’t think we’re in a position to want to go down that road. That’s my option, not Andrew’s,” Monken said, via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. “I like the quarterbacks that we have. I think that’s a slippery slope, when you go down that [path] — irrespective of talent — in terms of the situation he’s put himself in. We all know what that is. He put himself in that situation. And we’ve seen in other sports with players that have been banned for life from playing in professional sports.
“I think that’s a slippery slope to go down that road. Again, that’s a question for Andrew and for management. But from my end of it, kind of a tough angle to go down that road and think that’s going to be your franchise quarterback — if he’s ever eligible to even play in the NFL.”
As of now, there’s been no indication that the NFL would prevent Sorsby from playing at the pro level.
The Browns currently have Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel ostensibly competing to become their QB1 in 2026, with Watson appearing to be in the proverbial pole position at the start of June.
“I anticipate there still being competition,” Monken said. “That doesn’t mean that the reps will be equal. That’s the easiest way to put it. I think we’re in a good place right now with our quarterback room. All of the guys that are in there are working hard and I like the level of talent that we have in there. But the next six days will go a long way into how we go into fall camp.”
Is Myles Garrett really headed to the Rams?
At this point, everything indicates the answer to that question is a resounding yes.
But the trade is not complete quite yet.
Browns General Manager Andrew Berry spoke to assembled media at the organization’s charity golf event on Monday, just after reports of the deal surfaced on social media.
“Real quick, obviously we wanted today to be about the Browns foundation and everything that we’re doing, the good work we’re doing there. Not naive that there’s a lot in the social media sphere, media sphere regarding Myles. Nothing is final at this point,” Berry said, via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. “We are in discussions of a potential transaction including him. I’ll have a lot more to say about it once it is final — if it does become final. And I’ll discuss the details at that point. But we are in negotiations. We’re hopeful that we close something here in the next several hours. But nothing is final right yet.
“Like I said, I’ll have an update for you guys maybe as soon as tomorrow when there’s resolution.”
Berry did not answer a couple of follow-up questions to his statement, noting that was all he had to say on the matter right now.
The fact that reports surfaced on social media is an indication that the deal is, as a practical matter, going to be executed. But it will not be completely official until compensation is agreed to and Garrett passes his physical.
There’s no reason to believe Garrett would not pass a physical at this point.
At present, reporting indicates the Browns will trade Garrett to the Rams in exchange for edge rusher a 2027 first-round pick, edge rusher Jared Verse, and additional draft compensation.
Yes, the arrival of June 1 could mean a trade of veterans other than A.J. Brown.
Per multiple reports, the Browns are trading defensive end Myles Garrett to the Rams. Cleveland will receive defensive end Jared Verse, a first-round pick, and more.
The deal will happen after 4:00 p.m. ET on Monday, allowing the Browns to divide the cap charge over two league years.
Yes, the Browns had said they won’t be trading Garrett. But words are merely words. The most significant action taken this offseason was the agreement to delay a $29.2 million option bonus from March until September.
Earlier in the day, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer planted a flag regarding a potential trade: "[I]t now seems as though there might be some fire where the smoke is coming from in regards to the possibility of Garrett being moved.” She cited the Rams, Cowboys, and Eagles are teams “rumored to have interest” in Garrett, “but nothing has been substantiated.”
It now has been.
The transaction would likely include a new deal for Garrett. When he signed his latest contract in 2025, he set a new bar with a new-money average of $40 million annually. That has since shot to $50 million, thanks to the Will Anderson Jr. deal in Houston.
Either way, the 2025 defensive player of the year will get what he has always wanted — a chance to compete for a Super Bowl run.
With the calendar flipped to June, there is more smoke around the possibility that the Browns could trade NFL sack king Myles Garrett.
Head coach Todd Monken noted recently that he had not yet spoken with Garrett since being hired in January. Garrett customarily does not attend Cleveland’s offseason program, but after he and the team agreed to modified language in his contract that makes it easier for the club to trade him, there’s reason to speculate that more could be going on here.
Monken was asked about Garrett and whether or not he’s been guaranteed the defensive end would be on the roster in 2026.
“No, I wasn’t assured that when I took the job,” Monken said, via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. “I was never assured of anything when I took the job, other than once I signed my contract, whatever my contract said — that’s what I was assured. No matter what, any of us coaches sign up for is we show up every day and we coach the guys in the building like we’ve done since we’ve been here. That hasn’t changed.
“He’s not [unlike] any other player. I’m never told who’s going to be on the team, who’s not going to be on the team,” Monken added. “If that’s a question, I mean, every day we evaluate the roster — Andrew [Berry] evaluates the roster, management evaluates the roster. And, like I said, he’s no different than any other player we’ve got. So, I don’t know how to respond to that, because it’s really no different today than it’s been for the last however many months I’ve been the head coach.”
Garrett, 30, requested a trade during the 2025 offseason before electing to re-sign with the Browns on a lucrative new deal. He then proceeded to set the single-season sack record at 23.0, winning his second AP defensive player of the year award in the last three seasons.
Not only did Garrett lead the league in sacks, but he was also No. 1 with 33 tackles for loss.
We’ll see if the speculation turns into a reality with a Garrett trade over the coming days.
Shed no tears for Shedeur Sanders and his 2025 draft-day free fall.
The recent LM-2 filed by the NFL Players Association reveals that Sanders, through his SS2 Legendary LLC, received more than $17.7 million from the NFLPA from May 2025 through February 2026.
The number was first reported by Daniel Kaplan in an item for Front Office Sports. Per Kaplan, that figure shatters the prior one-year record of $9.5 million, held by Tom Brady.
PFT has confirmed the number, which appears in the union’s voluminous annual federal filing.
The document reflects thirteen different payments for “royalties/player marketing” to SS2 Legendary, totaling $17,712,015. The biggest payment was made on May 16, 2025, in the amount of $9,241,318. The second-largest payment — $2,086,563 — was made on January 23, 2026.
Most player royalty through the NFLPA come from group licensing deals, which compensate players for jersey sales, trading cards, video games, and other collectibles. As one source suggested, the $9.24 million payment to Sanders in May 2025 may have reflected his individual trading-card guarantee — something that likely would have been negotiated before he slipped from round one to round five in the 2025 draft.
Regardless, the $17.7 million Sanders made in royalties for one year dwarfs the total, four-year value of his rookie contract ($4.647 million). The payment also exceeds the full four-year contract signed by Packers receiver Matthew Golden ($17.575 million), the 23rd pick in round one last year.
Sanders could have a large payment in next year’s LM-2, too. In March, Sanders changed his number from 12 to 2; any jerseys that fueled his royalty payments for his first NFL season will need to be replaced.
At this point, a post-June 1 trade of Eagles receiver A.J. Brown should be expected. The changing of the calendar from May to June opens the door to other possible trades.
The benefit comes from the ability to spread the dead-money charge over multiple seasons. This makes it more attractive for high-profile players with big-money contracts to be moved to a new team after June 1.
The biggest name that potentially lands in the post-June 1 trade category (other than Brown) is Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. Last month, we reviewed the mixed signals emanating from Cleveland as to whether that could happen.
His recent contract restructuring delayed his annual option bonus until seven days before the start of the regular season. With the Browns not required to pay Garrett $29.2 million by March 15, that instantly became a factor pointing toward a potential move.
After June 1, a trade would actually create cap space for the Browns by sending Garrett’s 2026 option bonus and his 2026 salary to a new team, leaving behind only his 2026 bonus proration ($15.534 million) on the books this year. Any remaining cap charge would move to 2027, offset by the unloading of his 2027 cap number if he were still on the team.
So, yes, Garrett’s deal becomes tradable after June 1 — even though the Browns have insisted he won’t be traded.
Other veterans become easier to trade from a cap standpoint after June 1. The most obvious post-June 1 trade candidate is Saints running back Alvin Kamara, who has been supplanted by the arrival of Travis Etienne.
The Cardinals, who paid defensive end Josh Sweat a guaranteed option bonus of $7.22 million in March, could trade him after June 1 and push $16.515 million in cap charges into 2027. (They’re reportedly getting calls about Sweat, who has been absent from offseason workouts.)
A trade of Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby remains a possibility, but the passing of June 1 doesn’t impact the cap consequences. His current contract has no bonus proration beyond 2026.
However it goes, June 1 (which used to mark a fresh wave of free agency before teams could cut players with a post-June 1 designation) remains a key date as it relates to the trading of contracts with significant dead money still attached to them.
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward is not participating in voluntary Organized Team Activities, but he says he’ll be good to go when the mandatory work starts.
“I’ve just been training, working out,” Ward said, via the Akron Beacon Journal. “I got a girlfriend, I got to take her on some dates. I’ve just been working out, working my craft and getting prepared for when I get back in there. Yeah, that’s it.”
Ward says he’s in regular communication with his position coach and is learning new defensive coordinator Mike Rutengerg’s scheme.
“It’s been good because even though I haven’t been there, like I’ve been with [defensive backs coach Brandon] Lynch, he’s been calling me, we’ve been getting on calls and going over the playbook,” Ward said. “And so I’ve still been learning the playbook and the new plays that’s been going in. And so continue to do that. And then like I said, I’ve been watching the practices that they’ve been doing and how they run the plays and how guys are looking. So I’m still involved, just from afar. I’m looking at it from a different view this time.”
Ward says he’s also been watching practice film of his teammates and he’s not concerned with anyone getting the wrong idea about his absence from voluntary work.
“You don’t have to read into it,” Ward said. “It’s up to people if they want to read into it, but no, I’ve just been working my craft, working out and getting ready. I’ve still been checking them out though, so I’ve been in the iPad seeing what those new guys have been looking like. So I got something for them when I get there though.”
