Cleveland Browns

Browns General Manager Andrew Berry said early in a Tuesday press conference that discussing a Myles Garrett trade was not something he had on his “bingo card” for the offseason, but that’s where he found himself after Monday’s bombshell move that sent Garrett to the Rams.

Berry said that Garrett’s absence from the team this offseason wasn’t a factor in making the trade now and noted that Garrett had not requested a trade. He said the Browns “weren’t auctioning him off” because there weren’t many places the team could find what they would want back in a deal for the reigning defensive player of the year.

Berry said that the team required premium draft assets and a young elite player back in any deal in order to preserve their short- and long-term goals. The Rams sent their 2027 first-round pick, edge rusher Jared Verse and two other picks to Cleveland in the deal and Berry pointed to the “incredibly important” inclusion of Verse as the thing that really got the ball rolling.

“In terms of the ‘why now,’ the opportunity was too great,” Berry said. “It wasn’t like a Plan A going into the offseason. Quite honestly, we would have operated differently if it was. Sometimes things come across your path that you’re not expecting. You can’t be so dogmatic in your strategy and planning that you can’t adjust and be flexible.”

Berry said he had “no regrets” about not making a deal when Garrett requested a trade after the 2024 season and said he feels all of the team’s goals are still on the table after making a deal that shook up the league.

The blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett from the Browns to the Rams on Monday has sent some shockwaves through the NFL.

But it’s apparently a transaction that was years in the making.

According to a new report from TheAthletic.com, the Rams first called the Browns to inquire about trading for Garrett back in 2022 — just after the club won Super Bowl LVI and was attempting to repeat.

Cleveland, however, was not interested in moving the generational pass rusher. The Rams 2022 season then went poorly, with the club finishing 5-12.

The same report notes L.A. had discussions about trading for Garrett again in 2023, before instead opting to build its roster through the draft.

The Browns adjusting Garrett’s contract a few months ago was the catalyst for the Rams to once again begin their pursuit of one of the game’s best edge rushers. This time, Los Angeles was able to get the deal done, changing the fabric of the club’s defense for years to come.

New Rams defensive end Myles Garrett may wish he’d gotten his $29.2 million option bonus when it was originally due.

As he prepares to move from Ohio to California, he’s looking at an increase in his top tax rate from 3.125 percent to 13.3 percent.

For his option bonus, which is now due to be paid by seven days before the start of the regular season, it’s a difference of more than 10 percent of the total amount. Which is more than $2.9 million that will otherwise be missing from his after-tax payment.

The tax obligation is more than enough to get Garrett to mobilize his agents, lawyers, and accountants to explore whether there’s a way to legitimately make it an Ohio payment, not a California payment. Stay in Ohio as long as possible. Get the Rams to make the payment before he loads up the truck and moves to Beverly. (Hills, that is.)

With Garrett already giving up $1 million this year by sacrificing his offseason workout bonus, it’s a way to make it back and then some — if he can legitimately figure out a way to earn the $29.2 million while he’s still living in Ohio.

And if the Rams will be reworking Garrett’s contract in order to bump up his new-money APY in order to close the gap between Garrett’s $40 million and Will Anderson’s $50 million, the sooner they do it, the better for Garrett. He needs to get the money while he’s still an Ohio resident in order to be able to make the argument that it’s not subject to California taxes.

Of course, California may not be willing to go along with any W-2 gamesmanship. For that kind of money, California will be as aggressive in trying to get 13.3 percent of the $29.2 million (or whatever his pre-relocation bonus payment may be) as Garrett should be in trying to avoid it.

Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco has been sacked by Myles Garrett and has been a teammate of Garrett in Cleveland, and Flacco knows it’s much better to be playing with Garrett than against him.

The news that Garrett is no longer a division rival after he was traded from the Browns to the Rams on Monday was met with approval by Flacco.

“Good for us,” Flacco said, via Bengals.com.

The Bengals’ two starting offensive tackles, Amarius Mims and Orlando Brown Jr., both saw the trade as good for the Rams and good for Garrett.

“I’m pretty sure anybody practicing today at the time we were practicing, no matter what it was, I assure you every team got a hold of that news,” Mims said. “It’s huge when you get a guy like Myles Garrett, a future Hall of Famer. It’s going to be a buzz. Congrats to those guys.”

Brown said it’s a good deal for Garrett to go to a contender, but that the Bengals can’t be concerned about what other teams are doing.

“It doesn’t matter. You still have to go win on Sundays. Congrats to Myles. That’s how I feel. We still have to go win,” Brown said.

With Garrett gone, the Bengals’ task of winning twice against the Browns this year gets a little easier.

The Browns drafted Myles Garrett with the first overall pick in 2017. He was a five time All-Pro, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and delivered an NFL sacks record.

He could not bring them a championship.

Garrett is leaving Cleveland with a little regret and a lot of appreciation.

He posted his goodbye on social media Monday after the trade that sent him to the Rams was announced.

“Nine years.

“It’s hard to put into words what that really means when so much of your life has been shaped in one place, around one team, and with one community behind you.

“From my very first play, you embraced me, and I wanted to help bring winning back to a city whose loyalty, resilience, and belief never wavered. What I didn’t fully understand then was how much this city would shape me.

“Cleveland made me tougher. You challenged me. You taught me about perseverance, about showing up even when things aren’t easy, and what loyalty really looks like. Through the highs, lows, setbacks, injuries, expectations, inclement weather, and difficult seasons, you all kept showing up. I never took that for granted.

“To the Dawg Pound: Thank you for embracing my family and [me] from Day 1. Thank you for every packed stadium, every moment of belief, every kid wearing my jersey, every message, every criticism, every expectation. I respected that then and I respect it now. I wish I could have done more for you.

“To the Haslam family, my teammates, coaches, training staff, front office, and everyone inside the building in Berea: Thank you. Football is the ultimate team sport, and I’ll always be grateful for the brothers I went to battle with and the people behind the scenes who pour themselves into this organization every single day.

“To Northeast Ohio: Thank you for allowing me to be part of this community beyond football. Through school visits, foundation work, events, and simply living life here, I saw firsthand the heart of this place. No matter where life or football takes me, this will always be a place I’m proud to call home.

“What I can say with complete honesty is this: I gave this city everything I had. I suited up and wore those colors with pride, and I don’t regret a second of being part of this storied franchise. Every Sunday. Every offseason. Every play. Every down. Every moment. You gave me more in return than I can ever repay.

“The best days for this franchise are ahead. Thank you for letting me grow here. Thank you for believing in me.

“Loving you is easy. Leaving you is the hard part.

“Thank you for nine unforgettable years.”

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 called Myles Garrett “a career Brown” in March. The Browns, according to ESPN, even told the Rams that when the Rams inquired about acquiring the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Never say never.

The Rams “hounded” the Browns until the Browns agreed, getting a 2027 first-rounder, a 2028 second-rounder, a 2029 third-rounder and defensive end Jared Verse in return.

The Rams, though, initially offered a package of picks, not wanting to part with Verse, according to ESPN. As talks heated up after the draft, the Browns insisted that a deal would not happen without the Rams including Verse as part of it.

Verse, the Rams’ 2024 first-round pick, has made 12 sacks and 22 tackles for loss in his two seasons.

The Rams finally relented as long as the draft picks were “adjusted appropriately,” per ESPN.

Now, the Rams have Garrett and the Browns have Verse, plus three draft picks.

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.”