Cleveland Browns fans are probably still processing the bombshell trade that sent all-world pass rusher Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. However, with the benefit of hindsight, there's reason to make peace with bidding farewell to arguably the greatest player in franchise history.
A seismic move of this magnitude understandably takes time to grasp. Garrett was the Browns' organizational centerpiece for nearly the past decade. In that vein, though, his departure shouldn't come across as too shocking; teams have been trying to acquire him for years, including the Rams.
Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Rams had previously reached out about Garrett, albeit to no avail. Cleveland held firm and hung onto the reigning and multiple-time Defensive Player of the Year, which ultimately paid dividends — in more ways than one.
Browns cash in on Rams' years-long pursuit of Myles Garrett in a massive way
Patience is a virtue, as the saying goes, and the Browns were rewarded for staying the course. First, they got a few more utterly dominant seasons out of Garrett. But secondly, and more notably, their return from the actualized megadeal with L.A. was much bigger than the previous proposal in 2022, as Breer highlighted.
"[The Rams] called the Panthers, and after going way down the road on a Christian McCaffrey trade, before the 49ers landed him, they offered two first-round picks for Brian Burns," Breer wrote. "They made a similar offer to the Raiders for Maxx Crosby. And they went further with the Browns — a package that topped what they'd traded for [Jalen] Ramsey (two firsts and a fourth) for Garrett."
In retrospect, rejecting the Rams the first time around couldn't have worked out much better. Garrett set the single-season sack record (23) in what will go down as his final campaign in Cleveland. He also gave the Browns a colossal parting gift, one that featured a rising young star pass rusher, Jared Verse, and premium draft capital.
Of course, turning down Los Angeles' initial inquiry didn't come without risk. Garrett could've aged poorly, whether it was regression or physical decline. Nevertheless, Cleveland managed to get the best of both worlds in what has the makings of a best-case scenario for all parties involved.
Verse and a replenished war chest of assets will help the Browns usher in the post-Garrett era. Conversely, the Rams established themselves as the clear betting favorite to win Super Bowl LXI, which is being held at their SoFi Stadium.
Entering his age-26 campaign, the Dayton, Ohio, native is an established commodity who's also still improving. He immediately replaces Garrett at a premium position on an incredibly friendly contract with club control through at least 2027 (and a 2028 fifth-year option).
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