The Cleveland Browns kept their Myles Garrett trade talks under wraps. The Los Angeles Rams had been trying to acquire Garrett for years, and with the chances of pulling off a deal growing by the day, they approached the 2026 NFL Draft accordingly.
Knowing that they probably wouldn't have first-round picks in the foreseeable future, they took a big chance by taking quarterback Ty Simpson early in the first round. That move, mocked at the time, is now a prime example of forward thinking by general manager Les Snead.
Conversely, the Browns may not have felt the same way. They had multiple opportunities to prepare for Garrett's departure by taking one of the many defensive ends that went early on in this class. Instead, they ignored that need.
The Browns passed on several highly regarded edge rushers in the draft before dealing its franchise cornerstone
To be fair, the Browns did the right thing with their first-round picks. Even if they knew that trading Garrett was a real possibility, they had greater needs for a wide receiver and an offensive tackle. There's no way for fans to complain about the Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion selections.
Things get a bit trickier in the second round. The Browns doubled down at wide receiver by taking Denzel Boston at No. 39. That move could be the steal of the draft, but the Browns could have gone in a different direction if they wanted to replace Garrett.
Right after they took Boston, the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals got their hands on R Mason Thomas and Cashius Howell, respectively. Derrick Moore and Gabe Jacas were also up for grabs later, though they both went before the Browns traded up for safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren late in the second round.
Knowing what we know now, the Browns could have used one of their Day 2 picks to bolster their pass-rush instead of waiting until after the draft to sign Logan Fano. That said, they also had reasons to stay put.
For starters, the Browns weren't 100 percent sure they would be moving on from Garrett, and taking a defensive end with a high draft pick might have tipped their hand. That would have only lowered his trade value.
Moreover, the Browns made it clear they wouldn't trade Garrett unless Jared Verse was part of the deal. Essentially, they wouldn't trade Garrett unless the package included a premium young pass rusher in return, thus eliminating the need to draft one.
At the end of the day, there's no way to tell how the Browns' rookies will fare once it's all said and done. But based on projections and team needs at the time, it's hard to blame Andrew Berry for the haul he pulled off in the 2026 draft.
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