The Cleveland Browns ended up getting a nice haul for Myles Garrett via a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, but the franchise also considered a different package from another prominent NFC contender out east.
Beyond Los Angeles, Cleveland was involved in discussions with both the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Browns had their collective eye specifically trained on defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
“Multiple reports have indicated that the Browns wanted defensive tackle Jalen Carter from the Eagles, but that the Eagles weren’t interested in that,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote on Tuesday, June 2. “Via Jeff Kerr of SI.com, the Eagles offered Nolan Smith or Jalyx Hunt instead.”
Cleveland ultimately accepted an offer of defensive end Jared Verse, as well as one first-round pick, one second-rounder and one third-round selection from the Rams in return for the reigning unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.
Jared Verse, Jalen Carter Similarly Talented Players, Rising NFL Stars
GettyDefensive end Jared Verse of the Los Angeles Rams.
Verse and Carter are similar in several ways. They are both currently 25 years old, they were both first-round picks of highly competitive NFC contenders and they both play on the defensive line.
Carter is entering his fourth professional campaign in 2026, while Verse will play in his third. The Eagles will pay out the last $7 million on Carter’s $21.8 million rookie contract next year and have already exercised his fifth-year option in 2027 worth $27.1 million.
Meanwhile, Verse has two years left on his $15.1 million rookie contract. Cleveland will decide by May 1 of next year whether to exercise his fifth-year option, which the league will calculate after the conclusion of the upcoming season. Regardless of the number, the Browns are almost certain to pounce on that opportunity.
Carter, like Verse, is a two-time Pro Bowler. However, unlike Verse, Carter has a second-team All-Pro selection on his resumé. He also plays the defensive tackle position, where as Verse is an edge-rusher and will fill in directly for the now-departed Garrett.
Garrett was the top-ranked edge defender in the NFL last season on the strength of his record-breaking 23 sacks and league-leading 33 tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Focus. Meanwhile, Verse ranked 11th at the position out of 115 players who saw enough snaps to qualify.
Jalen Carter Has Battled Off-Field Issues, Injuries Over Past Few Years
GettyDefensive tackle Jalen Carter of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carter has had a few incidents off the field that make him a potential risk, which was true before the Eagles drafted him in 2023 and has proven so after as well.
Police charged Carter with street racing and reckless driving for his part in a two-vehicle incident in January of 2023. Two people — Chandler LeCroy and Devin Willock, a staffer and a player at Georgia, respectively — died in the crash while racing Carter in a separate vehicle.
Cater ultimately pleaded “no contest” to the charges, and a court sentenced him to one year of probation, 80 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine, according to The Sporting News.
The NFL also suspended Carter for one game and hit him with a fine north of $57,000 for spitting in the face of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ahead of the two teams’ season opener in early September of 2025.
Carter missed six games in total last year, including multiple contests to end the campaign due to medical procedures on both of his shoulders.
Verse and Carter are both excellent players in their own right, though Verse is a more natural replacement for Garrett and has battled fewer injuries and off-field issues than Carter since joining the league.
Browns Tried to Trade Myles Garrett for Controversial $49 Million All-Pro: Report