The Cleveland Browns did not get a massive haul of draft picks for Myles Garrett, but they did land a young pass-rusher with star potential.
Jared Verse is heading to Cleveland as the centerpiece of the blockbuster move that sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. After the deal, Verse posted a brief message to his Instagram story for his former team and fan base.
“Thank you for everything LA,” Verse wrote.
Verse arrived in Los Angeles as the No. 19 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and quickly became one of the league’s top young edge defenders. He won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year after his first season, making an immediate impact as a disruptive force off the edge.
Still, the Browns’ return for a potential Hall of Famer will draw scrutiny. Cleveland is landing Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick. For a player of Garrett’s caliber — especially one still playing at an elite level — it is not the type of haul that quiets criticism.
Jared Verse Gives Browns Young Building Block
The Browns’ defense was one of the few things that kept them competitive last season, even as the team stumbled to a 5-12 finish. Cleveland’s offense repeatedly put the unit in difficult spots, but the defense still finished among the best in the league.
However, Jim Schwartz, the architect of the group, is no longer running the defense, and Garrett, the centerpiece of everything Cleveland did up front, is gone. Garrett is coming off a record-setting season and remains one of the most valuable non-QBs in football. He set the NFL single-season sack record with 23 sacks last season, adding another historic chapter to a Browns career that already had him tracking toward Canton.
That will obviously be hard to replace. But Verse gives the Browns a younger, cheaper and ascending option on the edge. He gives Cleveland a legitimate building block for a pass-rush group that also includes Alex Wright, Julian Okwara and Isaiah McGuire.
Verse has two years and a team-option left on his rookie deal.
Browns Can Move Forward Without Myles Garrett Drama
Garrett’s future had hung over the franchise for months. His contract restructure made a potential post-June 1 trade easier to manage from a salary-cap standpoint, while his absence from voluntary workouts and lack of an established relationship with new head coach Todd Monken only drew more attention to the situation.
Garrett now gets what he wanted — a chance to play for a contender. That was the driving force behind his trade demand last offseason. The Rams are positioned to remain firmly in the Super Bowl conversation after coming up short in the NFC Championship last season.
For the Browns, the move does not make them better today. It also will not be easy for a fan base that watched Garrett become one of the best players in franchise history. But it does give Cleveland a clean break.
The Browns can now head into mandatory minicamp from June 9-11 without the same cloud hanging over the building.
Jared Verse Sends 5-Word Message After Browns Trade