Los Angeles Rams trade for Myles Garrett; Franchise goes all-in
By Andy Davies
The Los Angeles Rams shocked the NFL world yesterday, trading for Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
In the biggest blockbuster trade of the offseason, the Rams gave the Browns a 2027 first rounder, 2028 second-round selection, 2029 third rounder and defensive end Jared Verse.
This came as a shock to many, despite murmurings that this may happen just hours before the trade went down.
Whilst the Browns get a good capital in return, including Verse returning to his native Ohio, the Rams bring in arguably the league’s best defensive player.
With 125.5 career sacks and 412 total tackles, as well as 23 forced fumbled, Garrett has more than worth the number one overall selection back in 2017.
He joins the Rams as a two-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner, including the most recent 2025 NFL season and will be the nearest thing they have had to Aaron Donald since he retired following their Super Bowl clinching 2021 campaign.
The Rams are once again going all-in.
"F*** them picks"
This was the slogan printed on the t-shirt of Rams General Manager Les Sneed during their Super Bowl LVI trophy parade following their victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Their approach has been no secret. Since 2016, they have only ever used a first-round pick on three players, in Jared Goff, Verse and Ty Simpson this year. In fact, there was an eight-year gap between Goff and Verse where they did not use a first round pick at all.
The Rams traded first rounders to the Falcons in 2019 and 2025, used their 2017 first rounder to pick Goff first overall a year prior and the likes of quarterback Matthew Stafford, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Trent McDuffie were all traded for through first round picks. Garrett is now the latest player to join this list.
“I’ll be honest with you, nothing but gratitude for these guys. Nothing but respect for the [Seattle] Seahawks. I’m pretty numb. I think the finality of all of it when you don’t allow yourself to even think about anything other than advancing. I felt like we were going to be the team on that podium and we weren’t, and you give Seattle the credit. But I love this group and I’m never really short on words and I am right now. It’s tough. But this is sports and you’ve got to be able to deal with it.”
These were the words of Rams head coach Sean McVay following their NFC Championship loss to the Seattle Seahawks back in January. Just as he did when he was determined to move on from Goff, McVay seems a man on a mission. They went out and address their biggest area of need, trading for cornerback McDuffie and signing fellow corner Jaylen Watson in free agency.
McVay was visibly distraught by the Rams’ loss to Seattle, and he and Snead seem hell bent on making sure they do not suffer the same fate in the 2026 season.
A repeat of Super Bowl LVI?
The “F*** them picks strategy has worked, as they secured their second Super Bowl in franchise history. They even found a way to stay competitive since, their five-win 2022 season being the exception.
With smart picks in the later rounds such as Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, Snead was able to smartly pick players that will be assets to the team.
The organisation has kept with the no first round pick strategy, so could we see a repeat of Super Bowl LVI in Super Bowl LXI?
History is on their side in 2026. Just like it was when they won the Super Bowl LVI, this season’s grand finale will also be hosted at their own SoFI Stadium.
Before the Garrett trade, the Rams already had one of the best teams in the NFL and were the bookies’ favourites to win the Super Bowl.
With the aforementioned offensive duo of Williams and Nacua, an offense led by reigning MVP Stafford, with the excellence of head coach McVay and a tremendous defensive line, there is no reason to doubt a return to the Super Bowl for this Rams team.
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
ANDY IS A SPORTS JOURNALISM GRADUATE WITH OVER SIX YEARS EXPERIENCE OF NFL WRITING AND PODCASTING. ANDY HAS BEEN TO EVERY NFL STADIUM AND IS THE HOST OF THE ACROSS THE POD PODCAST. HE HAS PRESS PASS EXPERIENCE AT THE LONDON GAMES AND MANY OTHER NFL BASED EVENTS SUCH AS SUPER BOWL LIX AND LX, HAVING INTERVIEWED THE LIKES OF AARON RODGERS, JUSTIN JEFFERSON, JASON BELL, OSI UMENYIORA, PATRICK MAHOMES, TRAVIS KELCE, DERRICK HENRY, SAQUON BARKLEY AND JALEN HURTS