When the Cleveland Browns made an adjustment to Myles Garrett’s contract this spring, pushing back the dates of his option bonuses, teams understandably checked in to see if he was available for a trade. One of those teams was the Los Angeles Rams, who first explored trading for the superstar pass rusher way back in 2022.
What separated the Rams from any other potential suitors was their persistence and aggression. According to ESPN, no other teams reached a serious level of interest in Garrett, leaving the Rams as the only legitimate option if the Browns were to trade him.
The Rams figured they would have competition for Garrett, but multiple Browns sources insist this trade was Rams-specific and no other suitors reached a serious threshold.
Les Snead reached out to Browns GM Andrew Berry consistently for months after that contract adjustment was made, never expecting Cleveland to move on from Garrett in a trade. But as conversations continued, the two sides moved closer to completing a deal.
The Rams were extremely reluctant to part ways with Jared Verse in any trade for Garrett, but the Browns refused to move on from Garrett without getting Verse in return. It wasn’t until the Rams budged and included Verse in their offer that the ball really got rolling.
Before that, though, the Rams offered more than a first-, second- and third-round pick for Garrett. The Browns “easily” viewed Verse as being worth a first-round pick-plus.
Around mid-May is when the Browns started to believe the Rams might be willing to part with Verse. But even late in the process, the Rams kept offering packages that did not include the Pro Bowler — as one source put it, the Rams “sweetened the pot” with a package featuring more draft capital than the first-, second- and third-rounders Cleveland eventually received.
This wasn’t a matter of the Rams bidding against themselves for a free agent. Though there were no other serious suitors for Garrett, they still had to offer a big package to pry the two-time Defensive Player of the Year from Cleveland’s grasp.
It’s hard to fault them for being so aggressive, too. They greatly improved their Super Bowl chances by acquiring Garrett, even at the high cost of three draft picks and Verse.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Report: Rams were the only serious suitor for Myles Garrett
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
