It was a blockbuster day for trades in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns finalizing a deal that will send five-time All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, according to reports by ESPN and NFL Network, and the New England Patriots acquiring star wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Cleveland Browns are sending star defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, according to ESPN and the NFL Network on Monday.
Garrett deal
The Rams are reportedly sending two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round draft pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to Cleveland in the deal.
It only adds more fuel to the fire of the Rams' pursuit of a home Super Bowl appearance next February at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The Browns are selling high on Garrett, 30, their No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft who broke the NFL's single-season sacks record last season with 23. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time Pro Bowler has 412 tackles, 149 tackles for loss and 125.5 sacks over nine seasons. That sack total is tied for 20th in official NFL history and third amongst active players behind Von Miller (138.5) and Cameron Jordan (132).
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Upon the trade being finalized, Garrett will be under the Rams' control through the 2030 season. He signed a four-year, $160 million extension last offseason with Cleveland. That deal included a no-trade clause which Garrett reportedly waived to make this deal happen.
Garrett had not participated in Cleveland's offseason program or had a single face-to-face interaction with new Browns coach Todd Monken, ESPN reported.
ESPN reported that discussions surrounding this deal ramped up after the conclusion of April's NFL Draft. While the Rams were initially offering only draft compensation, the Browns were reportedly adamant that the 25-year-old Verse, who has 12 sacks and 22 TFLs in two seasons since Los Angeles used a first-round pick on him in 2024, be included in the deal.
ESPN reports that the Philadelphia Eagles traded star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots on Monday.
Brown deal
The Patriots acquired Brown from Philadelphia for what the Eagles announced were a first-round draft pick in 2028 and a fifth-rounder in 2027.
While New England did not disclose trade terms, ESPN reported the 2027 pick will be the better of the Patriots' two fifth-round selections. The transaction is pending a physical.
New England was widely speculated as the destination for Brown, who played for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel when he coached the Tennessee Titans in 2019-22. Brown was traded to the Eagles in April 2022 for first- and third-round picks in the 2022 draft.
Brown, who turns 29 this month, is a three-time Pro Bowler who was selected second-team All-Pro with the Eagles in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
He averaged 72.5 catches and 1,041 receiving yards in the past two seasons, compared to 97.0 and 1,476 in his first two seasons with Philadelphia from 2022-23. Brown has the two highest single-season receiving yards totals in franchise history in 2022 (1,496) and 2023 (1,456).
Brown finished his four years in Philadelphia with 339 receptions for 5,034 yards and 32 touchdowns in 62 regular-season games (61 starts), and 28 catches for three TDs in eight playoff games (all starts) and a Super Bowl championship in the 2024 season.
While Brown's frustration with the Eagles' offense in recent seasons led to speculation of a trade for months, the incentive for Philadelphia was to delay any movement until Monday. The dead cap hit to the Eagles for trading him before June 1 was $43.45 million for 2026, and now can be split across the 2026 ($16.3 million) and 2027 ($27.1 million) seasons, NFL Network reported. His contract, now with New England, runs through the 2029 season and averages $32 million per season, ESPN reported.
