Browns general manager explains why he changed his mind on trading Myles Garrett: ‘Opportunity was too great’

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The Cleveland Browns sent shockwaves throughout the National Football League this week when they traded reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett fresh off becoming the league’s single-season sack record holder.

Garrett was sent to the Los Angeles Rams for a large package that makes an already-stacked Rams squad even better, as the Browns now must adjust to life without Garrett for the first time since 2016.

Garrett requested a trade from the Browns last year, but the Browns wound up signing him to a four-year extension worth $160 million, seemingly keeping him in Cleveland through his 14th NFL season in 2030.

Myles Garrett celebrating on the field at Cleveland Browns Stadium

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However, the return of 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-rounder and a 2029 third-rounder was “too great” to pass up, said Browns General Manager Andrew Berry.

“Myles Garrett is a foundational player, Hall of Fame-worthy, and a homegrown talent who’s been here for a decade, and our intent was to have him be a one-helmet player for his career. That was the truth,” Berry told reporters on Tuesday.

Myles Garrett celebrating on the field during a game at Huntington Bank Field

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“But there are moments where opportunities come up that quite honestly are unexpected and they force you to stop and reevaluate and look at it and say, ‘Is this something that could be really beneficial to the team?’ And that was the case in this instance. The opportunity was too great.”Last season marked Garrett’s second in which he was tabbed the league’s Defensive Player of the Year after recording 23 sacks. Garrett has recorded double-digit sacks in each of his last eight seasons and at least 14.0 in five straight.

Meanwhile, the push is on for the Rams, who extended Matthew Stafford for another season weeks after taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the draft.

Cleveland just had two first-round picks in April’s NFL Draft in which they took tackle Spencer Fano and wide receiver K.C. Concepcion — they now have two for next year as well.