Dee and Jimmy Haslam: Trading Myles Garrett wasn’t our intent, but this is the right move for us

It’s official: Myles Garrett is headed to Los Angeles.

Just after 4 p.m. on Monday, the Browns and Rams both announced that Garrett has been traded to L.A.

In exchange for Garrett, Cleveland will receive edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick.

Browns General Manager Andrew Berry noted earlier on Monday that he would have more to say once the deal was complete. He issued a lengthy statement in Cleveland’s announcement of the deal.

“We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career,” Berry’s statement reads. “After rewriting the record books and representing our organization with excellence, we were sincere in that desire as we entered this offseason and did not envision a world where Myles was not a Cleveland Brown.

“When the Rams first approached us with the possibility of trading Myles, we remained convicted in our position, but as discussions intensified we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: Do we hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organization over the long run?

“In that framework, the decision became clear, although our emotions were muddled. We, and more importantly, our fans, have grown up with Myles, and he’s an enormous source of pride for our team. However, as we embark on a new era of Browns football with a young core and a replenished asset base, we felt this move was important to our transition.

“Chief among the considerations to make the decision was the inclusion of Jared Verse — a player our fan base will love. At 25 years old with two Pro Bowls and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award under his belt, we receive a young, elite player at a premium position who will only continue to improve in his third NFL season. Jared’s passion and relentless style of play will be embraced by our fans. He will fit right in with the established identity of our defense. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome him to the Dawg Pound!

“We recognize the unexpected nature of this trade, but it opens up great opportunities for our franchise. We are excited to welcome Jared into the organization, along with the cap flexibility and draft pick resources to deploy to the rest of the roster that will allow us to add to our budding core on both sides of the ball.”

Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam also issued a statement on the deal to send Garrett to Los Angeles:

“Myles Garrett has been the best player on our team and one of the best defensive players in the history of the game, since we drafted him in 2017,” the Haslams’ statement reads. “His legacy is immense and we could never adequately articulate our appreciation for how he played the game and for being the best player he could be for the Cleveland Browns over the last nine years. He has left a deep imprint on our franchise, with our fans and with the Dawg Pound.

“Clearly, this was not an easy decision, particularly with Myles because we’ve watched him come into our organization and grow like a member of our family. Trading Myles was never our intent, but we also recognize that certain opportunities demand serious consideration, and we believe this is the right move for our team. Adding a young defensive star like Jared Verse, along with valuable draft assets, are necessary to strengthen a talented young core and align with the youth of our team. Our goal continues to be building a consistently winning franchise that our fans and this region deserve, and we believe this move creates the best path towards that.

“We met with Myles on Saturday and told him we are extremely grateful for all that he contributed to our team and to our community and that he will always be a Cleveland Brown. We look forward to welcoming him back at the appropriate time and wish him and his family only the best.”

Garrett departs the Browns as arguably the best defensive player in franchise history. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2017 draft, Garrett has a franchise record 125.5 sacks, setting the NFL’s single-season record with 23.0 in 2025.

A two-time AP defensive player of the year and five-time, AP first-team All-Pro, Garrett played 134 games for the Browns, registering 23 forced fumbles, 18 passes defensed, six fumble recoveries, 149 tackles for loss, and 239 QB hits.