zn wrote:

from https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-confidential-execs-scouts-crown-winners-myles-garrett-a-j-brown-trades

Execs Agree: Garrett Worth Steep Price

Eric D. Williams: The Rams moved on from a talented and productive young player in Jared Verse, along with giving up significant draft capital to acquire the best defensive player in the NFL, pass rusher Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns.

But in return, according to sources I spoke with, the Rams improved their chances of winning a Super Bowl this season — and beyond.

“It’s probably a win-win, with more risk for the Rams,” a league source told me about the deal. “It’s hard to argue with it for the Browns, given how much they got. As great as Garrett is, he’s going into his 10th season.

“But if the Rams win a Super Bowl with him and he helps, then it’s awesome for them no matter what else happens. That’s how you really judge it for them. They would love to win it this year, but if they win it any time [Garrett] is on the team and he is a key factor, it’s a good trade. It does not need to be the 2026 season. It would be unlikely it is later than 2028, but not impossible.”

Garrett, 30, is the first reigning Defensive Player of the Year to be traded in NFL history. And the move comes a year after he set the NFL’s single-season sack record, logging 23 sacks in 2025.

So, it’s no surprise that a longtime scout who evaluated Garrett at Texas A&M in 2017 believes the star edge rusher brings a different dimension to Los Angeles’ defense.

“A really good team just got a lot better,” the scout told me. “I remember evaluating him coming out, and I thought he was generational. It used to be that generational players stayed with one team during their career, but that’s not the case now.

“I think he’ll be a good fit with the Rams and give them something they do not have. He’s got a lot of gas left in the tank. … Sometimes a good player like that will up his game even further in a new environment.”

Parting with a two-time Pro Bowler in Verse isn’t easy, as the 2024 first-round pick ranked sixth in total pressures last season, per Pro Football Focus. But giving up the 25-year-old standout — plus a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick — was worth it for Garrett, according to a front office executive I spoke with.

“Trading for the best defensive player in the league does not come cheap,” the executive said to me. “It’s the cost of doing business.”

As for the Browns, the front office executive said receiving Verse and the draft assets will help continue the team’s rebuilding process under new head coach Todd Monken.

“He’s a big, fast and productive pass rusher who can also play the run,” the executive said about Verse. “At 25 years old, he’s durable and on a rookie contract. Sounds good to me.”

Garrett Deal Came One Year Too Late

Ralph Vacchiano: Garrett wanted out of Cleveland a year ago, but the Browns had other plans. They wanted to make him the face of their franchise as they started rebuilding from scratch, giving him a record extension at the time.

Then, on Monday, they decided to start all over again.

“That’s the Browns,” one NFL executive told me. “They had a plan. They gave it a whole year. Now they’re starting over. It’s what they do.”

That’s certainly the way it seemed when they traded Garrett just a year after giving him a four-year, $160 million contract with a full no-trade clause, which is rare. The Browns resisted all efforts to deal him even after he requested a trade last offseason. And they did get a historic season out of him.

Of course, he did it on a 5-12 team.

“I don’t know what they got out of keeping him,” the executive told me. “They knew they didn’t have a quarterback. They knew they probably wouldn’t be good until late in his deal. He’s a great player, don’t get me wrong, but they needed the assets more.

“I don’t know if they could’ve gotten a better deal last year or even the same deal, but they would’ve been a year further along [in their rebuilding]. You can’t run a franchise by starting over every year.”

The ESPN dude makes it sound like Garrett only has one good season left, and that with this trade the Rams are mortgaging their future to win this year’s Super Bowl.

The reality is he probably has another 4 or 5 years of elite-level football left in him. And he comes at a bargain. Even with the draft picks this deal does not prohibit the Rams from contending 3 or 4 years from now at all.

wv wrote:

nittany ram wrote:

wv wrote:

I would like Merlin and Deacon to come out of retirement as well. Maybe Coy Bacon.

w
v

Defense of the Living Dead.

That’s even cooler than The Fearsome Foursome.

I was waiting for a reaction from a Seahawk fan.

Anyway. Deacon. Merlin. JYB. Donald. Now, Myles.
Not to mention Robert Quinn, Kevin Carter, Chris Long, Leonard Little, Larry Brooks, Lamar Lundy, Rosey Grier, Fred Dryer.

Not sure any other team can match that. Maybe Dallas. Maybe the Vikes. Colts maybe. Dunno.

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As Nick Wright and others are saying, I’m excited about seeing what Garret can do while playing with a lead most of the game. He had 23 sacks playing for a team that was behind most of the time. We may be looking at a 30 sack season.

The Rams are unmatched at RB and DL I would say.

zn wrote:

Zooey wrote:

But as I read that, I thought about Steven Jackson who had all that plus size, plus speed. Imagine Jackson on this team. What % of their drives would end in points?

K Wms is doing well and I think that AI guy is right about his strengths, which the Rams know how to use. But of course at the same time, Kyren is on a team with a very good OL and top OL coach, and an elite qb who has seen everything and can make any throw. As we know, Jackson was without the OL and often without a qb, let alone one that was at Stafford’s level (Bulger wasn’t Stafford though he was more than good enough, but as we also know he got bulgerized behind those problem OLs).

Anyway. A Jackson in his prime on the present Rams offense would make it one of the best offenses in all NFL history. I really believe that. That’s why I am working on time travel. It’s a tricky issue but I am making some progress I think.

While I’m at it I will time jump Tony Horne too, who was both a great returner and great special teams gunner.

While you’re at it, try nixing all that Rich Brooks nonsense too.

Muffed punt was terrible, but ultimately the defense’s inability to bother Darnold cost them the game.

This Rams offense is outstanding though. I think their best ever. Maybe not as prolific as the GSOT, but it’s more reliable. More resilient. Better under adverse conditions. That’s mostly Stafford.

zn wrote:

nittany ram wrote:

Gabriel won the most games at 74. Stafford has 52 including playoffs.

The stats in question, though, were about the postseason only.

Right but I don’t think playoff stats alone are enough to conclude that Stafford is the greatest QB in franchise history.

Postseason stats, regular season stats, wins, losses, clutch performances, game winning drives, TDs, turnovers, etc are all part of the rich tapestry that must be considered before you can anoint a QB “the greatest in franchise history”.

zn wrote:

nittany ram wrote:

If Lefleur is available, the Ravens should hire him. He’s a highly regarded offensive mind that could help Lamar Jackson get over the hump.

I want all teams except the Rams to make bad or inappropriate or poorly considered coaching hires.

As a decades long Rams fan, I know how to spot those when they happen.

Every team should have its Linehan. Every fan base should go through that. It’s their turn.

Linehan?

I mean, we all talk about wishing ill on other teams, especially division rivals…

But Linehan?!

That’s some pathological level of hate right there.

John Harbaugh and Matt Lefleur might both be available this offseason.

Harbaugh has been linked to the Packers job if they move on from Lefleur.

If Lefleur is available, the Ravens should hire him. He’s a highly regarded offensive mind that could help Lamar Jackson get over the hump.

A head coach exchange might be an upgrade for both teams.

https://lombardiave.com/adam-schefter-drops-coaching-link-rock-nfl-packers-fire-matt-lafleur

Zooey wrote:

nittany ram wrote:

zn wrote:

Josh@JoshiosTweets
The Rams will end the season with a 12-5 record and the highest point differential in the Sean McVay era.

8 wins by 14+ points is the most in McVay era and in the NFL this season.

And that’s against the toughest schedule any team has played.

You’re just a Rams sniffer.

Sniff this, Bucko. {hilariously pulls own finger}

Ya know, it’s ok to have an unexpressed thought from time to time.

Zooey wrote:

And, on the bright side, the Rams have 11 days to prepare for the Falcons.

The importance of which cannot be overstated.

Thanks for that. I sense the board was about to go off on some aimless excursion to a place filled with rants about losing the One Seed and losing home field advantage through the playoffs and not winning the division…

You got us back on course.

wv wrote:

Zooey wrote:

I gotta say. Confess it.

Puka Nacua is working his way right up my list of all-time favorite Rams.

I think Jack Youngblood is #1 with me. But…as I’m thinking about it…as many guys as I have loved over the past 6 decades…I love this guy, Puka Nacua. And I want to be clear that this isn’t a list of the players I think are “the greatest” or something. Just guys I personally like.

And I just love Puka Nacua. He is a really special player. A really special human. He brings me happiness.

==

Yeah, ‘favorites’ are different from ‘best’.

Most of my favorites are from the old days. I think sometimes players make a bigger ’emotional’ impression on people when they are young.

For me, Roman, Jack Snow, and Merlin. 60s-70’s blue and white guyz.

Puka is special. Best Tight End the rams have ever had

w
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Snow was my first favorite.

Youngblood is my all-time favorite.

Stafford is my favorite current player.

This is the best Rams team (not counting the Massey era, of course) since the 2001 squad.

Easily.

wv wrote:

nittany ram wrote:

Having accessed this trade on both a macro and micro level, and after an exhaustive in-depth analysis of its intricacies and nuances, I officially declare this trade to be pretty good.

So you’re saying it was better than the Marshall Faulk trade. We shall see.

w
v

I’m saying it’s somewhere between the Marshall Faulk trade and the Jerome Bettis trade.

Zooey wrote:

I expected a QB controversy considering how well Garoppolo handled the victory formation.

That’s how James Harris usurped Hadl.

I sorta wish Purdy was going to play. Mac Jones is having a much better season.

The Rams defense was impressive. Offense was inconsistent but came through when they had to, and the Texans do have a really good defense.

Avila returned to the game. Hopefully Dotson’s injury isn’t bad.