Myles Garrett spent nine seasons turning the Cleveland Browns' defensive line into one of the most feared units in the NFL. He was the face of that franchise for nearly a decade and leaving wasn't supposed to be part of the plan. But the Browns moved on and now Garrett has landed in Los Angeles.
Cleveland agreed to trade the reigning Defensive Player of the Year to the Los Angeles Rams in a deal that sent edge rusher Jared Verse back to the Browns along with a first-round pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a conditional third-round pick in 2029.
The trade itself made headlines the moment it dropped but it was that final pick that came with a twist worth paying attention to.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Myles Garrett Trade Includes Rare Protective Clause for Browns
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the 2029 third-round pick would automatically escalate to a first-rounder if the Rams trade Garrett to any AFC North team. That means the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens or Cincinnati Bengals are all off the table without Cleveland getting significantly compensated in return.
It's a smart clause for a franchise that just gave up one of the best defenders in the game. Garrett arrived in Cleveland as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and never stopped producing.
Over 134 games in a Browns uniform, he recorded 412 tackles, 125.5 sacks, 23 forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. Those 125.5 sacks are a franchise record and his 23-sack performance in the 2025 season set a new NFL single-season mark.
The numbers tell the full story on what Cleveland is losing. Garrett became the first player since 1982 to record at least 12 sacks in six straight seasons and he's the only player in NFL history to hit double-digit sacks in each of the last eight years.
Seven Pro Bowl selections, seven AP All-Pro honors and two Defensive Player of the Year awards round out a resume that needs no defending.
The Rams aren't moving him anywhere anytime soon. But Cleveland made sure that if things ever change in Los Angeles, their biggest rivals won't be the ones to benefit. For a Browns team starting a new chapter without its cornerstone defender, that protection is about the best they could ask for.
