The bombshell that dropped Monday afternoon felt sudden and shocking to everyone watching from the outside. But according to Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer, the Myles Garrett trade to the Los Angeles Rams had been quietly taking shape for months, and the Browns were already planning around it before the 2026 NFL Draft even began.
Glazer added context to the story that completely reframes how Cleveland fans should think about everything that happened this spring.
“Rams and Browns started talking about the Myles Garrett trade since draft time. One of the reasons they selected Ty Simpson in the first round was because they knew they’d be without Garrett at least next year’s one. Rams were hoping to make it all draft capital and fought to not include Verse in the deal to the end but he was a necessary Browns addition,” Glazer posted.
Rams and Browns started talking about the Myles Garrett trade since draft time. One of the reasons they selected Ty Simpson in first round was because they knew they’d be without AT LEAST next years one. Rams were hoping to make it all draft capital and fought to not include…
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) June 1, 2026
When the Rams selected Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, many people viewed it as a puzzling pick for a team that already had an established quarterback situation. The answer, it turns out, was sitting right in front of everyone the entire time. Los Angeles already knew there was a serious possibility they would be acquiring Garrett, which meant they needed to plan for the future at the quarterback position before the trade was ever made official. Simpson was not a surprise pick. He was the first domino in a calculated long-term plan from a Rams organization that was already operating as if Garrett was going to be wearing blue and yellow.
The Rams fought until the very end to keep Jared Verse out of the deal and make the return package purely draft capital. The fact that Cleveland held firm and insisted on getting Verse included as a condition of the trade tells you exactly how Andrew Berry viewed the young edge rusher and how important it was to the Browns that they received a proven pass rusher back rather than simply collecting picks.
Everything that felt chaotic and surprising about this offseason now looks far more deliberate than anyone realized on both sides. The Rams had a plan. The Browns had a plan.
Berry deserves enormous credit for holding firm on Verse until the very end and extracting maximum value from one of the most significant trades in Browns history.
NEXT: Top QB Prospect Already Being Connected To Browns After Myles Garrett Trade
