Cleveland Browns fans have had to deny Myles Garrett trade rumors for over a year, but on June 1st, those rumors became an unfortunate reality. Garrett was sent to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and picks in each of the first three rounds of upcoming drafts in what was an absolute stunner of a move.
Although it was shocking, it’s easy to understand why general manager Andrew Berry decided to finally pull the trigger. He has spoken highly of Verse since the deal and was adamant that no deal would get done unless he received him in return.
No one expects Verse to replace Garrett’s 23 sacks, but he can certainly blossom into a consistent double-digit sack threat in his own right.
Adam Gerstenhaber of Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show was a fan of the deal, but he still believes it will have a negative impact on the upcoming season’s win total.
“I thought they would win six (games), now I think they’ll win four or five,” said Gerstenhaber.
Gerstenhaber added that Garrett is the only defensive player in football who changes win totals, and it’s fair to believe his absence will cost the Browns at least a win or two. Many believe the Browns will win more than the six games he originally projected for them, including Bruce Drennan, who had the Browns making a run at ten wins before the Garrett trade.
There is a wide range of outcomes for this upcoming Browns season that almost all boil down to how well Shedeur Sanders and/or Deshaun Watson can perform at quarterback. Todd Monken hasn’t named a starter yet, but whichever one of them wins the job will be stepping into a much-improved situation that could realistically be a ten-win team if they can play well.
The Browns won five games last season after winning just three the year before. Trading Garrett is an obvious signal that the team is rebuilding, but that rebuild has been underway for a couple of years already.
Many just didn’t want to admit it, so if the Browns can win seven or eight games in 2026 and find their next franchise quarterback in 2027, this little rebuild will be just about finished.
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