With Myles Garrett no longer on the Cleveland Browns, it’s fair to question if every player on their roster is available for the right price.
NFL fans were left speechless earlier this week when the Browns agreed to trade Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick and 2029 third-round pick. Apparently, trading away the future Hall of Famer was an opportunity Cleveland couldn’t pass up.
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“In terms of the ‘why now,’ the opportunity was too great,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said. “It wasn’t like a Plan A going into the offseason. Quite honestly, we would have operated differently if it was. Sometimes things come across your path that you’re not expecting. You can’t be so dogmatic in your strategy and planning that you can’t adjust and be flexible.”
The Browns are certainly glad they acquired Verse, who had 124 total tackles, 45 QB hits, 22 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and five forced fumbles during his two-year stint with the Rams.
“Jared is an outstanding football player, former Defensive Rookie of the Year, two-time original ballot Pro Bowler,” Berry said. “He’s a perfect DNA match for our attacking front. He’s really a terror in both phases, both as a run defender and a pass rusher, and we are really, really excited to add him to our team. He allows us to continue to play defense as a high level, which has been our standard over the past several seasons.”
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Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) exits the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images© Ken Blaze-Imagn Images.
Now that Garrett is off the roster, Browns fans are concerned that Denzel Ward could be moved later this offseason.
Ward has been with the Browns since 2018, racking up 361 tackles, 104 passes defended, 18 interceptions and six fumble recoveries. While at his inaugural celebrity softball game this Saturday, the five-time Pro Bowler confirmed that he wants to stay in Cleveland.
“I definitely still want to be here,” Ward said, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “Myles is a good friend of mine, a great teammate, but things aren’t lost. It’s Ohio against the world. So people could doubt us, but we’re going out there still trying to play our best ball and bring wins to the city.”
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The Browns have Ward under contract through the 2027 season. If they’re not convinced he’ll be part of the team much longer, moving on from him before the trade deadline would make sense.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Jun 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.