Monday saw plenty of big moves in the NFL world, as teams around the league scrambled to sign and trade players now eligible for post-June 1 dealing (for those unfamiliar with the significance of that date, it just means clubs can either get rid of or acquire a player for a slightly more palatable financial hit than the same move would've garnered prior to that date). Among those maneuverings was the bombshell trade of star Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrett, who is heading to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for standout Jared Verse plus a good bit of draft compensation.
It's a win-now move for the Rams, who are running out of time with quarterback Matthew Stafford and want to maximize their chances for another Super Bowl run while they can. And it works out well for the Browns, too; although Garrett signed a lucrative extension with the team in March 2025, that came after he publicly requested a trade. Plus, at 30 years old, he's not getting any younger; with the 25-year-old Verse, the team gets an emerging talent that's more on their timeline, anyway.
Better yet, it's good news for the rest of the AFC North, too. Verse is still a threat, sure, but he's not a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Now, Garrett is the NFC West's problem, and at long last.
Hilariously, former Garrett teammate and current Bengals backup QB Joe Flacco had a hilarious take on the matter when asked about the trade on Monday.
"Good for us," Flacco said, according to Bengals.com, really hitting home the "thank God Garrett is now someone else's problem" messaging.
For Cincinnati's O-line, however, the objective each Sunday remains the same, whether or not Garrett is the one doing the terrorizing.
"It doesn't matter. You still have to go win on Sundays. Congrats to Myles. That's how I feel. We still have to go win," said left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. "[Verse] is a young player who is also a great player. Very talented. I have a lot of respect for his game."
"It's the hardest division anywhere, whether it's Myles Garrett or Jared Verse," added right tackle Amarius Mims said. "Both great players. Both have been to the Pro Bowl. Verse has been every year he's been in the league. We came in together. A great player. You've got to block both of them at the end of the day."
