By pairing 2025 MVP Matthew Stafford with defensive titan Myles Garrett, Los Angeles secures a historic superstar duo poised to contend for the 2026 title.
The Los Angeles Rams are going to be considered among Super Bowl favorites going into the 2026 season after acquiring edge rusher Myles Garrett via trade.
The move, initially reported by ESPN and NFL Network insiders, sends Garrett to the Rams in exchange for young pass rusher Jared Verse, the team's 2027 first-rounder and more picks.
The Cleveland Browns can now finally begin a rebuild in earnest after the 2026 season if needed. Meanwhile the Rams are set to field an NFL first.
For more on the trade, compensation and impact, Rams Roundtable writer Ricardo Sandoval has a detailed look.
Health provided, the Rams will become the first team in the NFL to field both the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year following a season wherein the awards were not claimed by the same player.
The 2025 MVP and quarterback Matthew Stafford will lead the Rams' offense while Garrett, who was voted the best defensive player from 2025, will pioneer the team's defense. Garrett will also line up across from and complement edge rusher Byron Young, a tandem that the NFC West and Rams opponents will dread game-planning against.
Los Angeles has already shot up boards as the favorite to walk away with a Super Bowl trophy in 2026 after the trade. A team that was already considered a top contender is now indisputably atop the prediction markets and sportsbooks.The Rams have now built a team that will remain competitive while Stafford is still under center and has the potential to continue to remain in contention for the foreseeable future.
