With the smoke clearing on the Myles Garrett trade, the Los Angeles Rams were hit with a harsh grade for the deal.
It has been nearly two weeks since the NFL world was blown wide open by the Los Angeles Rams trading for Myles Garrett, which has catapulted them to being Super Bowl favorites.
Despite landing a perennial All-Pro and future Hall of Famer in Garrett, the trade itself has been given a harsh grade. The Rams gave up a first-round pick, Jared Verse, and more, leaving ESPN's Seth Walder to give the deal a less-than-stellar outlook.
Walder gave the Rams a "C-" for their acquisition of Garrett, simply due to having to send Verse as part of the trade.
"It's a mighty acquisition for Los Angeles, but it's a massive return for Cleveland -- more than should have reasonably been expected, even for Garrett. Verse himself is probably worth more than a first-round pick, so the compensation here with no picks from the Browns and three from the Rams is really heavy," Walder wrote.
It makes sense why Walder would consider this a huge win for the Cleveland Browns, but not as big a win for Los Angeles.
Verse is an outstanding player and could become the next Garrett, with time. He secured a Defensive Player of the Year nod in 2024 and has 12 sacks through his first two seasons.
Conversely, the Rams just upgraded their defense with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Garrett, who set the sack record with 23 in 2025. Sacks aren't the only tangible stat to pay attention to, as Garrett can change the makeup of a defense.
Garrett's ability to win pass rush assignments leads to him being double teamed, which will undoubtedly open more opportunities for Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, Braden Fiske, and Byron Young.
It is understandable why Walder does not consider a 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick, 2029 third-round pick, and Verse as a fair investment, but Garrett has the ability to put this defense over the edge.
There are also rumors that Aaron Donald is considering a return due to the Garrett acquisition, which would also change the makeup of the defense.
A major aspect of Garrett being in the building and Donald potentially returning could lead to some solid players losing playing time, such as Fiske. The Rams have a good young defensive core, which is why adding all-star talent like Garrett and Donald could lead to some uncomfortable conversations with other players.
It is also a good problem to have, and Chris Shula is the type of defensive coordinator that can scheme things up for Garrett, and in the unlikely chance that Donald comes back.
Time will tell if Walder's grade rings true, or if Garrett's joining leads to another Super Bowl win in what is an all-in year, similar to 2021, the last time the Rams won the big game.
