Myles Garrett will join the Los Angeles Rams from the Cleveland Browns in one of the biggest defensive trades in NFL history, while Odell Beckham Jr has returned to the New York Giants.
Two-time NFL defensive player of the year Garrett will join the Rams in exchange for two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse.
The Browns also receive a 2027 first-round NFL Draft pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.
Garrett was the top overall pick by the Browns in 2017. The 30-year-old is arguably the NFL’s best pass rusher and claimed a record 23 sacks last season.
Overall he has 125.5 sacks and has made 412 tackles (293 solo), with 23 forced fumbles. He has also recovered six fumbles, one for a touchdown.
Garrett requested a trade from Cleveland last summer before agreeing a new contract worth $160m (£119m).
General manager Andrew Berry said the franchise originally “did not envision a world” where Garrett “was not a Cleveland Brown”.
“When the Rams first approached us with the possibility of trading Myles, we remained convicted in our position,” Berry said.
“But as discussions intensified we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads. Hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organisation over the long run?
“In that framework, the decision became clear, although our emotions were muddled.
“As we embark on a new era of Browns football with a young core and a replenished asset base, we felt this move was important to our transition.”
Elsewhere, wide receiver AJ Brown completed his trade from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots.
The 28-year-old helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl in 2025 but reunites with former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel at New England, who lost this year’s Super Bowl.
Philly receive a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick for Brown, whose relationship with the Eagles soured over the past year.
The three-time Pro Bowler has 524 catches for 8,029 yards and 56 touchdowns in 105 regular-season games with the Eagles and the Titans.
