Browns GM Andrew Berry breaks silence on Myles Garrett trade

The Cleveland Browns made a blockbuster trade on Monday, as they sent superstar and likely future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams.

In return, the Browns got Jared Verse, a young star edge rusher, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick. It's a huge move for the Browns that deserves a ton of attention.

After the trade became official, Browns general manager Andrew Berry released a statement on the trade. NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared the statement, which revelaed why the Browns made this trade, and more. 

Browns GM breaks silence on Myles Garrett trade

"We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career," Berry said.

Keeping a player like Garrett in Cleveland for his entire career and sending him to the Hall of Fame solely representing the Browns would've made for an incredible story. But, as Berry goes on to explain, things changed.

"... But as discussions intensified, we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: do we 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 organization over the long run?" Berry said.

This was not a decision the Browns made easily, as trading a player like Garrett is a massive admission that the Browns aren't ready to compete right now, and not likely to compete next year either.

However, as Berry and the Browns came to realize, trading Garrett for the return the Rams presented, mainly thanks to Verse's inclusion, being a "young elite player at a premium position" is what made this trade work, according to Berry.

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"We recognize the unexpected nature of this trade, but it opens up great opportunities for our franchise," Berry said. "We are excited to welcome Jared into the organization, along with the cap flexibility and draft pick resources to deploy to the rest of the roster that will allow us to add to our budding core on both sides of the ball."

Cleveland trading Garrett is a massive move, and while the rumors seemed to pick up great speed on the morning of June 1 before the trade was announced, this was the right move for the franchise in the long run.

Verse and the three draft picks, along with the massive financial flexibility, will give the Browns just what they need to find their quarterback of the future and plan to be a contender in the not-so-distant future.

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