Rams receive mixed reviews on grades for Myles Garrett trade

The Los Angeles Rams were already one of the top Super Bowl contenders for the upcoming 2026 NFL season. But they made themselves the favorites with one move.

The Rams acquired Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns, adding arguably the best defensive player in the league in a blockbuster deal that sent Jared Verse, a 2027 first, 2028 second, and 2029 third-rounder to the Browns for the superstar edge.

This was a great trade for the Rams, right? Well, Jeff Howe of The Athletic gave the Rams a perfect A+ grade, but ESPN's Seth Walder handed out a much worse grade for this trade than what Howe gave the Rams.

Rams receive mixed reviews on Myles Garrett trade grades

"Rams grade: C-," Walder writes. "The Super Bowl favorite Rams just dealt for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, coming off a season in which he broke the single-season sack record... and yet it should be Browns fans celebrating this trade."

Walder is critical of the Garrett trade, giving the Rams just a C- for adding possibly the best defensive player in the NFL this offseason.

Coming off a record-breaking 23-sack season, this harsh grade for the Garrett trade is very noteworthy. The cost of this deal was too much in Walder's opinion, and he explained further why the Rams got such a low grade for this blockbuster.

"The 2026 Rams are better today than they were yesterday," Walder writes. "But the cost to the 2027-2030 Rams is too much to justify. And the Browns will reap the benefits."

While the Rams are giving up a ton of capital, with Verse and three picks over the next three drafts being a ton of capital to lose, it's not like the Rams are going to be in a terrible situation going forward.

They still own their first-round picks in 2028 and beyond. Matthew Stafford is playing one more season, and if he plays in 2027, then this trade would look even better.

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Howe gave the Rams an "A+" for this trade, as he believes the Rams' decision to go for it all this upcoming season is the right call. "They're going for it, and they should," Howe writes.

Even though the package wasn't cheap for the Rams, and Walder handed out a weak C- grade, this trade for Garrett was the right decision for the Rams.

They now have a better chance to win the Super Bowl than any other team, and if Stafford plays for one extra season, they'll be favorites again next year as well.

Adding Garrett is worth the question marks about the future, and since the Rams only gave up one future first, this isn't even that bad of a trade.

The monetary side of things is a problem, but the Rams have Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. This is exactly the kind of move a true Super Bowl-contending team, like the Rams, should be making.

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