Story perspectives

Rams acquire Myles Garrett, odds tighten as NFC West favorites.

6/4/2026

Summary

Garrett Joins Rams

The Rams acquired Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns on June 1, 2026.
The Browns received Jared Verse and 2027 first-, 2028 second-, 2029 third-round picks.
Garrett’s $41.09 million cap hit moved to late summer while his $160 million, four-year extension waives the no-trade.
Adding Garrett to Chris Shula’s defense, which ranked fourth in pressure rate in 2025, pushed Rams DraftKings Super Bowl odds from 8-1 to 13-2, making them NFC West favorites.

Summary

Garrett Signs Contract

Garrett’s new five-year contract strips most future guarantees, leaving the $37 million 2026 salary largely non-guaranteed.
The Rams’ $35.7 million signing bonus makes Garrett the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback.
The deal’s cap hit limits extensions for Byron Young and likely blocks contracts for Kobie Turner and Puka Nacua.
Option years through 2038 let the Rams smooth cap obligations and signal Garrett as a multi-year cornerstone.

Summary

Garrett Bonus Shift

The Browns moved Garrett's $29.2 million option bonus to the week before the September 2026 opener, opening a five-month trade window.
They altered all three seasons instead of only the 2027-28 years.
Only Denzel Ward's $2.5 million roster bonus became a signing bonus, leaving his $16.9 million roster bonus unchanged.
Analysts view the timing as a signal Cleveland may trade Garrett in 2026, though the moves could have freed $12.48 million in cap space.

History

Historical Context

When the NFL instituted its first salary-cap system in 1994, the league forced teams to restructure contracts, limiting total payrolls to $34.6 million per franchise. The 1994 cap compelled the Dallas Cowboys to release veteran Troy Aikman, saving $5 million and reshaping roster strategies across the league. Similarly, the 2026 Rams leveraged the cap by signing Myles Garrett to a $35.7 million bonus, moving his $41.09 million hit and restricting Browns’ future guarantees. These moves illustrate how cap-driven contract engineering continues to dictate trade leverage and roster construction, prompting future owners to prioritize flexible, non-guaranteed deals.

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Garrett Joins Rams

The Rams acquired Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns on June 1, 2026.
The Browns received Jared Verse and 2027 first-, 2028 second-, 2029 third-round picks.
Garrett’s $41.09 million cap hit moved to late summer while his $160 million, four-year extension waives the no-trade.
Adding Garrett to Chris Shula’s defense, which ranked fourth in pressure rate in 2025, pushed Rams DraftKings Super Bowl odds from 8-1 to 13-2, making them NFC West favorites.

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