How drafting Ty Simpson reportedly led to Rams acquiring Myles Garrett from Browns

NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, along with others, broke the Internet on Monday when they reported that the Cleveland Browns are finalizing a deal to trade star pass-rusher Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for edge-rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round draft pick and additional compensation.

ESPN's Adam Schefter later revealed that the Browns will also receive a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round choice for Garrett.

Meanwhile, the Rams stunned many back on the night of April 23 when they made quarterback Ty Simpson the 13th overall pick of this year's draft. For a piece published on Monday afternoon, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared how the Rams landing Simpson resulted in them going all-in on a trade for Garrett.

Did Rams have Myles Garrett in mind when they drafted Ty Simpson?

"The move to take Ty Simpson with the 13th pick — seen by many as a move that wouldn’t help Matthew Stafford in the here and now — actually was viewed internally as one that gave the Rams the flexibility they needed to help Stafford get another ring in the most profound way possible," Breer explained. "With their next quarterback in the fold, the team could afford to be more creative to find a way to add another massive piece because they wouldn’t need to worry about spending a first-rounder in 2027 or 2028 on Stafford’s replacement."

Stafford recently inked a contract extension that could keep him atop the Rams' depth chart through at least the 2027 season. Meanwhile, Garrett turned just 30 years old this past December, and he set a new single-season sacks record during the 2025 campaign en route to becoming a two-time Defensive Player of the Year Award winner. Additionally, he inked a four-year, $160M extension that included $123.5M guaranteed last offseason

Thus, Stafford and Garrett realistically could be teammates for at least two seasons before the Rams turn to Simpson.

Why Browns' Andrew Berry accepted this return for Myles Garrett

Breer added that general manager Andrew Berry wanted a Garrett trade "to serve the Browns both short term and long term" amid what is perceived to be the franchise's latest roster rebuild. 

"Along those lines," Breer continued, "a young star on a cost-controlled deal at a premium position would have to be included in the deal. ...Having that star in the deal would be on top of getting premium draft capital. Getting a two-time Pro Bowler, Verse, who’s only 25, and has two years left on his rookie deal, plus an option for 2028, on top of top-100 picks in the next three drafts, with a first-rounder coming in 11 months, would satisfy all of that." 

It appears to outsiders that Berry is stockpiling assets to acquire a top-tier quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft. One would think Monday's developments may show that 2025 rookie Shedeur Sanders now has no real long-term future with the Browns unless he flips a figurative switch and becomes a revelation as a QB1 at some point before the 2026 regular season wraps up.