Myles Garrett Rams Trade Marks New Chapter as Star Edge Rusher Stays True to Form

The Myles Garrett Rams trade sent ripples across the NFL on Monday, but the two-time Defensive Player of the Year wasted no time setting the tone Tuesday in Woodland Hills. Standing before reporters in his new royal blue, Garrett made it plain: the scenery changed, the mission did not.

“That’s always been my role since I’ve stepped foot into the NFL,” Garrett said. “So, nothing changes for me. I don’t feel any pressure to be anything else or be anything different. As long as I’m myself and I come in here to work every day and I’m a leader, the success will follow.”

The words landed with the same quiet force that has defined his career. Seven Pro Bowls. Five first-team All-Pro selections. The single-season sack record at 23. One hundred twenty-five and a half career sacks. Those numbers explain why the Rams surrendered Jared Verse, their 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, plus a 2027 first-round pick and additional selections to bring Garrett west.

The Weight of Legacy and the Pull of the Present

Garrett turns 30 this December, yet he spoke with the urgency of a player who still sees his best football ahead. He wants to cement his place among the greats, not just in Los Angeles but in Canton. Winning another Defensive Player of the Year award and, more importantly, a Super Bowl or two sits squarely on his mind.

“I see a position to solidify myself here, as well, among the very greats,” he said. “I still have plenty of great years in front of me and being able to cement that legacy, not only as a football city here in L.A., but as an individual and winning DPOY and a Super Bowl or more. Those things are definitely pressing on my mind, and I have a definite bit of urgency to do it and do it right away.”

You could feel the room lean in when he talked about Cleveland. The love for the city, the community, and the players remains real. But after two seasons that produced just eight total wins, the chance to join a roster built to contend immediately proved impossible to ignore. He waived his no-trade clause because the fit felt right and the window felt now.

“Since the very beginning, it’s always been about winning. It just breaks down to the timing of everything. What does it realistically look like to be a winner now? And to have an opportunity to do that immediately, that was an opportunity that was too difficult to pass up.”

Rams Double Down on Defense for 2026 Title Window

General manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay have been here before. In 2021 they mortgaged future assets to surround Aaron Donald with Von Miller, Odell Beckham Jr., and Allen Robinson. The result was a Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Now they are doing it again, this time with Garrett occupying the central role on the defensive line.

The blueprint is familiar and deliberate. First they addressed the secondary by acquiring Trent McDuffie from the Chiefs and adding Jaylen Watson. Then they landed the biggest piece of all. The combination gives McVay a defense capable of creating negative plays without needing constant pressure packages, which in turn should keep the explosive Rams offense on the field longer and in favorable situations.

Garrett already sees how the pieces fit together. With an offense that scores early and often, late-game obvious passing downs become hunting opportunities rather than must-win moments. That freedom, he noted, lets him pin his ears back and make the game-changing plays that decide championships.

“I mean that did play into the decision as well,” Garrett said. “Knowing I have the ability, you know, late game to pin my ears back, not just because we need a play to be made but because we have the lead and it’s an obvious passing down. Being able to make those game-changing plays to win the game for us. Those are things that appeal to me, I’m sure appeal to all of us as D-linemen. That’s something I really look forward to.”

Day-by-Day Work Begins Now

On paper the roster looks loaded. Garrett knows better than anyone that paper does not win games. The real work starts on the field and in the meeting room, one day at a time. No overlooking opponents, no reading odds, no assumptions about favorites.

“On paper, I’m sure things look great,” he said. “But we’ve got to go out there and put the work in. It starts on the field, it starts in the classroom. We’re not going to take a single day for granted, we’re not going to be looking at any odds or favorites. We’re going to win each game day by day.”

The Rams’ 2026 season will be measured by whether that daily grind translates into the ultimate prize at SoFi Stadium. Garrett has carried the weight of expectation his entire career. In Los Angeles, he finally has a supporting cast built to share the load and finish what they started.