The Los Angeles Rams have acquired NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in a trade with the Cleveland Browns, according to multiple reports on June 1. The deal sent Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick to the Browns.
The move comes after the Rams selected quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 in the draft as they look toward their future beyond Matthew Stafford. With Garrett joining the team, speculation has increased about how this addition impacts both the Rams’ Super Bowl aspirations for 2026 and their divisional rivals.
The Arizona Cardinals are set to play the Rams in Los Angeles during Week 6 and will host them again in Week 10. The Cardinals’ left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. is expected to face off against Garrett, though right tackle Elijah Wilkinson may also be tasked with blocking him. “Dealing with Aaron Donald had been hard enough, and when Donald retired, it was good for everyone else in the division,” one source said.
New head coach Mike LaFleur has reportedly built positive relationships within his team during his first offseason leading the Cardinals. However, he will now need to account for Garrett’s presence as he prepares game plans against an even more formidable Rams defense.
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional football team in the NFC West division that serves the greater Phoenix area and hosts home games in Glendale, Arizona; they stand as the oldest continuously operating professional football franchise in the United States and captured an NFC championship in 2008, according to the official website.
