Myles Garrett is starting a new chapter with the Los Angeles Rams, but he was not ready to leave everything from Cleveland behind.
Garrett, who was traded by the Browns in a blockbuster deal, made sure he would keep wearing No. 95 in Los Angeles. The number belonged to Rams defensive lineman Poona Ford, meaning Garrett had to work out a deal to get it back.
“Just a conversation,” Garrett said. “It didn’t take too much.”
Rams coach Sean McVay quickly jumped in with a follow-up.
“Conversation and a couple bucks?” McVay asked.
Garrett smiled and answered, “Maybe more than a couple, but he was open to it.”
Garrett can afford it. He signed a four-year, $160 million extension last offseason, a deal that came after he publicly demanded a trade and made it clear he wanted to play for a contender. He’ll now get that chance in Los Angeles after waiving his no-trade clause to join the Rams.
“Since the very beginning, it’s always been about winning,” Garrett said during his introductory press conference. “And 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 just too difficult to pass up.”
Myles Garrett Was Set on Keeping No. 95
Garrett said there was no real debate about whether he would try to keep his longtime number after landing with the Rams. The former No. 1 overall pick wore No. 15 in college but sported No. 95 for all nine seasons with the Browns. In Cleveland, he racked up over 100 sacks and two Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The number has become part of his brand and his identity. Garrett knew almost immediately after the trade that he would need to contact Ford.
“I understood there had been some number trades before me,” Garrett said. “He understood, and I’m glad to be sticking with No. 95.”
Meanwhile in Cleveland, Garrett’s No. 95 likely won’t be back in circulation anytime soon. By the time his career is over, Garrett has a strong case to be enshrined in the Browns’ Ring of Honor and could eventually see his number retired.
Browns Not Tanking After Myles Garrett Trade
Trading Garrett was a franchise-altering move, but the Browns are not framing it as the start of a teardown. General manager Andrew Berry made that clear after the deal, pointing to the defense Cleveland still has in place and the addition of Jared Verse as a major part of the return from the Rams.
“All of our goals are still in front of us,” Berry said. “We have an excellent defense with really good players and on three levels and Jared, he’s an outstanding player. He’s one of the best players in the league and so we’re excited to have him as a part of our team.”
Verse — even with his already decorated resume — will not be asked to replace Garrett, who had been the face of Cleveland’s defense for nearly a decade. But his arrival keeps the Browns from entering the season without a proven edge presence.
The other pass-rushers in the mix for the Browns include Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire and Julian Okwara. The Browns are also stout in the middle, with former first-round pick Mason Graham and Maliek Collins at defensive tackle.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Myles Garrett Makes Costly Move After Browns Trade appeared first on HEAVY.