SouthernWorldwide.com – Los Angeles Rams General Manager Les Snead admitted to feeling considerable anxiety throughout the prolonged trade negotiations for star defensive end Myles Garrett.
Snead revealed to reporters on Tuesday that discussions with Cleveland Browns General Manager Andrew Berry had been ongoing for over a month. His primary concern was the possibility of investing significant effort into securing Garrett, only for the player to ultimately refuse the move.
“Are we going to have gone through all this and then [Myles] is going to say, ‘No,’” Snead stated, highlighting the critical role Garrett’s consent played.
The trade’s completion hinged on Garrett waiving his no-trade clause, a provision included in the four-year contract extension he signed with the Browns in March 2025. Even after the Rams and Browns agreed on draft compensation, which reluctantly involved the promising player Jared Verse, there remained a chance Garrett could veto the deal.
It is a seldom-seen scenario in professional sports when a player under contract, and not a free agent, wields such direct influence over their future destination. Garrett had rightfully earned this leverage through nine elite seasons with Cleveland, marked by seven Pro Bowl selections and an NFL sack record of 23 in 2025, which also earned him his second Defensive Player of the Year award.
Garrett had initially requested a trade following the 2024 season, prior to ultimately re-signing with Cleveland. This history indicated a pre-existing openness to a move, but the final decision required careful consideration.
Garrett himself shared that the decision to waive his clause was one that required significant thought. He learned of the potential trade approximately a week ago, as he recounted on Tuesday during an introductory press conference alongside Snead and Rams Head Coach Sean McVay.
His contract had been restructured to alleviate cap hits in 2029 and 2030, making him a more movable asset. Upon learning that the Rams were the likely destination, Garrett expressed a surge of excitement.
“It was a surprise, it was a bit of excitement,” Garrett remarked. “Being in LA, I have a lot of roots here. And knowing that there’s a winning culture, and great teammates and great coaches here, I was definitely looking forward to the opportunity.”
During his nine years in Cleveland, Garrett had only experienced the playoffs twice. The prospect of playing for a team with immediate Super Bowl aspirations and a deep postseason run was an opportunity he eagerly embraced, one he felt compelled to accept by waiving his no-trade clause.
“To be a winner now, to have an opportunity to do that immediately, that was ultimately too difficult to pass up,” he explained. “The opportunity to come here, to have an immediate and profound impact on this team, it was just something I had to move forward with.”
Snead conveyed a sense of confidence regarding the trade’s finalization by Sunday. He noted that after weeks of intense negotiation over draft picks and players, a feeling of “finality” began to emerge.
“There was a lot of discussions about it,” McVay added. “Until it became a reality, to be able to add players like this, it’s so rare, for opportunities that present themselves. We feel very fortunate. This feels very similar to when we acquired Matthew Stafford. It was a long wait until it was actually official.”
A crucial part of that waiting period involved Garrett formally waiving his no-trade clause and agreeing to be traded to Los Angeles. Following a period of deliberation and introspection, he ultimately made that decision.
