The Los Angeles Rams General Manager Les Snead stated that the trade for Myles Garrett was in progress for several months. During Garrett’s introductory press conference in Los Angeles, Snead mentioned that discussions regarding potential defensive improvements began at the start of the offseason.
Snead noted, “How did we end up with Myles Garrett sitting between Sean and myself? When Sean and I met for the first time to talk about the offseason, we did discuss how we could add to the defense.”
Snead believed acquiring the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year would be feasible after Garrett and the Cleveland Browns adjusted his contract in March, which made him easier to trade. He reached out to Browns General Manager Andrew Berry immediately to gauge if the contract change indicated Garrett might be available.
“When Cleveland made the adjustment to his contract, not sure if it was a signal, they made an adjustment,” said Snead. He continued, “Myles, he’s a Cleveland Brown, he’s on their Mount Rushmore, so they were a no.” However, the conversations with Berry continued, initially in a more casual manner before turning serious.
Snead said that Berry rejected offers involving draft picks for Garrett, but indicated a willingness to negotiate if the Rams offered Jared Verse, a young pass rusher. Snead explained, “We tried to do this with draft compensation, then the draft came and went.”
He elaborated on the difficulties during negotiations, stating, “At the end of the day, and where it got a little tough for us, is they asked for Jared Verse in return. And similar to Cleveland at first, we were a no.” As discussions resumed in late May, Snead acknowledged the need for a decision as the June 1 deadline approached.
Moreover, Snead was aware of Garrett’s no-trade clause, which could have complicated the trade process. He recalled asking Berry, “Myles has a no-trade clause, are we going to have gone through all this and he’s going to say no?” Ultimately, Garrett agreed to the trade, allowing Snead to finalize the long-anticipated deal.
Source: www.nbcsports.com via Google News.
