The NFL world was shaken up on Monday when the Cleveland Browns shockingly traded star defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and draft compensation. The stunning deal took the NFL world by storm, and reactions immediately started flying on social media.
Naturally, the jokes immediately came out. But perhaps none were better than from Barstool Sports, which twisted the knife for Cleveland sports fans with a shot at Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson after the Cavs were bounced from the Eastern Conference Finals.
“Analytically Jared Verse could be better than Myles Garrett” pic.twitter.com/oN67EN3ZgQ
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 1, 2026
Of course, Atkinson caught a lot of heat after Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where Cleveland was trailing 3-0, for saying that the Cavs won two of the games according to shot quality. The analytics didn’t come back to save the Cavs in Game 4 either, as they were blown out and sent home.
The Browns are certainly hoping that the Garrett trade works out a lot better for them than the Eastern Conference Finals did for the Cavs. Of course, giving up one of the best players in the league is a big risk for the Browns. However, they are a rebuilding team that was unlikely to be ready to compete for playoff spots or championships while Garrett was still in his prime, so it makes sense for both sides to move on.
In return, the Browns get some valuable draft capital to build for the future as well as Verse, who is one of the best young defensive ends in football. While he may not have the natural athleticism and explosiveness to reach the ceiling that Garrett has, he is one of the strongest players in the league and excels both against the run and the pass.
Pairing Verse with Mason Graham on the defensive line should allow the Browns to have a solid unit up front for years to come. With Todd Monken in as the new head coach, Cleveland should be excited about its foundation that it can build off of over the next few seasons.
The NFL world was shaken up on Monday when the Cleveland Browns shockingly traded star defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and draft compensation. The stunning deal took the NFL world by storm, and reactions immediately started flying on social media. Naturally, the jokes immediately came out.
