Grading the two blockbusters: the Browns aced the Garrett trade, the Patriots paid up for Brown
Two franchise-altering deals landed within a day of each other. One was a masterclass in selling high. The other was an understandable price for a need that had to be filled.
Two blockbusters in 24 hours: Myles Garrett to the Rams, A.J. Brown to the Patriots. One deal stands out as a coup for the team trading the star away. The other is the understandable cost of filling a glaring need. Here's how they grade out.
Who won the Garrett trade?
Cleveland, by acclamation, even though Los Angeles got the better player. The Rams acquired the reigning Defensive Player of the Year coming off a single-season sack record, an unambiguous win-now move for a contender. But the Browns' return was larger than should have been reasonably expected even for Garrett: a 25-year-old two-time Pro Bowl edge in Jared Verse, plus a 2027 first, a 2028 second, and a 2029 third. Selling a 30-year-old superstar at the absolute peak of his value for a younger building block and three premium picks is the textbook version of a rebuild trade.
How does the Brown trade grade?
Understandable and tolerable, if not a steal. The Patriots gave up a 2028 first-round pick and a future fifth for A.J. Brown. The price is a shade steep for a receiver in his thirties, but it's dramatically cheaper than the Garrett haul, and New England's need at receiver was severe. If Brown produces at his current level for the price, the deal is fine, and the upside is a transformed passing offense around Drake Maye. The reunion with head coach Mike Vrabel adds a layer of fit that pure compensation analysis misses.
Why do the two trades grade so differently?
Leverage and timing. Cleveland held the best defensive player in football and a willing buyer in a contender, and extracted maximum value, demanding Verse be included before any deal. Philadelphia was a motivated seller managing a cap crunch and an aging receiver, which capped its return. The Patriots, by contrast, were the desperate party in their deal, and desperate buyers pay retail. Same market, two very different negotiating positions, two very different outcomes.
What do both deals say about the contenders involved?
The Rams and Patriots both chose to accelerate. Los Angeles spent a future first and a young, cost-controlled edge to add the single most disruptive defender in the league for its win-now window. New England spent a future first to give its ascending young quarterback a true No. 1. Cleveland and Philadelphia, meanwhile, are playing the longer game: the Browns reset their entire timeline around draft capital, and the Eagles bought themselves cap flexibility while recouping a first. Two win-now bets, two future-focused sells.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: 2026 NFL offseason trade grades - A.J. Brown, Myles Garrett
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